building a cloud services company: an engineer's view
TRANSCRIPT
Cloud Builders
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Russ WhitePrincipal Engineer
SPEA
KER
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WHY AM I TRYING TO DRINK FROM
THIS FIREHOSE???
What is a programmable
network?
Can you explain this SDN thing
again?
Why does it matter what color
the box is?
This is the market you
really need to be in…
But it all sounds so
cloudy to me…
How much is the data
breach going to cost???
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• Get out front on cost• Get out front on security• The 24x7 news cycle is stressful• Customers need to believe you can deliver
more security than they can
• Get out front on mindshare• It’s not (just) a service, it’s an experience
• But… how?
Get Out Front
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Scalable Responsive to customer needsFlexible Fit to changes in the business quickly Secure No breaches, no leaks, no errorsElegant Consciously control complexity
Set Big Goals
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Make it Programmable
• To drive scale, flex, and security• To gain mindshare
Separate Hardware from SoftwareGet Serious about Innovation
Find a Path
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• Think in terms of programmable rather than software defined• Some problems can or should be centralized• Others can not or should not
• But how can you tell the difference?• By rethinking our network models
Make It Programmable
Programmable Distributed
Centralized Distributed
SDN Traditional
PLUS
VERSUS
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• Should the control plane be centralized or decentralized?• Mainframes: Centralized• Local Area Networks: Decentralized• Software Defined Networks: Centralized
• Who’s the best vendor to do X?• What’s the next new technology?• How do I make this work?• What problem am I trying to solve?
Get off the Roller Coaster
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• Models shape the way we see our networks and systems• The models we use today are “old and well
worn”• But are they right?• Advances in technology• Advances in ways of thinking about the problem
space
• Look for simpler ways to see the problem
Rethink the Models
Optical/CopperEthernet
IPv6/MPLS
Overlay Overlay Overlay
Application Application Application
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• Control plane can be split into four things• Discover the topology• Find loop free paths to each destination• Break up failure domains by hiding information• Engineer traffic (select loop free path)
• Transport can be split based on intent• Rather than “protocol within the stack”
• Rethinking the models will help you get off the roller coaster
Rethink the Models (Examples)
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• Hardware is not a commodity• But it “ain’t the brains,” either
• Control the software, control the future• Manage hardware and software lifecycles separately• Don’t let your hardware control your architecture
• Paths forward• Whitebox/brightbox/greybox• Open standards• Open software
Separate Hardware and SoftwareSOFTWARE
HARDWARE
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• Drive down the stack where possible• Recognize your technical limitations• Recognize when others can “build it
better”
• But… don’t let a vendor drive your architecture• You are the vendor
• How can I drive down the stack?
Separate Hardware and Software
I buy my hardware from a vendor
I buy my software from a vendor
I buy my architecture from a vendor
Open Source+White Box
Bright Box
Vendor Source+White Box
Vendor Driven
Open Standards
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• Build a serious culture of innovation• Technology office
• Guides innovation, rather than sourcing it• Does real research and thinking about the future
• Hire engineering sense• Rather than specific skills
• Teach and enable engineering sense• Where do I find these people?• How do I build these skills?• What sort of research, where, and how?
Get Serious about Innovation
People are notwidgets
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• What community?• Standards organizations• Operator’s groups• Open source projects• Research institutions• Educating the next generation…
• Why?• Generates ideas• Control your software future• Builds people with engineering sense• Builds mindshare!
Get Involved in the Community
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This firehose drives our
business to be better!
Of course we can find a way
to do that…
We use SDNs as one
element of our strategy…
White box is great, but we balance
our technologies…
This is the market we’re
going after next…
We are the cloud service…
Let me explain how
we can protect your
data…
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Scott HazdraSr. Security Consultant
John McMillanDir. – Offer Management
Darrin SwanDir., Worldwide Sales & Bus. Development
Iain UrquhartVP, Technical & Partner Sales
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#cpexpo | channelpartnersconference.com
Scott HazdraSr. Security Consultant
John McMillanDir. – Offer Management
Darrin SwanDir., Worldwide Sales & Bus. Development
Iain UrquhartVP, Technical & Partner Sales
Name NameTitle
Russ WhitePrincipal EngineerInsert
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THANK YOU!