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April 10, 2017

DockerCon 2017 Q&A: Banyan Will Unveil Its New Approach to Securing Microservices, Using Security Virtualization Technology

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Are you attending DockerCon 2017 in Austin, TX?  If so, I invite you to add Banyan to your MUST SEE list of vendors.

Banyan was founded in 2015 by industry veterans from VMware, HP Labs, and Moovweb with expertise in different types of virtualization, networking, security, and PAAS technologies. Inspired by the adoption of container and microservices-based architectures, they have created a unique solution to seamlessly provide security and identity in highly networked environments. 

Read this exclusive pre-show interview with VMblog and Banyan to learn what they have planned for DockerCon 2017.

Banyan Logo 

VMblog:  First things first, how can folks find you at this year's DockerCon event?

Banyan:  This is the first time Banyan is sponsoring at a large conference like DockerCon. We're at Exhibitor Booth #E9, near Gordon and the Fish Bowl. We're sending 3 people to DockerCon.

VMblog:  And what message about your product can you send an attendee back with to sell their boss on your technology?

Banyan:  Developers have flocked to containers and microservices, but security teams are typically playing catch up. Banyan's security virtualization technology bridges that gap. Security and DevOps teams use Banyan to easily configure application-layer security for container and microservices-based environments, with zero changes to code or infrastructure.

VMblog:  Why should a DockerCon attendee add you to their MUST SEE list?

Banyan:  We're unveiling our innovative approach to microservices security at DockerCon. Every attendee at DockerCon interested in security (and nowadays that's everyone right?) MUST SEE it!

Also, we'll be raffling away some cool prizes, including the awesome Motiv Ring Activity, Heart Rate & Sleep Tracker.

VMblog:  Why is DockerCon a must sponsor event for your company?

Banyan:  We've attended every DockerCon since its inception, and been part of the community since it was a few ~100 container enthusiasts. When we had to choose a venue to start evangelizing our innovative approach to microservices security, DockerCon was at the top of our list.

VMblog:  Can you give VMblog readers a sneak peek as to what you will be showing off at your booth this year?

Banyan:  We'll be showing off our new approach to securing microservices, using Banyan's security virtualization technology. We'll be talking about how Banyan's cryptography-based solution delivers transparent TLS encryption, application-level authorization and identity-based segmentation, across traditional and modern environments, with zero custom coding or changes to infrastructure.

Attendees will see product demonstrations and technology deep-dives, and hear about the different security use cases Banyan helps address.

VMblog:  If you would, please explain or give readers a few reasons why your product is considered unique.

Banyan:  Traditional security tools are clearly targeted at either infrastructure security (such as network segmentation) or application security (such as API-level access controls) concerns. As companies adopt microservices, the line between infrastructure and application blurs, and traditional security tools leave many security gaps.

Banyan's unique security virtualization technology is designed specifically for microservices-based distributed applications. We merge application and infrastructure security into a scalable, appliance-free platform that provides configurable security controls and instant network visibility for microservices.

VMblog:  How does your company and product fit within the Docker or container ecosystem?

Banyan:  Banyan's product provides a Security layer for companies adopting Docker and containerized environments.

We have out-of-the-box integrations for Docker Swarm, as well as Kubernetes and DCOS.

VMblog:  Is this your first DockerCon event as a sponsor?

Banyan:  Yes, this is our first time sponsoring. We've been members of the community for a couple of years now, and we're excited to be sponsors as well.

VMblog:  Do you remember your first DockerCon event?  What can you tell us about it?  What memories stand out?

Banyan:  We've always loved the passion and diversity of the attendees. At DockerCon Barcelona I met a Swiss gentleman who spent an hour helping me debug a complex networking issue. He implemented a most unorthodox fix. Then, he proceeded to belt out some awesome Frank Sinatra numbers at a nearby karaoke bar. Still remember the song ... I Did It My Way!

VMblog:  What do you think we need to do collectively as an ecosystem to strengthen the industry?

Banyan:  The Docker ecosystem has made great strides over the past few years, both in terms of building new technologies as well as growing the community.

I think we need to collectively focus more on making these technologies available to, and usable by, a broader segment of the industry. This means designing tools that work for hybrids of traditional and modern deployments, rather than just a silo of Docker Swarm for example.

Also, I'd echo the usual ask for more emphasis on the "boring" stuff - good documentation, no breaking changes, sacrificing new features for stability and security.

VMblog:  What do you hope to come away with from exhibiting at DockerCon?

Banyan:  We're excited to unveil Banyan's security virtualization technology and unique approach to securing microservices. We're eager to engage with potential users and partners, show them what we can do, understand their use cases and get their feedback on our product.

A successful DockerCon for us would be one where we meet a diverse set of users and partners, and learn a bunch about the security problems they need to solve for their environments.

VMblog:  Finally, attendees always enjoy a good trade show tchotchke.  Are you guys giving away anything special or interesting this year?

Banyan:  We have the usual staple of stickers and t-shirts. This year, we are raffling away a particularly cool item - the awesome Motiv Ring Activity, Heart Rate & Sleep Tracker. Motiv packs an incredible amount of tech in a tiny form factor; it's going to be the wearable device of 2017!

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I'm really excited to see what Banyan is showing off at their booth this year at DockerCon.  I invite you to add them to your MUST SEE list, and make sure that you take a chance at winning the Motiv Ring.  

Last modified on April 10, 2017
David Marshall

David Marshall has been involved in the technology industry for over 19 years, and he's been working with virtualization software since 1999. He was able to become an industry expert in virtualization by becoming a pioneer in that field - one of the few people in the industry allowed to work with Alpha stage server virtualization software from industry leaders: VMware (ESX Server), Connectix and Microsoft (Virtual Server).

Through the years, he has invented, marketed and helped launch a number of successful virtualization software companies and products. David holds a BS degree in Finance, an Information Technology Certification, and a number of vendor certifications from Microsoft, CompTia and others. He's also co-authored two published books: "VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center" and "Advanced Server Virtualization: VMware and Microsoft Platforms in the Virtual Data Center" and acted as technical editor for two popular Virtualization "For Dummies" books. With his remaining spare time, David founded and operates one of the oldest independent virtualization news blogs, VMblog.com. And co-founded CloudCow.com, a publication dedicated to Cloud Computing. Starting in 2009 and continuing all the way to 2016, David has been honored with the vExpert distinction by VMware for his virtualization evangelism.