How it works. Multi-Tenancy & Network Automation for AI Infrastructure Operators with Netris

Netris, as presented by CEO Alex Soroyan, offers cloud-provider-grade network automation and multi-tenancy software tailored for AI Infrastructure operators. The core of their solution lies in the Netris Controller, which acts as the centralized source of truth for network engineers.  It allows for the modeling and simulating network infrastructure using tools like Terraform and CloudSim, while also providing APIs that can integrate into cloud provider platforms, facilitating the creation of VPCs and managing network functions. A key component of their offering is SoftGate, a gateway on Linux servers that provides functions such as elastic load balancing and NAT. It offers a streamlined, integrated solution compared to separate, third-party products.

The presentation details Netris’ approach to day-zero and day-one operations, highlighting the use of Terraform for infrastructure-as-code methodologies and how the controller facilitates the deployment and management of various switch vendors.  The system supports granular multi-tenancy through VXLANs and is designed to integrate with shared storage solutions.  Netris facilitates access and isolation by allowing access to the network from the storage and the tenants, intending to integrate directly with storage vendors via their API. This setup allows for a cloud-like experience for AI infrastructure operators, streamlining the onboarding of tenants and the allocation of resources.

Netris differentiates itself by being multi-vendor and providing cloud networking constructs not typically found in traditional network automation platforms. The presentation emphasized the efficiency and integration provided by SoftGate, which eliminates the complexity of connecting firewalls and load balancers while supporting InfiniBand through integration with NVIDIA UFM.  Alex expressed confidence in Netris’ position, particularly given the growing demand for cloud-provider-like capabilities in the AI infrastructure space.