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Open networking: why hardware and software are becoming separate in networks

In traditional network infrastructure, the hardware and software are from the same vendor. You buy a switch from manufacturer A, and the network operating system (NOS) running on it comes from that same manufacturer. If you want different features or a different provider, you have to replace the entire stack. Open networking breaks that link.

What is open networking?

Open networking separates the network hardware from the software that runs on it. The hardware, a white-box switch, is built using merchant silicon: chips from manufacturers such as Broadcom or Marvell that are widely available. On top of this runs a Network Operating System (NOS) that you can choose and replace independently.

That gives you two degrees of freedom. You choose hardware based on port density, power consumption and price, without taking the software into account. And you choose a network operating system (NOS) based on the functions your network requires, without being tied to a specific hardware manufacturer.

What NOS options are available?

The NOS market for open networking offers both open-source and commercial options.

  • SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) is an open-source network operating system (NOS) originally developed by Microsoft and now managed by the Linux Foundation. It is widely used in data centre environments and has a large community.
  • IP Infusion’s OcNOS is a commercial NOS offering broad hardware support and extensive carrier-grade features, including support for EVPN-MPLS and WDM integration.
  • RTBrick offers a cloud-native routing stack specifically designed for service providers wishing to run carrier-grade routing functions on white-box hardware.
  • VyOS is an open-source networking operating system based on Debian that is widely used for routing and firewalling.

These are examples, not an exhaustive list. The choice depends on the functionalities your network requires.

What hardware is used?

White-box network manufacturers build switches and routers using off-the-shelf silicon without a proprietary operating system. Edgecore Networks and UFiSpace are examples of manufacturers that supply hardware compatible with multiple NOS options.

The hardware comes with a bootloader that enables the loading of an external NOS. The specifications, such as the number of ports, throughput capacity and power profile, are comparable to those of proprietary alternatives in the same segment.

What are the benefits for an integrator?

The separation of hardware and software has a number of practical implications. You are no longer dependent on a single vendor’s roadmap for both hardware and software. Hardware can be replaced without losing the software configuration, and vice versa.

That also makes migration easier. An NOS update or replacement does not affect the hardware. Hardware that has reached the end of its useful life is replaced without the need for a new software licence.

Open networking does, however, require greater expertise in the field of integration. Responsibility for combining hardware and network operating systems lies with the integrator, not with a single vendor.

Where is open networking used?

Open networking architectures are used in data centre fabrics, carrier networks and large enterprise environments. In data centre fabrics, it has become the standard amongst hyperscalers. In carrier networks, it is used for aggregation and core routing, driven in part by the need for scalable hardware at a lower cost.

Would you like to know which combination of hardware and NOS is best suited to your network design? We’d be happy to help you work it out.

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