Networkmanager Core Network: A Deep Dive in AWS Resources & Best Practices to Adopt
The modern enterprise network landscape has evolved dramatically, with organizations managing increasingly complex, geographically distributed infrastructures. According to a 2023 Gartner report, 85% of enterprise networking strategies will incorporate cloud-native architectures by 2025, driving the need for centralized network management solutions. AWS Cloud WAN, powered by the Networkmanager Core Network, addresses this complexity by providing a unified control plane for global network management. Real-world implementations have shown up to 40% reduction in network management overhead and 30% improvement in network performance consistency across regions. For organizations seeking to understand the full dependency landscape of their Core Network implementations, overmind.tech's networkmanager-core-network analysis provides comprehensive visibility into resource relationships and potential impact scenarios.
In this blog post we will learn about what Networkmanager Core Network is, how you can configure and work with it using Terraform, and learn about the best practices for this service.
What is Networkmanager Core Network?
Networkmanager Core Network is a centralized cloud resource that serves as the foundation for AWS Cloud WAN, enabling organizations to build and manage globally distributed networks through a single control plane. It provides a unified approach to network connectivity, policy management, and routing across multiple AWS regions and on-premises locations.
The Core Network operates as a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) solution that abstracts the complexity of traditional network management. Unlike conventional networking approaches that require manual configuration of individual connections and routes, the Core Network uses declarative policies to define network behavior, automatically provisioning and maintaining the underlying infrastructure. This paradigm shift allows network administrators to focus on business requirements rather than low-level configuration details. For comprehensive analysis of Core Network dependencies and relationships, overmind.tech provides detailed mapping of how these resources interconnect within your AWS environment.
Network Topology and Architecture
The Core Network architecture follows a hub-and-spoke model with intelligent route optimization. Each Core Network instance creates a global backbone that spans multiple AWS regions, with Core Network Edges deployed in specific regions to handle local traffic. These edges automatically peer with each other, creating a full mesh topology that ensures optimal routing paths without manual intervention.
The service leverages AWS's global infrastructure to provide low-latency connectivity between regions. Traffic flows through the Core Network are automatically optimized based on network conditions, bandwidth availability, and defined policies. This dynamic routing capability ensures that data takes the most efficient path to its destination, improving application performance and user experience.
Network segmentation is achieved through the concept of segments, which are logical groupings of network resources that can be managed independently. Segments can represent different business units, environments (production, staging, development), or security zones. Each segment can have its own routing policies, security rules, and connectivity requirements, providing fine-grained control over network behavior.
Policy-Driven Network Management
The Core Network's policy-driven approach represents a significant departure from traditional networking methodologies. Instead of configuring individual routers and switches, administrators define network policies using JSON documents that specify how different network segments should behave and interact. These policies are then automatically translated into the appropriate network configurations across all connected regions and locations.
Policy documents define various aspects of network behavior, including segment definitions, routing rules, attachment policies, and security configurations. When a policy is applied to a Core Network, the service automatically provisions the necessary infrastructure components, configures routing tables, and establishes connections between network segments. This automation reduces configuration errors, ensures consistency across the network, and enables rapid deployment of network changes.
The policy engine also supports conditional logic, allowing administrators to create sophisticated rules based on factors such as geography, time of day, or resource tags. This flexibility enables organizations to implement complex network scenarios while maintaining simplicity in management. For example, a policy might route traffic between development environments through a specific path while ensuring production traffic uses dedicated high-performance connections.
Integration with AWS Services
Core Network seamlessly integrates with various AWS networking services, creating a cohesive network management ecosystem. The service works closely with AWS Transit Gateway, allowing organizations to gradually migrate from traditional hub-and-spoke architectures to the more flexible Core Network model. This integration ensures backward compatibility while providing a clear migration path for existing deployments.
The service also integrates with AWS Direct Connect, enabling organizations to extend their Core Network to on-premises locations through dedicated connections. This hybrid connectivity model allows businesses to maintain critical on-premises infrastructure while benefiting from cloud-native network management capabilities. The integration automatically handles route propagation between cloud and on-premises networks, ensuring seamless connectivity across the entire infrastructure.
Additionally, Core Network works with AWS PrivateLink, VPC Peering, and other AWS networking services to provide comprehensive connectivity options. This integration ensures that organizations can leverage their existing AWS networking investments while benefiting from the enhanced management capabilities of the Core Network.
Why Core Network Matters for Modern Infrastructure
The increasing complexity of modern network architectures creates significant challenges for organizations. Traditional networking approaches require specialized expertise, manual configuration, and ongoing maintenance that can consume substantial resources and introduce operational risks. Core Network addresses these challenges by providing a centralized, automated approach to network management that scales with organizational needs.
Operational Efficiency and Cost Reduction
Core Network significantly reduces operational overhead by automating many traditionally manual networking tasks. Organizations typically see 30-50% reduction in network management time after implementing Core Network solutions. This efficiency gain comes from the service's ability to automatically provision, configure, and maintain network infrastructure based on policy definitions.
The service eliminates the need for complex BGP configurations, manual route management, and individual connection setups between regions. Instead, administrators define high-level policies that describe desired network behavior, and the Core Network automatically implements these policies across all connected locations. This automation reduces the risk of human error and ensures consistent network behavior across the entire infrastructure.
Cost optimization is another significant benefit, as Core Network can intelligently route traffic to minimize data transfer costs. The service automatically selects the most cost-effective paths for data transmission while maintaining performance requirements. Organizations have reported 20-40% reduction in network-related costs after implementing Core Network solutions, primarily due to optimized routing and reduced operational overhead.
Global Scalability and Performance
Core Network provides global scalability that traditional networking approaches cannot match. The service can automatically expand to new regions as needed, without requiring complex reconfiguration of existing network infrastructure. This scalability is particularly valuable for organizations with global operations or those planning international expansion.
Performance benefits come from the service's ability to optimize routing paths based on real-time network conditions. Unlike static routing configurations, Core Network continuously monitors network performance and automatically adjusts routing decisions to ensure optimal data flow. This dynamic optimization ensures consistent application performance across all connected locations.
The service also provides built-in redundancy and fault tolerance, automatically rerouting traffic around failed connections or degraded paths. This resilience ensures high availability for critical applications and reduces the impact of network outages on business operations.
Security and Compliance
Core Network enhances security through network segmentation and policy-based access control. Organizations can define security zones within their network, ensuring that sensitive data remains isolated from general network traffic. The service's policy engine allows for sophisticated security rules that can be applied consistently across all network segments.
Compliance is simplified through the service's ability to enforce consistent security policies across the entire network infrastructure. Organizations can define compliance requirements once and have them automatically applied to all network segments, ensuring consistent adherence to regulatory standards. The service also provides detailed logging and monitoring capabilities that support audit requirements and security analysis.
Key Features and Capabilities
Centralized Network Management
Core Network provides a single control plane for managing complex, multi-region network infrastructures. Administrators can define, deploy, and modify network policies from a centralized console, ensuring consistent behavior across all connected locations. This centralization eliminates the need to manage individual network devices and connections across multiple regions.
The service automatically handles the complexity of inter-region connectivity, BGP routing, and network redundancy. When network policies are updated, changes are automatically propagated across all affected network segments, ensuring consistent behavior throughout the infrastructure. This centralized approach significantly reduces management complexity and the potential for configuration errors.
Dynamic Routing and Optimization
The Core Network continuously monitors network conditions and automatically adjusts routing decisions to ensure optimal performance. This dynamic routing capability goes beyond traditional static routing configurations, providing real-time optimization based on factors such as latency, bandwidth availability, and network congestion.
The service uses machine learning algorithms to predict network performance and proactively adjust routing paths before issues become apparent to users. This predictive approach ensures consistent application performance and minimizes the impact of network issues on business operations.
Policy-Based Network Segmentation
Network segmentation is implemented through flexible policy definitions that allow organizations to create logical network boundaries based on business requirements. Segments can represent different departments, environments, or security zones, each with its own routing and security policies.
The policy engine supports complex conditional logic, enabling sophisticated network scenarios while maintaining simplicity in management. Organizations can create policies that automatically adjust network behavior based on factors such as time of day, user location, or resource tags. This flexibility ensures that network behavior aligns with business requirements while maintaining security and performance standards.
Multi-Region Connectivity
Core Network automatically establishes and maintains connections between AWS regions, creating a global network backbone that spans multiple geographic locations. This multi-region connectivity is managed through the service's centralized control plane, eliminating the need for manual configuration of inter-region connections.
The service optimizes traffic flow between regions based on performance requirements and cost considerations. Organizations can define policies that specify how traffic should be routed between regions, ensuring that critical applications receive priority while maintaining cost efficiency for less critical workloads.
Integration Ecosystem
Core Network integrates seamlessly with the broader AWS networking ecosystem, providing compatibility with existing AWS services and third-party solutions. The service works as a central hub for network connectivity, enabling organizations to leverage their existing AWS investments while benefiting from enhanced management capabilities.
At the time of writing there are 15+ AWS services that integrate with Core Network in some capacity. These integrations include AWS Transit Gateway for backward compatibility, AWS Direct Connect for on-premises connectivity, and AWS PrivateLink for secure service access. The service also integrates with AWS VPC for virtual network connectivity and AWS Route 53 for DNS resolution.
Transit Gateway Integration enables organizations to gradually migrate from traditional hub-and-spoke architectures to the more flexible Core Network model. This integration ensures that existing Transit Gateway deployments continue to function while providing a clear migration path to Core Network capabilities. Organizations can maintain their existing network configurations while gradually adopting Core Network features.
Direct Connect Integration extends Core Network capabilities to on-premises locations through dedicated connections. This hybrid connectivity model allows businesses to maintain critical on-premises infrastructure while benefiting from cloud-native network management capabilities. The integration automatically handles route propagation between cloud and on-premises networks, ensuring seamless connectivity across the entire infrastructure.
AWS PrivateLink Integration enables secure connectivity to AWS services without traversing the public internet. This integration ensures that sensitive data remains within the AWS network while providing the flexibility to access services across multiple regions and accounts. The Core Network automatically handles the routing and security configurations required for PrivateLink connections.
Pricing and Scale Considerations
Core Network pricing follows a consumption-based model that includes charges for Core Network Edges, policy changes, and data processing. The service offers a free tier that includes basic functionality for small deployments, making it accessible for organizations starting their cloud networking journey.
Core Network Edge charges are based on the number of regions where edges are deployed and the duration of their operation. Organizations pay for each edge on an hourly basis, with charges varying by region based on local infrastructure costs. Policy change charges apply when network policies are modified, encouraging thoughtful policy design and reducing unnecessary configuration changes.
Data processing charges are based on the volume of traffic that flows through the Core Network. These charges are typically lower than traditional data transfer costs, as the service optimizes routing paths to minimize data transfer expenses. Organizations often see overall cost reductions despite data processing charges due to the service's efficiency improvements.
Scale Characteristics
Core Network is designed to scale from small deployments with a few connections to large enterprise networks spanning multiple regions and thousands of resources. The service can handle up to 2,000 network segments within a single Core Network, each with its own routing policies and security configurations.
The service supports automatic scaling based on traffic patterns and connection requirements. When new resources are attached to the Core Network, the service automatically provisions the necessary infrastructure components and updates routing configurations. This automatic scaling ensures that network performance remains consistent as the infrastructure grows.
Performance characteristics include sub-second route convergence times and support for high-bandwidth connections. The service can handle multiple gigabits of traffic per second per Core Network Edge, ensuring that it can support even the most demanding applications and workloads.
Enterprise Considerations
Enterprise deployments often require additional features such as dedicated support, service level agreements, and advanced security capabilities. Core Network provides these enterprise features through AWS Enterprise Support and specialized consulting services.
The service includes comprehensive monitoring and logging capabilities that support enterprise operational requirements. Organizations can integrate Core Network monitoring with their existing network management tools, ensuring visibility into network performance and security posture.
Core Network compares favorably to traditional SD-WAN solutions in terms of scalability, cost, and operational simplicity. However, for infrastructure running on AWS this is particularly advantageous due to the deep integration with other AWS services and the ability to leverage AWS's global infrastructure for optimal performance.
Organizations considering Core Network should evaluate their current network complexity, operational overhead, and growth plans. The service provides the most value for organizations with multi-region deployments, complex network requirements, or plans for significant infrastructure growth.
Managing Core Network using Terraform
Terraform provides comprehensive support for managing Core Network resources, though the complexity of network policy definitions requires careful planning and testing. The declarative nature of Terraform aligns well with the Core Network's policy-driven approach, making it an ideal tool for managing network infrastructure as code.
Production-Ready Core Network Deployment
A production deployment typically requires a Core Network with specific policy definitions and monitoring configurations. This scenario demonstrates how to create a Core Network that supports multiple network segments with different routing and security requirements.
# Production Core Network with comprehensive policy definition
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network" "production_network" {
global_network_id = aws_networkmanager_global_network.main.id
description = "Production Core Network for global infrastructure"
# Define network policy for production environment
policy_document = jsonencode({
version = "2021.12"
# Define network segments for different environments
segments = {
production = {
description = "Production workloads segment"
require_attachment_acceptance = true
edge_locations = ["us-east-1", "eu-west-1", "ap-southeast-1"]
}
staging = {
description = "Staging environment segment"
require_attachment_acceptance = false
edge_locations = ["us-east-1", "eu-west-1"]
}
development = {
description = "Development environment segment"
require_attachment_acceptance = false
edge_locations = ["us-east-1"]
}
}
# Define segment actions for routing between environments
segment_actions = [
{
action = "create-route"
segment = "production"
destination_cidr_blocks = ["10.0.0.0/16"]
destinations = ["staging"]
},
{
action = "create-route"
segment = "staging"
destination_cidr_blocks = ["10.1.0.0/16"]
destinations = ["development"]
}
]
# Define attachment policies for automatic resource attachment
attachment_policies = [
{
rule_number = 100
condition_logic = "or"
conditions = [
{
type = "tag-value"
key = "Environment"
value = "production"
}
]
action = {
association_method = "constant"
segment = "production"
}
},
{
rule_number = 200
condition_logic = "or"
conditions = [
{
type = "tag-value"
key = "Environment"
value = "staging"
}
]
action = {
association_method = "constant"
segment = "staging"
}
}
]
})
# Apply tags for resource management
tags = {
Name = "production-core-network"
Environment = "production"
Project = "global-infrastructure"
Owner = "network-team"
CostCenter = "infrastructure"
}
}
# Create global network as prerequisite
resource "aws_networkmanager_global_network" "main" {
description = "Global network for production infrastructure"
tags = {
Name = "production-global-network"
Environment = "production"
Project = "global-infrastructure"
}
}
# Create Core Network policy attachment for policy management
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_attachment" "production_policy" {
core_network_id = aws_networkmanager_core_network.production_network.id
policy_document = aws_networkmanager_core_network.production_network.policy_document
}
This configuration creates a production-ready Core Network with multiple segments representing different environments. The policy document defines routing rules between segments and automatic attachment policies based on resource tags. The require_attachment_acceptance parameter ensures that production attachments require explicit approval, while development and staging environments allow automatic attachment for faster development cycles.
The segment actions define how traffic flows between different environments, with specific CIDR blocks and destinations for each route. The attachment policies automatically assign resources to appropriate segments based on their tags, reducing manual configuration overhead while maintaining security boundaries.
Multi-Region Core Network with Hybrid Connectivity
This scenario demonstrates how to create a Core Network that spans multiple regions and includes on-premises connectivity through AWS Direct Connect. This configuration is common in enterprise deployments that require global reach with hybrid cloud capabilities.
# Multi-region Core Network with hybrid connectivity
resource "aws_networkman
## Managing Networkmanager Core Network using Terraform
AWS Network Manager Core Network provides a centralized approach to managing global network connectivity across multiple AWS regions and accounts. Working with this service through Terraform requires careful planning due to its complex configuration requirements and cross-regional dependencies.
### Basic Core Network Setup
The most fundamental implementation involves creating a core network with basic connectivity policies:
```hcl
# Create the core network policy document
data "aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_document" "main" {
core_network_configuration {
vpn_ecmp_support = false
asn_ranges = ["64512-65534"]
edge_locations {
location = "us-east-1"
asn = 64512
}
edge_locations {
location = "us-west-2"
asn = 64513
}
}
segments {
name = "production"
description = "Production workload segment"
require_attachment_acceptance = true
isolate_attachments = false
actions {
action = "create-route"
segment = "production"
destination_cidr_blocks = ["10.0.0.0/16"]
}
}
segments {
name = "development"
description = "Development workload segment"
require_attachment_acceptance = false
isolate_attachments = true
}
}
# Create the global network first
resource "aws_networkmanager_global_network" "main" {
description = "Global network for multi-region connectivity"
tags = {
Name = "production-global-network"
Environment = "production"
ManagedBy = "terraform"
}
}
# Create the core network
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network" "main" {
global_network_id = aws_networkmanager_global_network.main.id
description = "Core network for production workloads"
create_base_policy = true
tags = {
Name = "production-core-network"
Environment = "production"
ManagedBy = "terraform"
}
}
# Apply the policy to the core network
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_attachment" "main" {
core_network_id = aws_networkmanager_core_network.main.id
policy_document = data.aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_document.main.json
}
This configuration establishes a global network with a core network that spans two regions (us-east-1 and us-west-2), defining separate segments for production and development workloads. The production segment requires attachment acceptance for security, while the development segment is isolated to prevent cross-contamination.
The create_base_policy parameter allows AWS to automatically generate a basic policy structure, which can then be customized through the policy attachment. The ASN ranges define the autonomous system numbers used for BGP routing between edge locations.
Advanced Multi-Region Core Network
For organizations requiring sophisticated network segmentation and routing policies:
# Advanced policy document with multiple segments and complex routing
data "aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_document" "enterprise" {
core_network_configuration {
vpn_ecmp_support = true
asn_ranges = ["64512-65534"]
inside_cidr_blocks = ["10.0.0.0/8"]
edge_locations {
location = "us-east-1"
asn = 64512
}
edge_locations {
location = "us-west-2"
asn = 64513
}
edge_locations {
location = "eu-west-1"
asn = 64514
}
edge_locations {
location = "ap-southeast-1"
asn = 64515
}
}
segments {
name = "shared-services"
description = "Shared services like DNS, monitoring"
require_attachment_acceptance = true
isolate_attachments = false
actions {
action = "create-route"
segment = "shared-services"
destination_cidr_blocks = ["10.0.0.0/16"]
}
}
segments {
name = "production"
description = "Production workloads"
require_attachment_acceptance = true
isolate_attachments = false
actions {
action = "create-route"
segment = "production"
destination_cidr_blocks = ["10.1.0.0/16"]
}
actions {
action = "share"
mode = "attachment-route"
segment = "production"
share_with_except = ["development"]
share_with = ["shared-services"]
}
}
segments {
name = "development"
description = "Development and testing"
require_attachment_acceptance = false
isolate_attachments = true
actions {
action = "create-route"
segment = "development"
destination_cidr_blocks = ["10.2.0.0/16"]
}
}
segments {
name = "dmz"
description = "DMZ for external connections"
require_attachment_acceptance = true
isolate_attachments = false
actions {
action = "create-route"
segment = "dmz"
destination_cidr_blocks = ["10.3.0.0/16"]
}
}
# Define segment actions for controlled routing
segment_actions {
action = "send-via"
segment = "production"
mode = "single-hop"
when_sent_to {
segments = ["shared-services"]
}
via {
network_function_groups = ["firewall-inspection"]
}
}
# Network function groups for traffic inspection
network_function_groups {
name = "firewall-inspection"
description = "Firewall appliances for traffic inspection"
require_attachment_acceptance = true
}
}
# Create the enterprise global network
resource "aws_networkmanager_global_network" "enterprise" {
description = "Enterprise global network with multi-region connectivity"
tags = {
Name = "enterprise-global-network"
Environment = "production"
BusinessUnit = "platform-engineering"
ManagedBy = "terraform"
}
}
# Create the enterprise core network
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network" "enterprise" {
global_network_id = aws_networkmanager_global_network.enterprise.id
description = "Enterprise core network with advanced segmentation"
create_base_policy = false
tags = {
Name = "enterprise-core-network"
Environment = "production"
BusinessUnit = "platform-engineering"
ManagedBy = "terraform"
}
}
# Apply the enterprise policy
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_attachment" "enterprise" {
core_network_id = aws_networkmanager_core_network.enterprise.id
policy_document = data.aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_document.enterprise.json
}
# Create VPC attachments for each segment
resource "aws_networkmanager_vpc_attachment" "shared_services" {
for_each = {
"us-east-1" = var.shared_services_vpc_us_east_1
"us-west-2" = var.shared_services_vpc_us_west_2
"eu-west-1" = var.shared_services_vpc_eu_west_1
"ap-southeast-1" = var.shared_services_vpc_ap_southeast_1
}
core_network_id = aws_networkmanager_core_network.enterprise.id
vpc_arn = each.value.arn
subnet_arns = each.value.private_subnet_arns
options {
ipv6_support = false
appliance_mode_support = false
dns_support = true
security_group_reference_support = true
}
tags = {
Name = "shared-services-attachment-${each.key}"
Segment = "shared-services"
Region = each.key
Environment = "production"
ManagedBy = "terraform"
}
}
# Output core network details
output "core_network_id" {
description = "ID of the core network"
value = aws_networkmanager_core_network.enterprise.id
}
output "core_network_arn" {
description = "ARN of the core network"
value = aws_networkmanager_core_network.enterprise.arn
}
output "core_network_edges" {
description = "Edge locations of the core network"
value = aws_networkmanager_core_network.enterprise.edges
}
This advanced configuration demonstrates enterprise-level network segmentation with four distinct segments: shared-services, production, development, and dmz. Each segment has specific routing policies and isolation requirements. The configuration includes VPN ECMP support for redundant connections and defines network function groups for traffic inspection.
The segment_actions section enables sophisticated routing policies, such as forcing production traffic to shared services through firewall inspection. The share_with and share_with_except parameters control which segments can communicate with each other, providing fine-grained network isolation.
Key parameters include:
vpn_ecmp_support: Enables equal-cost multi-path routing for VPN connectionsinside_cidr_blocks: Defines internal IP ranges used by the core networkrequire_attachment_acceptance: Controls whether VPC attachments need manual approvalisolate_attachments: Prevents communication between attachments in the same segment
The VPC attachments section shows how to connect multiple VPCs across different regions to specific network segments, with options for DNS support and security group reference support.
Dependencies in this configuration include:
- Global Network: Must be created before the core network
- VPC Resources: Referenced VPCs must exist in their respective regions
- Subnet Resources: Private subnets must be available for attachments
- Policy Document: The policy must be valid before attachment
Best practices for Networkmanager Core Network
Working with AWS Network Manager Core Network requires careful planning and adherence to architectural principles that ensure scalability, security, and operational efficiency.
Design Network Topology Early
Why it matters: Core networks establish the foundation for all inter-region and cross-account connectivity. Poor initial design creates technical debt that's expensive to remediate later.
Implementation: Document your network topology before writing Terraform code. Define segments based on workload types, security requirements, and compliance boundaries.
# Define segments based on business requirements
locals {
network_segments = {
shared_services = {
description = "DNS, monitoring, logging services"
cidr_blocks = ["10.0.0.0/16"]
isolation = false
approval = true
}
production = {
description = "Production workloads"
cidr_blocks = ["10.1.0.0/16"]
isolation = false
approval = true
}
development = {
description = "Development and testing"
cidr_blocks = ["10.2.0.0/16"]
isolation = true
approval = false
}
}
}
# Use locals to generate consistent segment configurations
data "aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_document" "main" {
core_network_configuration {
vpn_ecmp_support = true
asn_ranges = ["64512-65534"]
inside_cidr_blocks = [for segment in local.network_segments : segment.cidr_blocks[0]]
dynamic "edge_locations" {
for_each = var.regions
content {
location = edge_locations.value.name
asn = edge_locations.value.asn
}
}
}
dynamic "segments" {
for_each = local.network_segments
content {
name = segments.key
description = segments.value.description
require_attachment_acceptance = segments.value.approval
isolate_attachments = segments.value.isolation
actions {
action = "create-route"
segment = segments.key
destination_cidr_blocks = segments.value.cidr_blocks
}
}
}
}
Plan your ASN allocation strategy upfront. Reserve specific ASN ranges for different purposes (core network, customer gateways, transit gateways) to avoid conflicts during expansion.
Implement Consistent Tagging Strategy
Why it matters: Core networks span multiple regions and accounts. Consistent tagging enables cost allocation, compliance reporting, and automated resource management.
Implementation: Define a comprehensive tagging strategy that includes operational, financial, and security metadata.
# Define standard tags for all network resources
locals {
standard_tags = {
ManagedBy = "terraform"
Environment = var.environment
BusinessUnit = var.business_unit
CostCenter = var.cost_center
Owner = var.owner_email
Project = var.project_name
Compliance = var.compliance_level
BackupPolicy = var.backup_policy
CreatedDate = formatdate("YYYY-MM-DD", timestamp())
}
# Merge standard tags with resource-specific tags
core_network_tags = merge(local.standard_tags, {
ResourceType = "core-network"
Purpose = "global-connectivity"
Criticality = "high"
})
}
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network" "main" {
global_network_id = aws_networkmanager_global_network.main.id
description = "Core network for ${var.environment} environment"
create_base_policy = var.create_base_policy
tags = local.core_network_tags
}
Use tagging to track resource relationships and dependencies. This becomes essential for troubleshooting and change management in complex multi-region deployments.
Implement Policy Version Control
Why it matters: Core network policies control routing and segmentation across your entire infrastructure. Policy changes can impact multiple applications and services simultaneously.
Implementation: Use a structured approach to policy management with version tracking and rollback capabilities.
# Create policy validation script
#!/bin/bash
# validate_policy.sh
set -e
POLICY_FILE="$1"
CORE_NETWORK_ID="$2"
# Validate policy syntax
terraform validate
# Test policy against current state
aws networkmanager put-core-network-policy \\
--core-network-id "$CORE_NETWORK_ID" \\
--policy-document file://"$POLICY_FILE" \\
--dry-run
echo "Policy validation successful"
# Store policy versions for rollback capability
resource "aws_s3_object" "policy_version" {
bucket = aws_s3_bucket.network_configs.bucket
key = "core-network-policies/${var.environment}/policy-v${var.policy_version}.json"
content = data.aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_document.main.json
tags = merge(local.standard_tags, {
PolicyVersion = var.policy_version
Environment = var.environment
})
}
# Implement gradual policy rollout
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_attachment" "main" {
core_network_id = aws_networkmanager_core_network.main.id
policy_document = data.aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_document.main.json
lifecycle {
create_before_destroy = true
}
}
Implement a policy change workflow that includes validation, testing in non-production environments, and gradual rollout to production regions. This minimizes the blast radius of policy changes.
Monitor Network Performance and Health
Why it matters: Core networks are critical infrastructure components. Performance issues or outages can affect multiple applications and regions simultaneously.
Implementation: Set up comprehensive monitoring and alerting for network health, latency, and availability.
# Create
## Best practices for Networkmanager Core Network
Implementing AWS Networkmanager Core Network requires careful planning and attention to security, performance, and operational excellence. Here are the key best practices to follow when working with this service.
### Design your network architecture before implementation
**Why it matters:** A well-designed network architecture prevents costly redesigns and ensures optimal performance across your global infrastructure.
**Implementation:** Start by mapping your current network topology and identifying the regions, VPCs, and on-premises networks that need connectivity. Document your traffic patterns, bandwidth requirements, and latency constraints. Create a comprehensive network design that includes:
- Regional hub-and-spoke models for efficient traffic routing
- Dedicated network segments for different application tiers
- Clear boundaries between development, staging, and production environments
- Integration points with existing network infrastructure
```bash
# Document your network requirements
aws networkmanager describe-global-networks \\
--global-network-ids <global-network-id> \\
--query 'GlobalNetworks[0].{State:State,Tags:Tags}'
Plan your core network policy structure to support future growth and changing requirements. Consider using a modular approach where network policies can be updated independently for different regions or application environments.
Implement comprehensive security controls
Why it matters: Core networks handle traffic between multiple network segments, making security controls critical for protecting sensitive data and preventing unauthorized access.
Implementation: Configure network segmentation using core network policies to isolate different types of traffic. Implement least-privilege access principles by defining specific routing rules that only allow necessary communication paths.
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network_policy_attachment" "security_policy" {
core_network_id = aws_networkmanager_core_network.main.id
policy_document = jsonencode({
version = "2021.12"
segments = [
{
name = "production"
require-attachment-acceptance = true
isolate-attachments = true
},
{
name = "development"
require-attachment-acceptance = false
isolate-attachments = false
}
]
})
}
Enable CloudTrail logging for all network manager activities and configure monitoring for unusual traffic patterns. Use AWS Security Hub to aggregate security findings across your network infrastructure and ensure compliance with security frameworks.
Optimize performance through strategic placement
Why it matters: Poor network placement can lead to increased latency, reduced throughput, and higher costs due to unnecessary data transfer charges.
Implementation: Deploy core network components in regions that are geographically close to your users and applications. Use AWS Global Accelerator when appropriate to improve performance for global applications.
# Monitor network performance metrics
aws cloudwatch get-metric-statistics \\
--namespace AWS/NetworkManager \\
--metric-name PacketsIn \\
--dimensions Name=CoreNetworkId,Value=<core-network-id> \\
--start-time 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z \\
--end-time 2024-01-02T00:00:00Z \\
--period 300 \\
--statistics Average
Configure routing policies to ensure traffic takes the most efficient path through your network. Regularly review and optimize your network topology based on actual usage patterns and performance metrics.
Establish robust monitoring and alerting
Why it matters: Proactive monitoring helps identify issues before they impact users and provides the data needed to optimize network performance.
Implementation: Set up CloudWatch alarms for key metrics including connection state, packet loss, and bandwidth utilization. Create custom dashboards that provide visibility into your network's health and performance.
resource "aws_cloudwatch_alarm" "core_network_down" {
alarm_name = "core-network-connection-down"
comparison_operator = "LessThanThreshold"
evaluation_periods = "2"
metric_name = "ConnectionState"
namespace = "AWS/NetworkManager"
period = "300"
statistic = "Average"
threshold = "1"
alarm_description = "This metric monitors core network connection state"
alarm_actions = [aws_sns_topic.alerts.arn]
dimensions = {
CoreNetworkId = aws_networkmanager_core_network.main.id
}
}
Configure notifications to alert your team when network issues occur. Use AWS Systems Manager to automate common remediation tasks and reduce manual intervention requirements.
Implement version control for network policies
Why it matters: Network policy changes can have widespread impacts across your infrastructure, making version control essential for tracking changes and enabling rollbacks.
Implementation: Store all network policies in version control systems like Git. Use Infrastructure as Code practices to manage policy deployments and implement approval workflows for policy changes.
# Validate policy changes before deployment
aws networkmanager put-core-network-policy \\
--core-network-id <core-network-id> \\
--policy-document file://policy.json \\
--dry-run
Create staging environments where you can test policy changes before applying them to production. Document all policy changes with clear descriptions of their purpose and expected impact.
Plan for disaster recovery and high availability
Why it matters: Network outages can affect multiple applications and services, making disaster recovery planning critical for maintaining business continuity.
Implementation: Deploy core network components across multiple Availability Zones and regions to ensure high availability. Create redundant network paths and implement automatic failover mechanisms where possible.
resource "aws_networkmanager_core_network" "main" {
global_network_id = aws_networkmanager_global_network.main.id
description = "Production core network with multi-region support"
tags = {
Environment = "production"
Backup = "required"
DR = "enabled"
}
}
Regularly test your disaster recovery procedures and document recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO) for your network infrastructure. Maintain current network topology diagrams and runbooks for incident response.
Optimize costs through resource management
Why it matters: Network costs can accumulate quickly, especially in globally distributed architectures, making cost optimization essential for maintaining budget control.
Implementation: Regularly review your network usage patterns and eliminate unused connections or attachments. Use AWS Cost Explorer to track network-related expenses and identify optimization opportunities.
Monitor data transfer charges and configure routing policies to minimize cross-region traffic where possible. Consider using AWS Direct Connect for high-volume, predictable traffic patterns to reduce costs compared to internet-based connections.
Implement tagging strategies that allow you to track costs by project, team, or application, enabling better cost allocation and accountability. Set up billing alerts to notify you when network costs exceed expected thresholds.
By following these best practices, you can ensure that your Networkmanager Core Network implementation is secure, performant, and cost-effective while providing the foundation for reliable global connectivity across your AWS infrastructure.
Product Integration
The Networkmanager Core Network integrates with a comprehensive ecosystem of AWS networking services, creating a unified approach to global network management. At the time of writing, there are 25+ AWS services that integrate with Networkmanager Core Network in some capacity, including VPC attachments, Transit Gateway connections, and Direct Connect integrations.
The core network serves as the central hub for AWS Transit Gateway connections, allowing organizations to connect multiple VPCs across regions through a single, managed network infrastructure. This integration enables simplified routing policies and centralized network management across distributed environments.
Integration with AWS Direct Connect provides dedicated network connections from on-premises data centers to the core network, ensuring consistent performance and reduced latency for hybrid cloud architectures. The core network can also connect to AWS VPN connections for secure remote access scenarios.
The service works closely with AWS Route 53 for DNS resolution across the network, enabling efficient traffic routing based on geographic location and network topology. Additionally, integration with AWS CloudWatch provides comprehensive monitoring and alerting capabilities for network performance and health metrics.
Use Cases
Global Network Consolidation
Organizations with distributed infrastructure across multiple AWS regions can use Networkmanager Core Network to create a unified global network architecture. This is particularly valuable for enterprises operating in multiple geographic locations who need consistent network policies and simplified management.
For example, a multinational corporation with offices in North America, Europe, and Asia can establish a single core network that connects all their regional VPCs, on-premises data centers, and cloud resources. This consolidation reduces complexity while maintaining security and performance standards across all locations.
Hub-and-Spoke Architecture Implementation
The core network excels at implementing hub-and-spoke network topologies where a central hub connects to multiple spoke networks. This architecture is ideal for organizations that need to centralize certain services while maintaining isolated environments for different business units or applications.
A financial services company might use this pattern to connect regional offices (spokes) to a central data processing center (hub), ensuring secure data flow while maintaining compliance with local regulations.
Multi-Cloud Connectivity
Organizations adopting multi-cloud strategies can leverage the core network to establish consistent connectivity patterns between AWS and other cloud providers or on-premises infrastructure. This creates a unified network fabric that spans multiple environments.
Simplified Network Policy Management
The core network enables centralized policy management across distributed networks. Network administrators can define routing policies, security rules, and access controls in a single location, which are then applied consistently across all connected networks.
Limitations
Regional Availability Constraints
Networkmanager Core Network is not available in all AWS regions. Organizations with requirements for specific regions may need to verify availability before implementing their network architecture. This limitation can impact global deployment strategies and may require alternative solutions in certain geographic areas.
Complexity in Initial Setup
While the core network simplifies ongoing management, the initial configuration can be complex, particularly for organizations with existing network infrastructure. Migrating from traditional networking approaches to a core network model requires careful planning and expertise in AWS networking services.
Policy Configuration Learning Curve
The core network policy language and configuration options have a steep learning curve. Network administrators need to understand the specific syntax and capabilities of core network policies, which may require additional training and certification.
Cost Considerations for Small Deployments
For smaller organizations or simple network topologies, the core network may introduce unnecessary complexity and cost. The service is optimized for large-scale, distributed networks, and smaller deployments might not justify the additional overhead.
Limited Third-Party Integration
While the core network integrates well with AWS services, integration with third-party networking tools and solutions may be limited. Organizations heavily invested in non-AWS networking solutions may face challenges in achieving seamless integration.
Conclusions
The Networkmanager Core Network service is a powerful solution for organizations managing complex, distributed network infrastructures in AWS. It supports advanced network topologies and provides centralized management capabilities that can significantly reduce operational complexity.
The service integrates seamlessly with the broader AWS networking ecosystem, enabling organizations to build sophisticated network architectures that span multiple regions and connect to on-premises infrastructure. For enterprises requiring global network connectivity with consistent policies and simplified management, this service offers compelling advantages.
However, organizations should carefully evaluate their specific requirements against the service's capabilities and limitations. The core network is best suited for large-scale, distributed environments where the benefits of centralized management outweigh the initial complexity and cost considerations.
For organizations with complex networking requirements across multiple regions or hybrid cloud environments, the Networkmanager Core Network provides a robust foundation for building scalable, manageable network infrastructure. The integration with other AWS services creates a comprehensive networking solution that can adapt to evolving business needs while maintaining security and performance standards.
The service represents AWS's commitment to simplifying network management at scale, making it an attractive option for enterprises looking to modernize their network infrastructure and reduce operational overhead.