Looking to broaden the qualities of its open source stack, the OpenSwitch project said SnapRoute and Dell EMC will add new features to its network operating system.
Specifically, the new contributions include:
- SnapRoute’s open source network stack and management services, which support a modular, hardware independent NOS, accessible through a complete set of APIs.
- Dell EMC’s OS10 Open Edition, which represents an open, disaggregated base subsystem incorporating hardware and platform abstraction layers for networking switching applications. On top of OS 10 base module run application modules which include traditional Layer 2/3 networking functions and other IP, fabric, security, and management and automation tools from Dell, Linux, third-parties and the open source community.
“OpenSwitch is now one step closer to providing the data center community with an open source network operating system that enables organizations to focus on developing innovative networking solutions, which can exploit Cavium’s extensible switch architecture to address rapidly changing market needs," said Albert Fishman, Linux Foundation OpenSwitch project marketing chair and senior technical marketing manager of Cavium Switching Platform Group.
HP formed OpenSwitch 2015 to develop a programmable open source network operating system for data centers. At the time HP said traditional networking is based on a closed, proprietary and vertically integrated model that does not let customers or developers innovate and tailor networks to meet business needs because there is no community-based access to NOS source code for modification. An open source NOS lets developers engineer networks to prioritize business critical workloads and functions, ease interoperability, and relieve customers of proprietary software licensing structures.
In June the OpenSwitch Project took a significant development step by becoming the first full feature network operating system project of the Linux Foundation. The move gives OpenSwitch a neutral home where it can receive all the necessary support for long-term growth and sustainability – including back-office, technical infrastructure and ecosystem development services, the foundation said.
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While the Linux Foundation hosts other projects in the networking arena, the addition of OpenSwitch makes available a complete NOS solution, from the ASIC drivers to the APIs,’ that will run on reference hardware and in hypervisors.
For customers the move to a Linux Foundation project means that they can be assured that OpenSwitch will be available from multiple vendors, and that technical support options are available from multiple sources, decreasing risk and costs, the foundation stated. The OpenSwitch software and source code remain available at openswitch.net. Vendors and OEMs will make "powered by OpenSwitch" hardware available via their existing customer channels.
Other OpenSwitch project supporting members and participating organizations include Barefoot Networks, Broadcom, Cavium, Edgecore Networks, Extreme Networks, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, LinkedIn, Marvell, Mellanox Technologies, Nephos, P4.org, Quattro Networks and Terralogic.