AgendaIntroductions & Cerner Story Our PracticesSystem Engineer PerspectiveNetwork Engineer PerspectiveQuestions & Answers

Midokura IntroductionAdam JohnsonVP Business, Midokura

Background● Network Virtualization

Overlay● Plugs into Neutron● Open source base:

midonet.org● Fully distributed L2-4● It’s Linux Software

Background● Open source software

developer● Virtual worlds to virtual

machines● Tech to sales

Cerner Introductions

@Russ_StarrNetwork Engineer / Architect

Ryan BakerSystem Engineer / Architect

Background● Data Center

Networking● Routing & Switching● Proxy & Load

Balancing

Background● OS System

Management● Data Center

Technologies● Infrastructure

Automation

Who Cerner is...

$4.4BILLION

Cerner’s OpenStack Story2013/2014: First ExplorationsLate 2014: Official POCEarly 2015: Production PlanningMid 2015: Production Live

Our Practices - OpenStack Deployment Planning

System Engineer

OpenStack platform architecture including overlay

Deployment strategy

Network Engineer

Underlay network architecture

Responsible for external network connection architecture

50% 50%

workload balance

Our Practices - Initial OpenStack Deployment

System Engineer

Deploy OpenStack Install and configures

the overlay

Network Engineer

External network architecture

Observe Deployment

66%

workload balance

34%

Our Practices - Final Steps of OpenStack Deployment 66%

workload balance

34%

System Engineer

Continues OpenStack platform tuning

Network Engineer

Configure overlay for tenant networks

Integrate routing with external networks

Our Practices - OpenStack Post Go-Live50% 50%

workload balance

System Engineer

Help tenants through Neutron

Advanced overlay agent troubleshooting

Network Engineer

Overlay versionMonitoringHousekeepingAdvanced Neutron

tenant requests

Our Practices - Overlay Upgrade (Midonet example)

Network Engineer

Responsible for target version, release notes.

Change Control & Notification

Coordinates with Business Units accordingly

System Engineer

Standby for any help or unexpected situations

Peer ReviewerSoftware repository

updates

10% 90%

workload balance

Tips and Essential Skills for System EngineersForce yourself to become a network engineer

Start small - Learn CIDR notation!Know the common acronyms and what they mean

VLAN, VXLAN, MTU, BGPIt’s ok to be lost… keep going to those meetingsStand up a full OpenStack deployment, overlay and

all, on your own

Tips and Essential Skills for System EngineersCommunication is key!

“It is a network problem” is now “It is OUR problem”

Seemingly Minor changes can make BIG problemsDaily Standups ensure proper communication

Be aware of the words and phrases you use; many have different meaningsBridgingMulti-homed

How System Engineers can help Network Engineers

Configuration

Management

How System Engineers can help Network Engineers

Configuration

Management

Tips for Network EngineersKeep underlay network simple and low costKnow Linux / bash environment wellLevel-up on:

Networking: ifconfig, ip add, ip link, ip netns, ethtool, tcpdump, netcat

Utilities: grep, sed, awk, tr, tar, gzip, gitDisk: df, du, mount

Tips for Network EngineersGet comfortable with JSON.Learn bash or python to be more efficientLearn to use configuration management tools like

Chef, Puppet, Ansible, etcMake up 3 - 5 letter acronyms that don’t exist.

How Network Engineers can help System EngineersRouting protocol basics

IGP vs EGPRoute selection; ECMPBGP Active vs. Established

Stateful devices with connection timers

Our Practices - Organizational TipsStart with a small number of good people.Include Linux, Virtualization, Networking, Storage,

and Software Engineering expertise on an OpenStack-dedicated team.

Operate cohesively

Adopt agile practices where possibleInvolve security and other roles that aren’t yet

OpenStack-dedicated.

As a system engineer, what was the hardest thing to learn (or accept?) about networking?

As a network engineer, what was the hardest thing to learn (or

accept?) about systems?

What were you the most surprised about when working

with an overlay in your environment?

Network Overlay Online Communications“Overlay” = 3 matches

“Karaoke” = 3 matches

VS.

Network Overlay Online Communications“VxLAN” = 16 matches

“beer” OR “bbq” = 16 matches

VS.

Network Overlay Online Communications“BGP” = 64 matches

“Keystone” = 65 matches

VS.