We've talked about NSX-V and its successor, NSX-T, before. NSX is VMware's network virtualisation platform. It links virtual machines with your on-premise devices.

The main reason to upgrade is simple: VMware is no longer offering technical support for NSX-V. So if you find yourself waylaid by a bug or bugged by a glitch, you're on your own, cowboy.

But while the prospect of upgrading a key plank of your network may seem daunting – or, let's face it, a pain in the neck – it's definitely, definitely worth it.

Because NSX-T isn't just an upgrade. It's a face-lift. A change of tune. A whole new ballgame.

T is built for multi-cloud networking – and given that multi-cloud solutions are on the up, this is as it should be. It allows you to harness the airtight security and 24/7 access of multiple clouds while scaling and securing them in a trice.

It's even more secure than the Alcatraz-style impenetrability of its predecessor. You thought NSX-V was micro-segmented? Those segments were cumbersome compared to those offered by NSX-T.

More secure, more manageable – but also better suited to modernised cloud environments.

What is cloud "modernisation"?

Cloud modernisation is where you make your cloud environment a safe haven for cloud-native apps.

In practice, this means that your workloads are built for the cloud. They're not legacy applications that need to be bent out of shape to get through a hole in the cloud.

A modernised cloud environment keeps its cloud-native apps in containers. This means that they can be run on just about any device and any environment.

You see, historically, you'd need to get a version of a piece of software that would match your device. That's fine, so far as it goes, but it can slow down the process of installation and configuration.

Containerisation sidesteps this problem by bundling the application's code together with all the files it needs to run.

It's kind of like a skeleton key, or an international hazard symbol – a universally recognised bit of code. And in the age of perimeterless networks, where flotillas of new devices join and leave the network, it helps for workloads to be universal – no fiddling with different versions.

But here's the rub. This new era of modernisation, where containerised apps are the order of the day, isn't well served by NSX-V. This is another difference between V and T which means that an upgrade could be in your interests.

Why isn't NSX-V equipped for modernised cloud environments?

NSX-V might be the most optimal solution in one use case only – when you use a vSphere environment and nothing else.

NSX-T, by contrast, is a more gregarious creature, happily rubbing shoulders with a range of virtualisation platforms. We're talking container technologies like KVM, Docker, Kubernetes and OpenStack.

Docker, for instance, is an open-source container runtime. It enables software developers to build, deploy and try out containerised applications – essentially self-sufficient bundles of applications and their relevant files – on a variety of platforms. 

Kubernetes is similar – but it boasts a "declarative" model, which makes the automation of containers easier than ever. It's able to manage a multitude of micro-services with the dexterity of a chess grandmaster.

Although T has turbocharged security features, comparing it to V is still a little like comparing Apple Macs and Orange networks. If the spider at the centre of your web is vSphere, then NSX-V can do the job – providing that you don't mind fighting any fires yourself.

But if you're aiming to have a modernised, containerised cloud environment, then NSX-T is for you.

NSX-V is secure. It splits your data into micro-segments and then gives each segment its own armed guard, safe from marauding hackers. It's a bit like keeping the family silver in different safes in different locations – a manual spreading out of risk.

NSX-T does this automatically – and more. It provides a full-stack firewall for every single workload – and it micro-segments micro-services. All of this is done from the top down – there's no need to make adjustments to your physical hardware.

In other words, it treats a containerised app just like any other endpoint in the network – as a resource that needs full, comprehensive protection.

Making the move

In short, if you're wanting to modernise your IaaS, upgrading to NSX-T is the way forward. It provides all the visibility, granularity and tight security of its predecessor, but in a way that's geared towards containerised applications.

How we can help you

Let's face it – this stuff isn't easy. If you feel a mild headache coming on, don't worry. The particulars of cloud technologies aren't easy to wrap your head around.

If you're looking to modernise your cloud environment, it's probably because you've read the headlines: a modernised cloud is more secure, more agile and more cost-efficient. Basically, it's better for business. Chances are you don't want to learn the difference between Docker and Kubernetes any more than you want to know the inner workings of your smartphone.

So if you want to upgrade NSX-T, you may want to consider outsourcing the job. Your team may be more than capable of doing it themselves – but if they're not, it's hardly a bad reflection on them. Virtualised networking is a niche within a niche within a niche.

Here at Ascend Cloud Solutions, we know the VMware software suite inside out. We can take care of the V-to-T migration while you get on with everything else.

We always aim for a smooth migration with an absolute bare minimum of disruption to your day-to-day working life.

So if you need cloud support, please have a look around our cloud computing services – or get in touch about our VMware NSX V-to-T migration service. We look forward to hearing from you!