NTS Cloud to Edge

The Modern Tactical Edge

Our mission at NexTech Solutions (NTS) in supporting the tactical community is to build solutions for remote/tactical users and provide full automation capabilities that enable a true tactical cloud computing environment. There are many ways to approach this challenge, but we believe the following technologies offer best-of-breed solutions to the mobility needs of our customers.

Physical Platform

The number one challenge in creating this solution is addressing the Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) concerns of the forward operating environment. This has traditionally been a limiting factor in the types of services and functions that can be deployed to the operator. The Klas Voyager Tactical Data Center (TDC) is a proven platform for deploying services to the tactical edge.

Virtualized Networking

We are living in a software-defined world. Why not ensure your edge data center takes advantage of the same technology? Application mobility requires a network that adapts with it. VMware NSX delivers on this requirement. Adaptive Micro-segmentation is built-in and brings workload-level security – restricting East-West traffic in addition to traditional North-South firewalls. Integrated Layer 3 routing and Layer 2 VPN options allow the seamless extension of VLANs to the Cloud without the need for additional physical devices, reducing footprint at the edge.

Cloud Integration

The Modern Tactical Edge solution is always on the move and Hybrid/Multi Cloud deployments are more necessary than ever. Our solution is fully integrated with VMware Cloud on AWS, which allows customers to deploy and operate workloads in the best possible environment.

Automation & Orchestration

The portability and modularity of this solution can only lead to mobility if it can be deployed quickly and correctly. Our team has perfected the use of VMware vRealize Orchestrator (vRO) and vRealize Automation (vRA) to prepare the Tactical Edge platform for deployment. The easy-to-use service catalog allows administrators to deploy the right workload, with the right configuration, every time.

Klas Telecom VoyagerTDC

• Airline Carry-on form factor
• Tactical 10 Gigabit Ethernet switch
• Up to 512 GB RAM and 32 physical cores
• Up to 16 removable 2.5” SATA SSDs
• NVMe M.2 PCI Express
• AC/DC power input, built-in UPS, integrated battery backup
• MIL-STD-810G certified & IP67 rated

Data Management

We provide everything you need for data synchronization in one easy-to-use, scalable solution. Keeping the assets up-to-date is another challenge. We leverage multiple technologies from Rubrik to manage the data lifecycle, mobility, and to prevent rebuilds. Rubrik allows us to: ingest, encrypt, de-duplicate, compress and then replicate entire enterprise services down range to a tactical data center.

When the deployed mission stands down, administrators in the fixed site can now instantly resume and protect those services. In addition to running and protecting operations, we can replicate data back to the enterprise datacenter, or the Cloud. This dramatically minimizes deployment, re-deployment, and disaster recovery times – reducing manpower.

Optimizing & Monitoring Network Traffic

Once the Modern Tactical Edge solution is deployed, the next challenge is often network connectivity. Our solution allows for disconnected operations, but also addresses the constraints of poor connectivity. Utilizing products from our long-time partner Riverbed, our solution reduces unnecessary traffic and optimizes communications to maximize the operator’s application experience. We deploy Riverbed SteelHead as a virtual instance in the edge data center, as well as at the traditional DC and in the Cloud to optimize applications like Office 365. Riverbed SteelCentral provides a rich dashboard for monitoring the operation of the network.

Integration Expertise

Combining half a dozen or more disparate technologies into a cohesive solution that is greater than the sum of its parts is no easy task. The engineering team at NexTech Solutions has the necessary expertise to make the Modern Tactical Edge a reality. Our battle-proven methodologies and enterprise-grade software catalog integrates state-of-the-art technologies and is constantly evolving to meet the needs of our nation’s warfighters. We recognize that not all use cases require the same solution. Talk to our team today to see how we can help achieve your mission requirements with our Modern Tactical Edge solution.