Tag Archives: whitebox

Open Compute – Networking project

Networking & SDN, , , ,

This is a continuation of my previous blog on White box switches. White box switches allows for dis-aggregation of switch hardware from the software running on the switch. This approach allows the buyer to purchase hardware from 1 vendor and software from another vendor. Open compute project is an Open source project that was started around 4 years back by Facebook to open up the Data center hardware. Multiple other companies like Intel, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs have joined the community since.  Around a year back, Networking charter was started in Open compute project to open up the Networking part of Data center hardware. Facebook, Intel, Broadcom, Cumulus, Arista are some of the vendors participating in this project. In this blog, I will cover the following:

  • Components/Charter of Open compute networking project.
  • Current contributions to the project
  • Facebook’s Wedge and FBOSS
  • Final thoughts

Continue reading Open Compute – Networking project →

White box switches – Overview and current models

Networking & SDN, , , ,

In this blog, I will cover the basics of White box switches, current software models in White box switches, architecture overview of popular White box vendors(Cumulus, Big Switch, Pica8), popular Opensource projects related to White box switches and some final thoughts on the future direction.

In the current Networking switches, hardware and software are tightly coupled and it is not possible to change the software from 1 vendor to another keeping the hardware as same. This is different from Server space where hardware and software are decoupled completely.

The term White box Switch refers to a Networking Switch where hardware and software are loosely coupled and it is possible to change 1 of them keeping the other as same.

Following are some of the advantages of White box switches.

  • Multiple choices and no vertical lock-in to a single vendor.
  • Can increase speed of innovation.
  • Can reduce capex and opex.

Following are 3 models that seems to be emerging among White box switches.

Continue reading White box switches – Overview and current models →