VMware Integrated OpenStack (VIO)

VMware Integrated OpenStack is a new solution for rapid and profitable implementation convenient in development tools and libraries OpenStack API on the basis of the existing infrastructure VMware.

2018: Announcement of version 5.0

The VMware company provided on May 30, 2018 VMware Integrated OpenStack 5, the next version of the distribution kit on the basis of OpenStack Queens release. VMware Integrated OpenStack 5 is available in two versions — Carrier Edition to telecom operators and Data Center Edition for DPCs. It included functions for simplification, scalings and protection of the production OpenStack environments.

Thanks to access through open API to the virtualized infrastructure of VMware, telecom operators and the organizations will receive the high-performance platform based on an open architecture and will be able to accelerate deployment of workloads of the virtualized network functions (NFV) and also implementation of the innovation services, consider in the company.

VMware Integrated OpenStack 5 corresponds to the recommendations of compatibility of OpenStack Foundation of February, 2018. With VMware Integrated OpenStack customers will receive the fast solution for implementation and operation of a cloud of OpenStack compatible to solutions of VMware for virtualization of network functions (NFV) and infrastructure of software-defined DPC (SDDC).

The version of VMware Integrated OpenStack-Carrier Edition meets specific requirements of telecom operators on implementation of network services based on NFV which service current and future (according to standard 5G) scenarios in a core and on the periphery. With the provided version of VMware Integrated OpenStack-Carrier Edition telecom operators will be able to estimate possibilities of a number of the advanced NFV functions:

• The accelerated Data Plane performance
  • Customers will be able to improve response time of applications, to reduce cross-network delays and to increase network performance thanks to support of the NSX Managed Virtual Distributed Switch switch in the mode of the increased data transfer rate, DPDK and also to the optimized technicians of data plane in VMware vSphere.

• Elastic multitenantny scaling of resources
  • This function will provide providing resources to users and their isolation. Other users will not have access to this pool and will not be able to use its resources. The solution of VMware also supports flexible scaling thanks to which telecom operators will be able dynamically to add new resources to different clusters of vSphere for adaptation to conditions of traffic and transition from piloting to commercial operation. It will allow them to isolate workloads/VNF of different types from each other and to maintain resource availability in process of increase in loading.

• "Boxed" OpenStack option for a 5G and peripheral calculations
  • The small size and execution in the form of high-steady micro DPC allow to unroll a system for work with a 5G and peripheral calculations. Customers will be able to control completely work of micro DPCs and applications on the periphery using the automated mechanisms of management based on API and management tools lifecycle. The solution of VMware can be implemented for work with the utility systems, oil and gas drilling platforms, applications in points of sales, surveillance cameras, on industrial enterprises. Telecom operators use its functions for peripheral calculations with multipath access (MEC), deployments of VNF, sensitive to delays, and in support systems of transactions (OSS).

• Operation with a possibility of self-government and ensuring guaranteed quality of services
  • Technologies of VMware provide comprehensive visibility, receipt of significant analytical data in real time, the analysis of root causes (RCA) and fault recovery in the OpenStack environments. Among the major functions — the complex analysis of workloads, forecast resource planning and also large-scale monitoring of operation of virtual machines and containers by means of a single system of management of the virtualized infrastructure (VIM).

With VMware Integrated OpenStack 5 telecom operators and corporate customers will be able to use Queens release innovations for support of crucial workloads in container and native cloud environments of applications. In addition to Queens opportunities, the solution Integrated OpenStack contains a significant amount of the innovations added VMware:

• Possibility of mass scaling. Customers will be able to start up to 500 hosts and up to 15 thousand virtual machines in one region, at the same time to support several regions and to keep monitoring and account of metrics in required scale.
• High availability to crucial workloads. Instant pictures of data, cloning and backup of the connected disks prolong error-free running time of virtual machines and applications thanks to improvements of the driver of the disks Cinder.
• Unified virtual environment. The solution allows to implement and start virtual machines and containers within a single system of management of the virtualized infrastructure (VIM) and uniform network factory based on VMware NSX-T Data Center. With this architecture customers will have an opportunity easily and just to unroll hybrid workloads which part of components will be started in containers, and other part — on virtual machines.
• The increased security. Using Keystone improvements, including a possibility of use of credentials of applications and assignment of system roles, the solution of VMware consolidates and simplifies management of users and roles. VMware Integrated OpenStack 5 offers enciphering of internal traffic of API, integration of accounts on the k2k models (Keystone to Keystone federation) and also support of main systems of management of identification data, including VMware Identity Manager. These functions will allow to increase security.
• Optimization and standardization of DNS services. Thanks to Designate support customers will be able to use DNS service on model "as - service". They will also have a possibility of automatic registration of virtual machines and virtual network functions on the DNS server approved by the company — earlier new hosts had to be started manually through Designate.
• The improved user interface. Upgraded version of the Horizon control panel simplifies implementation of the multilevel and routed L3 networks. Thanks to an opportunity to connect and disconnect NAT on the rented OpenStack NSX router and also communication with zones of availability Neutron directly from the Horizon interface, developers will be able to configure network under requirements of the applications.

VMware Integrated OpenStack 5 will go on sale by the end of the second quarter of financial year of the company (will come to the end on August 3, 2018). Current users of VMware Integrated OpenStack will be able to be updated to version 5 using the update handler function which is built in software.

2017

Carrier Edition

On September 13, 2017 the VMware company provided VMware Integrated OpenStack-Carrier Edition — the OpenStack distribution kit based on Ocata, available as a part of the VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack platform. Integrated OpenStack-CE is developed taking into account specific requirements of telecom operators which implement network NFV services on OpenStack.

In more detail here.

Using VMware Integrated OpenStack as a management system for the virtualized infrastructure (VIM), network architects will be able to unroll, update and operate OpenStack cloud over the VMware NFVI platform of an operator class. VMware vCloud NFV-OpenStack provides the built-in support of the konteynezirovanny virtualized functions of communication (VNF): the built-in management tools containers, allow to start virtual machines and container VNF within one VIM system.

Announcement of version 4.0

On August 31, 2017 the VMware company announced the version of the VMware Integrated OpenStack 4.0 distribution kit.

The virtual module vSphere OpenStack Virtual Appliance (VOVA) is taken as a basis of architecture of VMware. He allows to create OpenStack infrastructure on the basis of the platform virtualizations VMware vSphere. VMware Integrated OpenStack (VIO) is the special distribution kit supported by VMware, optimized for work on the basis of infrastructure SDDC (software defined data center).

The main opportunities and changes of VMware Integrated OpenStack 4.0 are listed below.

The OpenStack functions available in the Newton and Ocata components

VIO 4.0 is based on the last release of an open architecture with the name Ocata. Ocata is the first release in which the Cells v2 component (support of small computing groups) is a configuration by default for OpenStack Nova. Support of this technology just will allow to scale architecture due to adding of groups. Besides, service of placement of virtual machines which appeared to the Newton component is a part of VIO 4.0 now.

In OpenStack Horizon opportunities appeared:

• the improved placement of workloads (enhanced workload placements),
• Support of LBaaSv2 and equipment of a versioning of templates (Heat template versions) which allows to define the list of the supported functions for this version of a template.

Among opportunities in this category:

• Resource tagging equipment,
• support of zones of availability of Cinder availability zones,
• the improved snapshots in Cinder,
• conditional Heat templates templates.

Integration with vRealize Automation

Through vRealize Automation Portal it is possible to see infopanel VIO Horizon directly due to use of integration of SSO with vIDM (Identity Manager). Integration allows administrators of OpenStack to automate creation of users and projects, deployment of templates or other transactions through means of vRA.

Enhanced capabilities of network management

VIO 4.0 allows to simplify management of network addressing and delivery due to dynamic routing technology. Instead of using NAT for ensuring uniqueness of the IP addresses, administrators can use Neutron address pools to set ranges of uniqueness of the addresses. It allows to provide uniqueness of IP subnets of clients in a public cloud, guaranteeing that they will not be crossed among themselves.

The BGP routing functions allow cloud administrators to adjust dynamically connection between end customers without the need for manual control by static routes.

Support of Neutron availability zone allows clients of infrastructure of OpenStack to place loadings of NSX ESG in different clusters and racks in the data-center for reliability augmentation. In addition, in the last release of Neutron Firewall-as-a-Service and guest VLAN tagging technologies are supported (tagging of the personnel from guest OS).

The improved support of the platform

In VIO 4.0 several vCenter servers, VMware NSX-T technology are supported that allows administrators to define several zones of availability (domains of failure) to avoid a uniform point of failure. Several vCenter servers can be used at achievement of its operational limits.

VIO 4.0 at the expense of images of Glance allows to execute hot change of resources of virtual machines by clients of a cloud of OpenStack. It is possible to change CPU, memories or a disk of virtual machines without their switching off. The compatibility with vCenter HA and LVM technologies is provided (the last - for flexible expansion of storage).

Enterprise level containers

VIO 4.0 provides support of the containers Kubernetes which have the built-in functions of security, high availability and scalability (up and down). Cloud administrators received the automation equipment of deployment Kubernetes API with support of several clients and managements of users.

Kubernetes are integrated with SDDC vRealize packet products that allows to solve operational problems:

• management of lifecycle,
• monitoring
• logging.

Technologies of maintenance of permanent storage, load distribution and ensuring network interaction between containers can be implemented by means of VMware NSX.

2016: VMware Integrated OpenStack 3.0

On September 2, 2016 the VMware company announced an exit of release of VMware Integrated OpenStack (VIO) 3.0.

Representation of VMware Integrated OpenStac, (2016)

Upgrade of opportunities of VIO 3.0

• Support of architecture of OpenStack Mitaka^[1]
  • Now users of VMware Integrated OpenStack can use all innovations of architecture of the new version of release of Mitaka, including:
  • the Improved UX.
  • the Simplified configuration of computing services Nova.
  • the Keystone identity service Setup for a cloud environment which is performed in one step now.
  • Keystone supports at the same time both local authentication, and authentication through AD now.
  • the Heat Engine optimized for processing of heavy loads and complex actions for the purpose of horizontal scaling of nodes and increase performance in the stateless mode.
  • the Improved OpenStack Client in which there is a set of means for creation of resources that cancels need of interaction with each service through API.
  • Support of packets of development of SDK in different languages.
  • the Possibility of "give me a network" which allows to create network in one action, to tie to it the server, to appoint the IP address and to make network available.

• The simplified means of import of the existing workloads
  • Users can just translate the loadings on the vSphere platform under management of standard OpenStack API now. Also there was a possibility of direct import from vSphere to OpenStack and also migration of an environment in OpenStack Framework.

• Compact means of Control Plane
  • This opportunity for creation of small clouds of OpenStack for remote offices or branches. It allows not to develop a large number of components and not to spend many funds for infrastructure, and to create a compact virtual environment on the basis of the basic modules OpenStack.

2014: Integrated OpenStack

On August 25, 2014 VMware presented the program technological solution Integrated OpenStack at the VMworld 2014 conference.

The VMware Integrated OpenStack technology is intended for calculations, data storage and management, providing the infrastructure of a corporate class reducing capital, operating costs and total cost of ownership for solutions on the OpenStack platform. By means of VMware Integrated OpenStack customers will be able quickly to start ready clouds of OpenStack, creating convenient environments of API for internal developers and transfer of processes from uncontrollable and unsafe public clouds. IT specialists will be able to manage and configure OpenStack cloud by means of tools of VMware.

VMware Integrated OpenStack is expected on sale in the first half of 2015.

Notes