Extreme Networks virtual switching pulls control back into the network switch

Extreme Networks virtual switching pulls control back into the network switch

Extreme Networks introduced its "Direct Attach" architecture, a software upgrade to its XOS operating system that pulls virtual switching back into network hardware.

Currently, software-based virtual switches embedded in most virtualization hypervisors handle most of the switching that takes place among virtual machines (VMs). This poses a problem for network administrators who need visibility into that switching in order to apply network policies and security to VMs. With Direct Attach, Extreme switches will pull VM switching out of servers and return it to network hardware, according to the company.

Extreme also introduced Dynamic Virtualization Management, a lifecycle management software for virtual machines that promises to give network administrators better visibility and control over VMs as systems administrators create them and move them across the network.