Summary

You have many alternatives when extending a virtualized enterprise over a WAN. The choice of which alternative to use ultimately depends on the available provider WAN service, the technology the enterprise devices can support, and the network operator's preferences based on an analysis such as that carried out throughout this chapter.

In general, the extension of the virtualization requires one of three conditions:

• Control of all IP hops in the WAN

• Creation of a logical overlay capable of bypassing uncontrollable IP hops in the WAN

• A service from the provider capable of carrying the VN information for the customer

This chapter discussed the implications, pros, and cons of these different scenarios. Ultimately, it is up to the network operator to decide which of the scenarios is the most adequate for their network.