Memo to MSPs: Can You Manage Virtualized Networks?

Virtualized Networks VMware Cisco

VMware is spending about $1.2 billion to acquire Nicira. According to outgoing VMware CEO Paul Maritz:

Some folks think VMware-Nicira will competing against Cisco-Insieme. Either way, it’s clear that MSPs need to start planning for SDN and virtualized networks.

VCE VBlock for Partners

Already, software companies such as CA Technologies’ Nimsoft allow MSPs to manage Vblock — which converges network, computing, server and virtualized assets. In stark contrast, Nicira’s Network Virtualization Platform software “manages a network abstraction layer between end hosts and the physical network and enables the creation of virtual networks that operate independent of the underlying physical network.”

Nicira says NVP works with any network hardware from any vendor and is hypervisor agnostic, working with VMware ESXi, Linux/KVM, Xen/Xen Server and Microsoft Hyper-V.

I don’t know if Nicira has a partner program, but new parent VMware certainly does. And Cisco, meanwhile, has the option to buy all of Insieme down the road. For MSPs, it’s time to keep an eye on the emerging SDN opportunity.