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Tigera Unleashes Calico for Virtual Machines on Kubernetes

In a significant development for organizations migrating their virtual machines (VMs) to Kubernetes, Tigera, Inc. has rolled out Calico, the industry's first and only eBPF-based platform designed to streamline network connectivity and security for both VMs and containers within a unified Kubernetes control plane. This innovative solution is set to alleviate the complexities involved in such migrations, particularly for businesses transitioning from VMware.

Simplifying the Migration Process

Migrating workloads from VMware environments to Kubernetes has often been a daunting task, primarily due to the intricacies of the network identity tied to the existing infrastructure. Organizations have been finding that while moving compute and storage is relatively straightforward, the network remains a complex challenge. The deeply integrated network identity of VMs poses significant risks when altering existing systems, potentially leading to disruptions. As VMware users switch to Kubernetes platforms like OpenShift, SUSE, and Canonical, the limitations of Kubernetes' native networking functionalities are becoming clear, leaving many operators in search of familiar tools.

With Calico, Tigera promises a pathway to maintain existing networking capabilities, facilitating a smooth transition without the need to redesign the entire network structure. The significance of Calico lies in its ability to allow these organizations to utilize their established applications and services seamlessly, preserving their previous security measures throughout the migration process.

Meeting Core Migration Goals

For enterprises contemplating a migration, several key objectives have emerged:

1. Lift and Shift: Minimizing operational disruptions is paramount. Companies desire to migrate their existing VMs as-is to meet tight deadlines.
2. Modernize Infrastructure: There is a need to evolve networking architectures to reduce dependency on legacy systems like VLANs and firewalls, managing costs while improving operational efficiencies.
3. Maintain Flexibility: The new architecture should support multiple Kubernetes platforms, keeping future options open for AI workloads as they evolve.
4. Convergent Platforms: As businesses increasingly host powerful open-source AI models, there's a push for unified platforms that can cater to diverse workloads, allowing for optimal data proximity without extra costs.

A Unified Operational Model

Calico brings forth a unified model that simplifies operations across various workloads. By applying the same routing, observability, and security policies on both VMs and containers, it allows platform teams to maintain a single operational model rather than juggling two distinct ones. This consistency bridges Kubernetes distributions, whether deployed locally, in the cloud, or at the edge, eliminating vendor-specific configurations that plagued early implementations.

As organizations migrate, they can initially continue using their IPs and existing firewall rules. The plan is to consolidate them later into native Kubernetes patterns for a smoother long-term transition. The goal is never to disrupt operations during this process.

Simplified Networking and Security

The salient features of Calico for VMs encompass:

• - Unified Network Management: One network, one security policy model, and a cohesive observability stack for both VMs and containers provide seamless operation.
• - Network Policies: Built-in networking policies from Calico facilitate the tracking and enforcement of security measures as workloads are moved or modified, ensuring that stringent security protocols are met without added complexity.
• - Enhanced Observability: With tools like Calico Service Graph, teams gain insights into various flows between virtual machines and pods—enabling high-level network analysis and troubleshooting capabilities.

Proven Efficacy at Scale

With Calico already protecting over a million clusters, it stands recognized by GigaOM as a high-performance leader in container networking. Major companies such as NVIDIA, Bank of Canada, and Bloomberg trust Tigera's platform for their security and networking needs. The introduction of Calico for VMs extends this functionality, marrying the world of traditional VMs with the flexibility of Kubernetes.

Availability and Next Steps

Calico for VMs on Kubernetes is now available for general use. For enterprises aiming to achieve seamless VM migration without losing the network automation and security features they relied on with NSX, Tigera is encouraging them to schedule a demo or accelerate their understanding of the platform’s capabilities.

About Tigera

Tigera, Inc. has been at the forefront of innovation in the cloud-native space, safeguarding Kubernetes workloads and providing comprehensive visibility and control through advanced technologies like eBPF. For more information, visit tigera.io.