SoftLayer Fundamentals

Connecting to the Cloud SoftLayer Networking, Part 1

2014 IBM Corporation

Meet your speakers

Jody Cefola is the SoftLayer Channels Integration leader focused on
partner enablement from IBM. Jody had 10 years in channel development
and execution working with all types of partners and international
experience with channel execution in Europe and Asia Pacific.

Steven W. Schiffer is an advisory architect for the IBM Global Technology

Services (GTS) Global Cloud Ecosystem team. Steven has more than five
years of experience with IBM cloud architecture (both private and public
infrastructures). He holds a Masters of Science in IT Management from the
University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelors degree in Computer Science
from the University of North Texas.

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Your cloud strategy is your business strategy

Pacesetters use cloud to surface insights from data. They reimagine business
models, make better decisions and serve customers in new ways to create winning
business outcomes.

Almost

Nearly

the revenue growth

higher gross profit

growth than peers

2x

2.5x

With so much at stake, you don't want just any cloud

Source: IBM Center for Applied Insights Under cloud cover: How leaders are accelerating competitive differentiation that surveyed
802 cloud decision makers and users, spanning 13 countries and 24 industries.

2014 IBM Corporation

Tap into SoftLayer. Leverage significant investment to build

skills starting with SoftLayer Fundamentals

7.6
#1
2.5X
7.6
66%
7.6

value for service channel partners has become technical

training1

Revenue growth for Business Partners who have embraced

cloud2

of CIOs who are reengineering IT plan to look for outside

help new skills, tools and capabilites3

Sources: 1. Forrester Research, Cloud Channel Trends, 2013 to 2014, February 2013, 2. IDC: Worldwide channel and alliances 2013 top 10 predictions, January 2013,3. IBM CIO
study, 2011,

2014 IBM Corporation

SoftLayer Fundamentals is a series of technical webinars to

provide knowledge on the capabilities to help build solutions
Webinar
Date

Topic #

Topic

February 25

Changing the landscape, not the definition - SoftLayer overview

February 27

One size does not fit all Defining the SoftLayer cloud architecture

March 4

Connecting to the cloud SoftLayer network options, part 1

March 6

Connecting to the cloud SoftLayer network options, part 2

March 11

Keep safe Securing your virtual instances

March 13

Storing your data Understanding SoftLayer storage options

March 18

Flexible and on demand Understanding SoftLayer managed services

March 20

You cant manage what you dont monitor SoftLayer management and
monitoring

March 25

Evaluating cloud providers - Leveraging SoftLayer differentiators

For general SoftLayer overview presentations

Lance Crosby, SoftLayer CEO, main tent at IBM PWLC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9h2cXwcUvA
Grow your cloud business - leveraging the IBM acquisition of SoftLayer:
https://engage.vevent.com/rt/ibm~1017?token=NTU2MTY1MjY0MDAxMjExMDgxN0NIRUNLX0RBVEVfQU5EX
0VOVFJJRVNfQ09VTlQ

2014 IBM Corporation

Connecting to the cloud SoftLayer Networking Part 1

Upon completion of this webinar, you should be able to:
Describe SoftLayers overall network strategy
Define and describe public and private
networks
Outline the differences between public and
private networks
Discuss the different network tools
Understand the VPN connections
Use SoftLayers CDN

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Networking overview
The SoftLayer global network seamlessly integrates three distinct and redundant
network architectures private, public, and management - into a Network-within-aNetwork topology for maximum accessibility, security, and control.

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Networking overview (cont.)

From a SoftLayer computing resource point of view,

Each server is complimented with a five physical NIC configuration.
Two public adaptors (red), one management adaptor (green), and two private facing
adaptors (blue). All adaptors are 1 Gb.

Note: All dedicated infrastructure follows the same routing and rules, however, the
number of adaptors differs by chosen configuration.

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Networking overview (cont.)

The following outlines SoftLayers SLAs for service and power for its networks:
Public network: SoftLayer will use reasonable efforts to provide a service level of
100% for the public network.
Private network: SoftLayer will use reasonable efforts to meet the service level of
100% for the private network.
Customer Portal: SoftLayer will use reasonable efforts to meet the service level of
100% for access to the Customer Portal.
Redundant infrastructure: SoftLayer will use reasonable efforts to meet the service
level of 100% for access to the power and HVAC services provided to customers.
Additionally, as described in Lesson 1, SoftLayer's geographically diverse PoPs
provide seamless, direct, private, and high speed access to our backbone network,
bringing connectivity closer to the end user. You may choose the SoftLayer PoP
location closest to your office or end users. High-speed metro-WAN services and
cross connects from providers including Equinix and Telx are also available.

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Learning about public networks

In this topic, you will learn about
Public network definition
SoftLayer network carriers and features

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Learning about public networks

The SoftLayer network provides all customers with

over 2,000 Gbps of connectivity between the data
centers and PoPs.
The core public network handles public traffic to
hosted websites or online resources. SoftLayers
public network features multi-homed connectivity
with bandwidth from independent carriers, combining
more than 20 x 10 Gbps connections to create one of
the industrys fastest networks.

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Learning about public networks (cont.)

Carriers and capabilities

Level3 (transit)
NTTAmerica (transit)
Pacnet (transit)
PCCW (transit)
Telstra (transit)
TeliaSonera (transit)

Comcast (transit)
AMSIX (peering)
Any2LAX (peering)
DECIX (peering)
EquinixIX (peering)
HKIX (peering)

Juniper and Cisco 10 G network

Cisco Guard DDoS protection

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JPNAP (peering)
LINX (peering)
NL-IX (peering)
NOTA (peering)
NYIIX (peering)
RMIX (peering)

SIX (peering)
Starhub (peering)
Telefonica (peering)
TIE (peering)
TimeWarner (peering)

Arbor Peakflow traffic analysis

Arbor TMS DDoS protection

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Understanding the primary features

Key differentiators in the SoftLayer
public network
Allows on-the-fly addition of servers to
existing VLANs
Allows on-the-fly addition of services to
existing servers
Supports dedicated, virtual disk service
(VDS), and grid technologies
Automated IP routing and management
Individual secure private VLAN per
customer
Gigabit speed from server to Internet
Native IPv6 ready

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Understanding bandwidth

Unlimited inbound bandwidth

Metered and unmetered outbound bandwidth available

Optional bandwidth pooling

Outbound bandwidth options
Each virtual instance comes with 1 TB of outbound bandwidth per month
Each Dedicated Server comes with 5 TB of outbound bandwidth per month
Pre-purchase additional 1 TB of bandwidth for $50 per month
10 Mbps unmetered public bandwidth for $100 per month
100 Mpbs unmetered public bandwidth for $2,000 per month
Overages are metered at $0.10 per GB

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Learning about private networks

In this topic, you will learn about
Private network definition
SoftLayer network carriers and features

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Learning about private networks

The SoftLayer private network provides
an unparalleled advantage in security,
accessibility, and bandwidth efficiency
over any cloud provider by providing:

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Unlimited bandwidth on the private

network

Individual, secure private VLANs per

customer that may be spanned
across data centers

Gigabit server-to-server speeds

Multiple 10 Gbps fiber backbone with

automatic fail-over for data center-todata center connections

Secure out-of-band management

over SSL, PPTP, or IPSEC VPN
gateways

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Learning about private networks (cont.)

Features
Private OS update, reload, and change
servers
Geographically redundant DNS resolvers
SoftLayer software repository
Centralized Network Attached Storage
and backup
Centralized Storage Area Network
McAfee security update server

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Managing VPN connections to SoftLayer

In this topic, you will learn about
Connecting to SoftLayer for administrative
tasks
Connecting a public network to productionlevel VPN
Dedicated direct connection

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Managing VPN connections to SoftLayer

There are three overall types of VPN or
direct connections to SoftLayer, VPN System
Administration Management, VPN
Production Access and Customer Ethernet
circuit handoff.
VPN System Administration Management
1 Gb link for VPN access for customers to
perform administrative tasks on the private
network.
Additional tunnels can be requested through
the Customer Portal ($99 retail per tunnel).
SSL VPN, PPTP VPN, and IPSec VPN
connections available through the Customer
Portal.

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Managing VPN connections to SoftLayer (cont.)

VPN Production Access

The recommended solutions for any customer required production VPN access to the
SoftLayer network is either FortiGate security appliance or Vyatta gateway appliance.

More information on these services and appliances is available in the managed or semimanaged firewall section of this document.
Customer Ethernet circuit handoff
A customer is provided with a direct Ethernet interface to the SoftLayer private network.
Customers Telco provider brings an Ethernet circuit(s) to one of the SoftLayer PoP
around the world.
Customer (or their Telco) contracts with the PoPs location provider for any space,
power, and cross connect charges to bring their circuit and any customer premise
equipment (CPE) to that PoP.
Customer contacts SoftLayer to accept an Ethernet handoff connection to SoftLayer
equipment at the PoP.
SoftLayer Ethernet cross-connections are available in 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps sizes.
SoftLayer charges a base rate for the port speed; 1 G is $250 per month and 10 G is
$1,500 per month.
SoftLayer also passes along all charges incurred for the Ethernet cross connect within
the data center facility, which varies by location and ranges from $250 to $2,000 per
month.
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Managing VPN connections to SoftLayer (cont.)

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Reviewing SoftLayer network tooling

In this topic, you will learn about
Looking Glass
Other network tools

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Using SoftLayer Looking Glass, SoftLayers IP backbone

SoftLayer Looking Glass is an interactive resource that can be used to test latency
between SoftLayer data centers, and between a router location and target address,
subnet, or hostname.
Latency tests between a location and its target are conducted using a variety of
methods, including ping and traceroute commands. Users can also test network latency
through a variety of test downloads based on size and data center location. Users
operate Looking Glass under the premise that only manual queries will be made.
Use the steps below to run a traceroute on a website.
1.Enter http://lg.softlayer.com/ in your browser window.
2.Read the terms and conditions and click the I agree link. (Note that clicking the link
signifies that you understand that commands and IPs might be logged.)

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Using SoftLayer Looking Glass, SoftLayers IP backbone (cont.)

3. Under Command, click the Traceroute radio button.
4. Select your data center using the Select Location and Router drop-down menu.
5. Enter a website in the Target Address/Subnet or Hostname field and click the
Execute button.

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Using the SoftLayer Looking Glass, SoftLayers IP backbone (cont.)

6. A Looking Glass Results window will appear to display your traceroute results.

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Using other networking tools

You can also test network latency, run test downloads, and perform speed tests.
Testing Network Latency
The Network Latency table lets you see the current latency between data centers and PoPs.

Hover over a square in the table to see the latency between locations.

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Using other networking tools (cont.)

Testing Downloads
Test Downloads lets you test the throughput rate for different file sizes from SoftLayer
data centers. Click on the test that you want to run and download the .zip file.

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Using other networking tools (cont.)

Testing Network Speed
You can test your network speed between your workstation and a data center. The steps
to perform a speed test are outlined below.
Step 1: Click the Launch Test Site link under SoftLayer IP Backbone Speed Test
Site.
Step 2: Click on the appropriate data center icon. You can hover over the icon to see the
name of the data center.
Step 3: The download and upload speed between your workstation and selected
workstation are tested and the results displayed.

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Using SoftLayers Content Delivery Network

In this topic, you will learn about SoftLayers
Content Delivery Network.

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Using Content Delivery Network

The SoftLayer Content Delivery Network (CDN) utilizes Edgecast and includes robust tools
for digital rights management and content monetization.
Distribution options
Origin pull

The first time content is request, it is pulled from the host server to
the network and stays there for other users to access it.
$0.12 per GB or $0.15 per GB with SSL

PoP pull

Customers pre-load content (using a variety of methods). The

loaded content is pulled from the CDN FTP as opposed to being
pulled from the customers origin location.
$0.12 per GB, $0.15 per GB with SSL
$0.75 per GB for storage in the PoP

Caching updates Complete network cache updates are only supported. Individual nodes
cannot be cleared or deleted.

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Using Content Delivery Network (cont.)

The CDN distributes content through a network with 24 nodes throughout the cloud (11 in the
US, eight in Europe, and five in Asia), putting customer content geographically closer to their
users.

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Using Content Delivery Network (cont.)

Who should use SoftLayers CDN?
SoftLayer CDN is designed for customers that provide services such as content caching,
streaming, and downloading.
Example industries that utilize CDN include
Social networking
Entertainment
Gaming
Software development
E-Commerce
Financial services

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