Integrate your Hybrid Cloud Environment with an Overlay Network

An overlay network is a virtual network that is built on top of an existing physical network. It allows multiple virtual networks to be created and connected over a shared physical infrastructure, enabling greater flexibility, scalability, and security. Integrating your hybrid cloud with an overlay network can provide several benefits, including:

1. Improved connectivity and scalability: By using an overlay network, you can connect your on-premises and cloud environments more easily and scale your network more quickly and efficiently. This can be particularly useful for applications that require high levels of connectivity and scalability, such as those that support large volumes of traffic or data.
2. Enhanced security: An overlay network can provide an additional layer of security for your hybrid cloud infrastructure. By creating isolated, secure virtual networks, you can better protect your data and systems from external threats and malicious actors.
3. Improved network management: An overlay network can simplify network management in a hybrid cloud environment. By centralizing network management and provisioning, you can reduce the complexity and overhead associated with managing multiple networks.

To integrate your hybrid cloud with an overlay network, you will need to first identify the appropriate overlay network technology. There are several different technologies available for building overlay networks, including virtual extensible LANs (VXLANs), virtual private networks (VPNs), and software-defined networking (SDN). You will need to choose the right technology for your specific needs and requirements.

A relatively new option in the overlay networking space is the mesh VPN, a type of VPN utilized by platforms like ZeroTier, Tailscale, and Netmaker. The mesh VPN offers several advantages:

1. Improved scalability: A mesh VPN is less reliant on hardware and manual processes, allowing for the instant creation of multiple, secure connections between devices across the internet, which allows for easier expansion and growth of the network.
2. Increased flexibility: Mesh VPNs offer greater flexibility in terms of network configuration and routing, as they can be easily reconfigured to support changes in network traffic and usage patterns.
3. Enhanced security: This is of course dependent on the option, but mesh VPNs in general provide end-to-end encryption of data transmitted over the network, which ensures that only authorized users have access to sensitive data.

The choice of overlay networking technology will greatly influence how it is implemented. Some choices require physical hardware, while others are purely SaaS.

Once your overlay network is in place, you will need to connect your on-premises and cloud environments to it. This may involve configuring routing and networking protocols, such as BGP, to enable communication between your environments. In the case of a mesh VPN, it often involves just the deployment of agents on the target machines, which will then automatically join the network.

Consider your options wisely, as it is will greatly impact your experience over the coming years. An overlay will be difficult to replace later on, so it is important to take your time in the planning stage and choose what is right for you. The mesh VPN is a relatively new option, but offers several advantages over more traditional approaches. Meanwhile, some of those more traditional options are tried and true, well-documented, and well supported.

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