vCloud vs. vSphere: VMware explains security changes
In unveiling its VCloud suite at its annual conference this week, VMware took pains to explain how the security model for it differs significantly from that of its existing vSphere cloud computing virtualization operating system both in terms of functionality and naming conventions.
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VMware’s foundation security technology up until now has been called vShield, and it’s basically a technical approach in vSphere that involves a set of APIs (typically for an extra fee charged) in its Edge and App data-center products to support agentless use of third-party security products. The vShield model also includes VMware’s native security, such as its firewall functionality, that can be used in vSphere.
The vCloud suite, expected to ship next month, will include vSphere as part of three basic vCloud software types, says Jonathan Gohstand, director of product marketing for networking and security. And it will include vDirector management, too. But VMware is stepping away from using the vShield moniker, preferring to call it “vCloud Networking and Security,” or VCNS.
In addition, what has been called vShield Endpoint (the API from VMware that has been used to support agentless anti-malware scanning with third-party software products, for example), is being pushed directly into the hypervisor, and there will no longer be a separate API fee charged for using this, Gohstand says.
VCloud’s VCNS as a whole is going to be discussed more in terms of capabilities intended for standard use or high-availability, which would include failover, he points out. VCNS is also encompassing software-based networking such as vxLAN, introduced by Cisco and VMware last year. But it does not yet include any components that might later be made available through the Nicera acquisition concluded by VMware just last week, Gohstand emphasizes.
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