NetFoundry Update: Application-Specific Network-as-a-Service

An Intellyx BrainCandy Brief

I remember when MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching, for you youngsters) was the new, hot thing in wide-area networking. It was a huge step forward in how we connected branch offices to the central data center — back when it was the only connection they needed because that’s where everything lived. Boy, how things have changed. Today’s enterprise edge is, at best, a continually evolving and always fluid perimeter. At worst, it’s non-existent. Organizations must now deal with not only branch offices, but countless remote employees and hundreds or thousands of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and smart devices — all connecting to hundreds, if not thousands of different applications spread across both internal data centers and multiple clouds.

The result of this perimeter-less reality is an exceedingly complex network environment that is incredibly difficult to manage and secure. To help both enterprises and software providers deal with both the security and management challenges, NetFoundry has created a zero-trust, application-specific, network-as-a-service solution. The company’s approach involves delivering a software development kit that enables developers to embed the ability to instantiate and spin-up a virtual network from within the application itself. Using only an internet connection, the application connects to NetFoundry’s Internet Overlay Fabric to create an ephemeral and secure network that is unique to not only that application, but also to its specific session.

The result is an inherently secure, dynamic, and cloud-native network that enables applications to get access to the services they need, from wherever they are, without requiring complex VPNs or anything other than an Internet connection. Moreover, this approach enables enterprises to simultaneously decrease their vulnerable attack surface, while also reducing the complexity and, therefore, management overhead of their networking requirements.  

©2019 Intellyx LLC. Intellyx advises companies on their digital transformation initiatives, and helps vendors communicate their agility stories. At the time of this writing, none of the organizations mentioned in this article are Intellyx customers. To be considered for a Brain Candy article, email us at pr@intellyx.com.