Network Virtualization Technology to Support Cloud Services

Recently, server virtualization technology, which is one of the key technologies to support cloud computing, has been making progress and gaining in maturity, resulting in an increase in the provision of cloud-based services and the integration of servers in enterprise networks. However, the progress in network virtualization technology, which is needed for the efficient and effective construction and operation of clouds, is lagging behind. It is only recently that all the required technical areas have started to be covered. This paper identifies network-related issues in cloud environments, describes the needs for network virtualization, and presents the recent trends in, and application fields of, network virtualization technology.