OpenContrail

OpenContrail represents Juniper Networks' venture into the open-source realm of network virtualization, complemented by its commercial counterpart known as Contrail.

The Blueprint

The OpenContrail infrastructure primarily consists of two pivotal components:

• The Controller orchestrates the creation, control, and analytical operations for virtual networks.

• The vRouter facilitates distributed routing, eager to manage the establishment of virtual routers and networks, as well as the handling of data forwarding.

The vRouter notably operates in three distinct flavors:

• Kernel vRouter: Carries a resemblance to the OVS kernel module.

• DPDK vRouter: Mirrors the capabilities of ovs-dpdk.

• Netronome Agilio Solution (a commercial product): Ready to support a trifecta of advanced networking technologies including DPDK, SR-IOV, and Express Virtio (XVIO).

Further Reading

• Dive into the OpenContrail Architecture

• A Deeper Understanding of Network Virtualization Architecture