Lots of fun using a browser REST client to develop and test network object manipulation, or any other virtual infrastructure function that can be consumed via REST API. Firefox as a really nice REST Client that works well for API testing. If you want to start developing scripts using REST calls, this is a must have browser extension… https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/restclient/
VMware administrators for years have had access to download VMware technologies for evaluation. NSX is a little different and you will not find NSX on the download page. The reason for this is simple – The VMware Networking and Security Business Unit (NSBU) wants you to have a positive experience evaluating NSX technologies. As such, when you are ready to perform an evaluation, NSX systems engineers will assist you with access to the software and review the installation process with you. Actual installation is pretty straight forward so when you are ready, reach out to your favorite technology partner or core VMware sales team and they will put you in touch with the VMware NSBU. You can also use the link on the VMware website… http://www.vmware.com/company/contact_sales.html
A comprehensive list of NSX ecosystem partners is listed on the NSX resource page at http://www.vmware.com/products/nsx/resources.html
Partners include solutions for Network Gateway Services, Network Security Platforms, Application Delivery, and Security Services.
Lots of goodness here with the integration of NSX with PAN… Using PAN’s unified interface Panorama deploying security policy into Physical Firewalls, Virtual Firewall Appliances, and into the vSphere NSX in kernel distributed Firewall, you have the best of all worlds…
One of the features of NSX with PAN is the ability to perform traffic steering from the NSX in kernal distributed firewall into the PAN Virtual Appliance to take advantage of the full capabilities of PAN. One gotcha I have seen and recommendation for you is traffic steering should be performed on an exception basis only. Let the NSX in kernel distributed firewall perform the heavy lifting (of firewall policy), and traffic steer only as needed.
Software Defined Networking and network virtualization in general relies on a centralized network controller to provide an API interface that can be accessed programmatically. The centralized network controller translates API calls into instructions to hypervisors, switches, virtual appliances, and physical hardware appliances, creating logical network constructs. The network controller also has the job of tracking and maintaining network connectivity and security across the virtual and physical environment.
VMware NSX works with OpenStack Neutron in multi hypervisor environments (vSphere. XEN, KVM) using the Open Virtual Switch, and vSphere vCenter using the vSphere Distributed Switch.
The scope of NSX today is within the four walls of a data center or metro data center under control of OpenStack or vCenter. In the NSX vSphere Edition, there is some nice integration with SRM, where SRM can be used to replicate logical network constructs to a remote vCenter/NSX.