Provider Networks

Provider networks

Provider networks就是讓cloud admin可以在datacenter中建立直接與實體網路(Physical Networks)對應的Quantum網路(Quantum Networks)。

Provider Network的用途

• 讓tenant可以直接存取Public Network:
  This is commonly used to give tenants direct access to a "public" network that can be used to reach the Internet.  
  
• 與VLAN做整合:
  It may also be used to integrate with VLANs in the network that already have a defined meaning 

      (e.g., allow a VM from the "marketing" department to be placed 

       on the same VLAN as bare-metal marketing hosts in the same data   center).

    The provider extension allows administrators to explicitly manage the relationship between Quantum virtual networks and underlying physical mechanisms such as VLANs and tunnels.

    When this extension is supported, Quantum client users with administrative privileges see additional provider attributes on all virtual networks, and are able to specify these attributes in order to create provider networks.

As of the Folsom release, the provider extension is supported by the openvswitch and linuxbridge plugins. 

PS: Configuration of these plugins requires familiarity with this extension.