mic due to DNS-based global load balancing and also obfuscated due to data center level traffic management features such as load balancers (client is targeting a virtual IP). Building the Network of the Future 9.5.3 ASTRA 9.5.3.1 ASTRA Overview ASTRA is an innovative security platform to protect all internal applications within the cloud environment [5]. The ASTRA ecosystem and framework enables virtual security services to be delivered effortlessly via APIs and automated intelligent provisioning, creating micro-perimeters around specific applications based on application-specific requirements. Using an Agile software development approach, the project integrated internally developed software with both open source and vendor solutions to create an extensible architecture. ASTRA's ecosystem enables this dynamic security protection for all computing resources by providing: Automatic orchestration of micro-perimeter security protection "rings" for workload objects (individual VMs) when they are provisioned Automatic orchestration of workgroup (collection of workload objects) protection "rings" Dynamic security policy provisioning using API communications to the workload, work- group, and classic perimeter protection systems Security event collection and forwarding to authorized subscriber system User interface support for security administrators (Figure 9.17) ASTRA implements these functions using a bot-like self-healing architecture that was designed from the start to use API services to enable a flexible and manageable environment that supports integration with leading marketplace security technologies and to be an open system for third-party solution integrators. ASTRA use of API enable effective communications and controls for security policies and provisioning as well as seamless integration with external business system-like asset inventory, threat management, and record retention services. ASTRA leverages SDN to enable cloud or physical data center security protections and takes advantage of the new technology