NSX-T Data Center is a standalone version of NSX that is not tied to any specific hypervisor or virtualization platform. NSX-T Data Center can be used with a variety of hypervisors, as well as with bare-metal servers and containers. It offers a broader range of features and capabilities, including multi-cloud networking and security. It can automate network and security policies across entire data centers and multiple clouds.
In short, NSX-T Data Center is a standalone version of NSX that can be used with a variety of virtualization platforms and cloud environments.
Major Differences between NSX-V and NSX-T
Here are some of the feature differences between VMware NSX for vSphere and VMware NSX-T Data Center:
Integration with hypervisors:
NSX for vSphere is tightly integrated with VMware vSphere, while NSX-T Data Center can work with multiple hypervisors, bare-metal servers, and container environments.
Scalability:
NSX-T Data Center is more scalable than NSX for vSphere, with the ability to support larger environments and more complex use cases. NSX-T Data Center provides a public cloud, like experience on-premises with cloud-scale networking, security, and centralized network operations
Multi-Cloud Networking:
NSX-T Data Center includes features for multi-cloud networking, which allows for the extension of network and security policies across multiple clouds and data centers.
Network and Security Automation:
NSX-T Data Center includes advanced automation capabilities that allow for the programmable creation and management of network and security policies. It simplifies network automation and management with a declarative policy model and a streamlined user experience.
Integration with VMware Cloud Foundation:
NSX-T Data Center is fully integrated with VMware Cloud Foundation, a software-defined data center platform that includes compute, storage, networking, and cloud management capabilities.
Service Chaining:
NSX-T Data Center includes service chaining capabilities, which allow for the chaining of network services such as firewalls, load balancers, and VPNs in a programmable and automated way.
Network Visibility:
NSX-T Data Center includes advanced network visibility features, including network introspection, micro-segmentation planning, and distributed tracing.
Best-in-Class Security Built into Your Infrastructure:
Gain superior protection against the lateral movement of threats with stateful Layer 7 security controls that include IDS/IPS and security analytics via NSX Intelligence.
Newer Business Capabilities you get from NSX-T Data Center
By leveraging VMware NSX-T Data Center, you can safeguard your current investments while unlocking new business opportunities. Neglecting to adopt this technology means missing out on the latest features that could benefit your customers, which include:
Container-Based Networking and Security for K8S:
Kubernetes requires container-based networking and security for secure and reliable communication between containers. Network plugins like Calico, Flannel, and Weave Net, along with security mechanisms such as network policies, pod security policies, and secrets, ensure container isolation and protect sensitive data. Container-based networking and security are essential for successfully deploying and managing containerized applications.
Improved Operations and Analytics:
NSX Advanced Load Balancer offers improved operations and analytics for efficient management and monitoring of applications. Automation and integration with other tools enable consistent configurations, while advanced analytics provide real-time visibility into application performance and user behaviour, helping to optimize application delivery and capacity planning.
Load Balancer as a Service offering (LBaaS):
Load Balancer as a Service (LBaaS) is a cloud computing service that provides load-balancing capabilities for applications and services hosted in the cloud. It is a type of infrastructure as a service (IaaS) offering that enables users to distribute network traffic across multiple servers to improve application performance and availability.
The integration between NSX Advanced Load Balancer and NSX-T Data Center combines advanced load balancing capabilities with network virtualization features. NSX ALB offers application delivery and traffic management, while NSX-T Datacenter provides software-defined networking and security services. This integration enhances application delivery, scalability, and elasticity, while enabling intelligent traffic management and micro-segmentation. It also offers centralized management and visibility through a single console. By leveraging this integration, organizations can build scalable, secure, and high-performing application delivery infrastructures.
New Security Features such as IDS/IPS and NSX Advanced Threat Protection:
IDS/IPS and NSX Advanced Threat Protection are new security features that provide a comprehensive defense against evolving cyber threats. IDS/IPS detects and blocks known attack signatures, while NSX Advanced Threat Protection uses machine learning and behavioural analytics to detect and prevent advanced threats. These features help organizations monitor network traffic, identify suspicious activity, and respond quickly to potential threats.
See Manage VMware NSX IDS/IPS for VMware Cloud Director guide.
Note: This guide will guide through the steps to enable system administrators to implement those solutions as a managed service for VMware Cloud Director users. In the proposed implementation, the components are configured and managed separately from VMware Cloud Director.
Advanced Networking Features such as VRF, EVPN, Enhanced BGP and GENEVE:
Advanced networking features such as Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF), Ethernet VPN (EVPN), Enhanced Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), and Generic Network Virtualization Encapsulation (GENEVE) are important technologies that enable organizations to build scalable and efficient networks.
Together, these advanced networking features provide organizations with the tools they need to build efficient, scalable, and secure networks that can support the most demanding applications and workloads.
In summary, VRF, EVPN, Enhanced BGP, and GENEVE are advanced networking features that enable organizations to build efficient, scalable, and secure networks. They provide improved security, simplified network management, and better performance for applications and workloads.
Security for Physical Servers which are not Virtualized:
When it comes to securing physical servers that are not virtualized, NSX-T Data Center provides a distributed firewall and other security features such as IDS/IPS and network introspection to secure physical servers that are not virtualized. It also supports third-party security solutions through Service Insertion and Service Chaining. These features provide comprehensive security for the entire infrastructure.
Federation across Multiple NSX Deployments:
NSX-T Data Center provides the ability to federate multiple NSX deployments, allowing organizations to manage their network and security policies across multiple sites or data centers. This feature is handy for organizations with geographically distributed infrastructure, as it enables them to maintain consistency in network and security policies across multiple sites. Federation also supports resiliency and disaster recovery by automatically redirecting traffic to other sites in case of a failure.
In summary, federation across multiple NSX deployments enables organizations to manage their network and security policies across multiple sites, providing consistency, automation, and resiliency.
Standard L4 Features and Premium L7 Features:
Standard L4 features include basic traffic distribution and health monitoring, while Premium L7 features provide more advanced application layer services such as SSL offloading, content-based routing, and application-aware traffic steering. These features enhance security and performance for a wide range of applications.
Newer Capabilities you get from NSX-T Data Center
Enhanced Hardware Performance in ESXi Hosts for Bare Metal Edges:
NSX-T Data Center’s enhanced hardware performance feature provides high-performance networking and security services for ESXi hosts running bare metal edges. This feature takes advantage of hardware acceleration technologies to improve the performance, scalability, and throughput of virtual networking and security services.
Single Pane of Glass from Global NSX Manager:
The “single pane of glass” from the Global NSX Manager in VMware NSX-T Data Center provides a centralized interface for managing all NSX-T resources across multiple sites, enabling faster troubleshooting, more efficient policy enforcement, and simplified management. This approach also offers better visibility and control of network traffic, allowing administrators to quickly identify potential issues and security threats.
Networking and Security for Native Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure Workloads:
VMware NSX-T Data Center offers advanced networking and security features for native Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure workloads, including distributed firewalling, micro-segmentation, and load balancing. This allows organizations to deploy and manage applications across hybrid and multi-cloud environments with consistent policies and procedures, reducing operational overhead and improving security posture.
If you want to learn more, look at our microsite to better understand the product overview, browse the FAQ section, and explore the available resources.
ARE YOU A CLOUD PROVIDER?: If you’re a VMware Cloud Provider seeking guidance on migrating your current workload from NSX V for vSphere to NSX-T Data Center, you can find helpful information in the “VMware NSX Migration for VMware Cloud Director 1.4.2 is now GA” blog
Summary
VMware NSX-T Data Center is a game-changer for cloud providers seeking to deliver their customers advanced networking and security capabilities. With its micro-segmentation, distributed firewalling, and load-balancing features, NSX-T Data Center enables organizations to deploy and manage applications across hybrid and multi-cloud environments with consistent policies and procedures. By using NSX-T Data Center, cloud providers can offer their customers a more secure and agile infrastructure, ensuring a superior user experience and reducing the risk of security breaches. Additionally, the centralized management interface streamlines operations, reduces management overhead, and improves security posture while lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) and delivering better ROI. By adopting NSX-T Data Center, cloud providers can differentiate themselves from competitors, drive business growth, and meet the evolving needs of today’s digital landscape.
