Making the great even better. Extreme Fabric Automation extends its capabilities!

09 December 2019

Extreme solutions for data center networking, recently recognized as a 2019 Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice, deliver new, top-of-the-line capabilities to augment enterprise IT teams and reduce human error!

New capabilities of the Extreme Fabric Automation software, available as part of the Extreme Data Center Fabric, help accelerate transformation initiatives by significantly reducing time spent on administrative tasks – all thanks to flexible, plug-and-play deployment options, ecosystem integrations, and cloud-speed, automated network provisioning. The new capabilities automatically manage the validation, testing, and operation of data center fabric networks while providing critically important network reliability and resiliency.

Here is what our partners have to say about the new solution:

It is as straight-forward as cabling up all switches and entering a few simple commands to establish a network. With our engineers being able to perform these steps so easily themselves, our team is freed up to focus on the actual platforms and services we offer to our partners.

Nick Barron, Chief Technology Officer, Harbor Solutions

With the new Extreme Fabric Automation tool, we were able to set up the network in minutes without having to use additional, expensive server infrastructure.

Darren Elsom, Director, Trunk Networks

The software and the hardware

In addition to the new Extreme Fabric Automation capabilities, Extreme is also rolling out two new high-performance switches embedded with guest VMs – the SLX 9150 leaf switch and the SLX 9250 spine switch. Collectively, the new data center software and hardware will give IT teams streamlined network automation, simplified integrations and operations, as well as greater control of when and where data center assets are deployed.

SLX 9150 leaf switch and SLX 9250 spine switch

More than ever, the modern datacenter network must be fully responsive to the needs of workloads, which are increasingly distributed across multi-cloud environments. In this context, microservices have emerged as a key enabler of automated network agility and streamlined simplification, from the point of provisioning and throughout the network lifecycle. With Extreme Fabric Automation, Extreme Networks is helping to bring simplicity to complex fabric management, making it possible for customers – on their own, without the assistance of external consultants – to get their datacenter networks up and running in minutes rather than days.

Brad Casemore, Research Vice President, Datacenter Networks at IDC

Key Benefits:

Simplified automation and cloud-speed provisioning: Plug-and-play fabrics with on-switch automation streamlines configurations and simplifies network operations with day-zero infrastructure provisioning and day-one tenant/services provisioning. IT teams can deploy a fabric in seconds after simply cabling devices, powering on the switches, and running the Extreme Fabric Automation application from any SLX spine or leaf switch.
Flexible deployment options: Unique in the industry, Extreme Fabric Automation is hosted on the guest VM of the SLX 9150 leaf switch or the SLX 9250 spine switch. It can also be hosted on an external VM, providing on-premises and private cloud deployment options.
Ecosystem integrations: Extreme Fabric Automation integrates with orchestration software including OpenStack, VMware vCenter, and Microsoft SCVMM. Each integration is a separate microservice and leverages the application’s fabric awareness. Additional integrations will be available in future releases.
Faster time-to-value: Elasticity built into Extreme Fabric Automation provides IT teams the ability to scale the network up and down to meet changes in demand. Fast setup of an entire fabric network gives teams back valuable time to focus on higher level projects that will drive the business forward. Additionally, the solution reduces the cost of operating a network and, for those leveraging guest VM, eliminates the need for an external server.
Security certifications and TAA compliance: The SLX 9150 and SLX 9250 are undergoing extensive testing and qualification to support the highest level of security certifications. Both are TAA compliant and will support FIPS 140-2, Common Criteria (CC), USGv6, and DoDIN APL starting Q1 CY20. Available for pre-order now, customers and partners can start the procurement and deployment evaluation cycle.
Built on Broadcom: The new SLX spine and leaf switches are built on Broadcom’s Trident 3 switch ASICs, bringing the same telemetry capabilities leveraged by leading hyperscale cloud providers to the enterprise. Combined with Extreme's industry-leading flow analytics, the Broadcom-powered solutions provide customers and partners with superior network health and performance metrics.

The data center is no longer about speeds and feeds – it’s where digital transformation is won or lost. Extreme Fabric Automation is built using a cloud-native architecture to enhance fabric orchestration and management capabilities. It offers simplicity to data center teams, removing the need for manual switch-by-switch configurations and allowing IT teams to move at the pace of their businesses: at cloud-speed.

Abby Strong, Vice President of Product Marketing, Extreme Networks