computer science

Nicira

Nicira is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Nicira rather than just read about it. In short: Nicira is a company focused on software-defined networking (SDN) and network virtualization. Nicira created their own proprietary versions of the OpenFlow, Open vSwitch, and OpenStack networking projects.

Key takeaways

Nicira belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Nicira to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Nicira from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Nicira is a company focused on software-defined networking (SDN) and network virtualization. Nicira created their own proprietary versions of the OpenFlow, Open vSwitch, and OpenStack networking projects. Nicira was co-founded in 2007 by Martin Casado, who served as the CTO, Nick McKeown and Scott Shenker. On July 23, 2012, VMware announced they intended to acquire Nicira for $1.26 billion, a deal which closed the following month. Nicira technology was merged into VMware's vSwitch and marketed with the name NSX.

References

External links Company home page

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Nicira

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Nicira claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Nicira before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Nicira ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Nicira

In research: Nicira appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Nicira in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Nicira is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 2012 mergers and acquisitions, American companies established in 2007, Companies based in Palo Alto, California, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Nicira outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Nicira in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Nicira means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Nicira out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Nicira in simple terms?

Why does Nicira matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Nicira?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Nicira.