Our vendor SONiC
SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) is an open-source network operating system (NOS) managed by the Linux Foundation, originally developed by Microsoft. It runs on white-box switches featuring Broadcom and Marvell silicon via the SAI (Switch Abstraction Interface). Distri X supplies certified hardware for SONiC deployments and provides support during commissioning.
What SONiC is and how it works
SONiC is not a commercial product but open-source software, released in 2016 and further developed since then by a community comprising Microsoft, Dell, Arista, Broadcom, Intel and others. It runs on Linux and uses SAI as the standard middleware layer between the operating system and the ASIC.
SWSS (Switch State Service) translates configuration objects into ASIC instructions. BGP routing is handled by FRRouting; LLDP, DHCP relay and other services run as separate processes. This modular architecture makes it possible to replace individual
components without having to rebuild the entire stack.
Applications in data centre fabrics
SONiC is primarily used in spine-leaf data centre fabrics. The hyperscalers that developed the platform run it on networks comprising tens of thousands of switches. In enterprise data centres, it is used for fabrics where independence from proprietary NOS licences and vendor independence are key priorities.
When is SONiC a good fit?
SONiC is suitable for organisations wishing to modernise their data centre switching without being tied to a single NOS supplier, and for teams with Linux expertise who wish to take advantage of the platform’s openness for customisation and integration with automation tools.
Our partnership with SONiC
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