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With Software defined networking (SD-WAN) a new revolutionized approach to networking is derived and provides a way to seamlessly integrate data centers and clouds with cloud software as a service (SaaS). The next wave, called the third wave in cloud networking, used the approach of SD-WAN and injected it throughout the cloud to enable any cloud service to connect securely to any network , in a quick and dynamic manner without the need to do manual configuration. Multi-cloud networks such as (MCN) are now driven by several players.
Today we look more in detail about comparison between two major Multicloud platforms – Alkira and Aviatrix, comparison between the two, their features and use cases.
What is Alkira
Alkira was launched in 2018 by Amir and Atif Khan, the two visionaries who are the pioneers in SD-WAN with Viptela which was later acquired by Cisco Inc. The Alkira cloud services exchange (CSX) is the first unified Multicloud network which is delivered as a service. The Alkira network cloud platform has virtual points of presence across major cloud types such as AWS, Azure, GCP etc. which is leveraged by Akira cloud backbone to provide high bandwidth, low latency, and advanced features of routing control, with integrated security and segmentation, end to end visibility, enhanced controls, and governance.
Use Cases of Alkira
- Tie together data centres, sites, branches, campus locations and remote users
- Interconnect (Cloud)
- SD-WAN islands interconnect from same or different vendors
- Supports mergers and acquisitions or to onboard partners
What is Aviatrix
Aviatrix was the brain child of Sherry Wei and Steve Mullaney and it was launched in 2014. Aviatrix provides a point of connectivity between major cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, GCP. Control is centralized to monitor and troubleshoot and encrypted IPSEC tunnel connections between several clouds. It has three main components –
- controller
- gateway
- CoPilot
The control provides centralized control and management, gateway handles traffic with secure connectivity and CoPilot provides real time visibility and monitoring to enable data driven decisions and proactive management of networks.
Use Cases of Aviatrix
- Supports multicloud networking
- Multiple cloud peering
- Site to site cloud VPN
- User to cloud VPN
Comparison: Alkira vs Aviatrix
| Function | Alkira | Aviatrix |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Alkira provides a global, scalable, and secure virtual cloud infrastructure to deploy, manage and operate hybrid clouds. | Aviatrix cloud networking platform provides networking, security, and operational visibility |
| Functionating | Alkira is a cloud network as a service to unify clouds, users, and remote sites. | Aviatrix leverage cloud provider APIs to construct and abstract unique features of each cloud platform to have one common data plane |
| Features | • Quick provisioning and deployments • Simplification of networking and management • Reliable, secure | • High availability transit – Active-active • End to end and high-performance IPSec encryption with wire speed upto 75 Gbps • Single Terraform provider for code automation in multi-cloud |
| Multicloud network segmentation / security domains | Alkira provides Cloud network as a service (CNaaS) to have inbuilt cloud segmentation tools | Aviatrix provides transit segmentation for network isolation and security through network domains and connection policies |
| Edge segmentation | Yes, edge segmentation is there | Yes, it supports edge segmentation |
| Site to cloud performance | Upto ~100 Gbps | Upto ~50 Gbps |
| Traffic redirection to firewalls | The traffic will hit CXP and will be redirected to firewall (automatically) | It eliminates traffic redirection and its distributed firewall provides security by distributing enforcement and inspection |
| Intra-domain security firewall inspection | Inspection at network segment level | Yes, at intra-domain level |
| Traffic Inspection Control (Multi Region/Cloud) | Yes, it provides | Yes, it provides |
| Visibility of dynamic sessions | Yes, it provides | Yes, it provides |
| Management interface | Yes, Alkira CSX portal | Yes, provided by CoPilot component |
| Ability to capture TCP sessions (Realtime Traffic Flow Logs) | Yes, using packet capture tools | Yes (FlowIQ with resource tagging and link latency) |
| Multi-Cloud provider (Terraform) | Yes, it is supported | Yes, it is supported |
| Intra-Region Transit Peering | Yes, thru AWS transit gateway | Yes, it is supported |
| Number of Transit Gateways in a region | Alkira integrates with AWS transit gateway so it follows limit imposed by AWS | There is no limit |
| VPC/VNet Route Table Management | Route table management is automated | It is automated |
Download the comparison table: Alkira vs Aviatrix