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Abiquo SDN integrations work with NSX-V and NSX-T network managers to provide blueprints for software defined networking that include features such as firewalls, load balancers, VPNs, and NAT in private cloud datacenters.
For compatible versions of VMware NSX and NSX-T, see VMware.
Within Abiquo, cloud administrators use logical devices to define the network virtualization systems for datacenters and enterprises.
Features
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Characteristics
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VMware NSX (gateway)
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VMware NSX (NAT)
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VMware NSX (ECMP)
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VMware NSX-T
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Firewall policies
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Firewalls will apply to VMs
only, not load balancers
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Firewalls will apply to VMs
only, not load balancers
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Load balancers
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Private networks
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Static routes
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External networks
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Public networks - IPs
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NAT
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VPNs
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Limitations
By default, Abiquo only supports the use of ONE network virtualization system per enterprise and datacenter. Abiquo will always use the most specific device for networking virtualization.
Context properties
Abiquo uses context properties to enable the administrator to enter configuration values when creating a resource. For example, for the NSX-T plugin, to use more than one Tier-0 configuration per tenant, register the Tier-0 configuration when you are creating each virtual datacenter. See Configure the Abiquo NSX-T integration#Tintegration-ConfigurationtousemorethanoneTier-0configurationpertenant.
For NSX ECMP, to enable the administrator to create more than one VDC per enterprise, you can use context properties to configure the uplink IPs for each virtual datacenter. If you set Uplink IPs with enterprise properties, you have to change the enterprise properties after creating each VDC in an enterprise. See Create multiple VDCs with NSX ECMP.
DHCP
Abiquo supports IPv4 for DHCP and access to the Abiquo console/UI. Abiquo supports IPv6 for DHCPv6.
Abiquo standard VLAN management requires DHCP and VLAN support on the Service Network. Abiquo includes a basic DHCP Server in the platform and it also offers dnsmasq. To provide DHCP services you can also use a DHCP relay server or separate DHCP server. If you are using an SDN solution, Abiquo can use its DHCP system.
To install a DHCP solution on a VM, the hypervisor must support listening to multiple VLANs (e.g. ESXi, KVM).
If you do not use a separate DHCP solutionAbiquo supports IPv4 for access to the Abiquo console/UI.
The Abiquo servers are in the management network. In private cloud, VMs are in the tagged virtual networks that constitute the service network.
Abiquo creates private networks using software defined networking (SDN), or with a tag from the range that you assign to an Abiquo rack.
Abiquo SDN integrations also create firewalls, load balancers, VPNs, and NAT.
In private cloud, Abiquo creates MAC addresses for VMs, and then it assigns IP addresses using one of the following systems:
SDN with DHCP
DHCP remote services
Guest setup
The DHCP remote service must be able to listen on the network (VLAN) of the VM. A standard DHCP server may only be able to manage 200 virtual networks, and it may be difficult to scale up.
For test systems, to use the built-in DHCP server, install the Abiquo Monolithic Server or separate Abiquo Remote Services server on a hypervisor with VLAN support. See Network configuration for virtualizing AbiquoIt is also possible to assign VM network addresses using cloud-init.