Network Virtualization using Generic Routing Encapsulation (NVGRE) is a
network virtualization
In computing, network virtualization is the process of combining hardware and software network resources and network functionality into a single, software-based administrative entity, a virtual network. Network virtualization involves platform v ...
technology that attempts to alleviate the
scalability
Scalability is the property of a system to handle a growing amount of work. One definition for software systems specifies that this may be done by adding resources to the system.
In an economic context, a scalable business model implies that ...
problems associated with large
cloud computing
Cloud computing is "a paradigm for enabling network access to a scalable and elastic pool of shareable physical or virtual resources with self-service provisioning and administration on-demand," according to International Organization for ...
deployments. It uses
Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) to tunnel
layer 2
The data link layer, or layer 2, is the second layer of the seven-layer OSI model of computer networking. This layer is the protocol layer that transfers data between nodes on a network segment across the physical layer. The data link layer pr ...
packets over
layer 3
In the seven-layer OSI model of computer networking, the network layer is layer 3. The network layer is responsible for packet forwarding including routing through intermediate routers.
Functions
The network layer provides the means of transf ...
networks.
Its principal backer is
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
.
See also
*
Virtual Extensible LAN
Virtual eXtensible LAN (VXLAN) is a network virtualization technology that uses a VLAN-like encapsulation technique to encapsulate OSI layer 2 Ethernet frames within layer 4 UDP datagrams, using 4789 as the default IANA-assigned destination U ...
(VXLAN), a similar competing specification
*
Generic Networking Virtualization Encapsulation
Generic Network Virtualization Encapsulation (Geneve) is a network encapsulation protocol created by the IETF in order to unify the efforts made by other initiatives like VXLAN and NVGRE, with the intent to eliminate the wild growth of encapsulat ...
(GENEVE), an industry effort to unify both VXLAN and NVGRE technologies
*
Generic Routing Encapsulation, GRE for transporting L3 packets.
References
External links
NVGRE Overview November 19, 2012, by Joe Onisick
Tunneling protocols
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