A Motivating Case Study for Coordinating Deployment of Security VNF in Federated Cloud Networks

Abstract

Federated cloud networks are formed by federating virtual network segments from different cloud platforms into a single federated network. This allows virtual machines from one virtual network segment to communicate with virtual machines running on the other virtual network segments of the federated network. Federated cloud networks can be very useful for creating application specific isolated networks between clouds. In this paper we describe current work in the BEACON project to secure the federated network with a global security policy. Virtual network functions and service function chaining are used to implement the security policy. The federated cloud network security policy is described in a service manifest. This enables automated deployment and configuration of network security functions across the different cloud federation networks. The approach is illustrated with a simple case study where communications between trusted and untrusted clouds are encrypted.