Open Networking
Enable cost reduction, streamlined management, and vendor-agnostic flexibility across your network infrastructure.
Open Networking
Enable cost reduction, streamlined management, and vendor-agnostic flexibility across your network infrastructure.
What is Open Networking?
Open networking is a modern approach to networking that decouples the hardware and software, allowing for more flexibility, scalability, reduced costs, simplified architecture, automated provisioning, and faster innovation. Open Networking gives you the freedom to independently choose the hardware and software that best fits your use case. Open networking switches are bare metal hardware with off-the-shelf commodity silicon that run independent network operating systems (NOS) from third-party open-source and commercial vendors. Below are some reasons organizations are adopting the Open Networking model:
Benefits of Open Networking
Disaggregation and flexibility
Offers expanded hardware choice, validated by the vendor for streamlined deployment, and avoids vendor lock-in.
Openness and programmability
Maintains open standards while providing pre-built integrations and specialized features for easier use and extended functionality.
Rapid innovation and customization
Leverages community advancements with a focus on stability, offering vendor-specific optimizations.
Cost savings and operational efficiency
Reduction in CAPEX/OPEX, plus streamlined deployment, automation, management, and enterprise support.
Open networking often leverages commodity hardware and open-source or open commercial software, which can significantly reduce capital expenditures compared to traditional, proprietary networking solutions. The disaggregation of hardware and software also promotes competition among ecosystem vendors, further driving down prices.
Open networking systems are more flexible than proprietary systems, allowing organizations to easily add, remove, or change networking components as needed. This makes it easier to adapt to changing business needs and scale the network up or down without being tied to a single vendor’s hardware or software.
Open networking fosters innovation by encouraging a broader community of developers to create new tools, applications, and features that can be easily integrated into the network. This leads to a faster pace of development and a quicker time-to-market for new capabilities.
Better Product Availability
Global supply chain issues and component shortages have heavily impacted traditional networking products, leading to extended lead times. Open networking offers an alternative solution for organizations facing challenges in upgrading or expanding their networks.
Lower TCO
IT budgets are often tight, forcing organizations to balance infrastructure maintenance with cost control. Open networking helps reduce costs by embracing cost-effective strategies like the use of white-box switches, commercially available off-the-shelf silicon, and open-source or disaggregated commercial software tailored for open networks.
Greater Flexibility & Control
Open networking encourages innovation through vendor collaboration and provides organizations with more choice in hardware and software solutions. This flexibility enables the exploration of various networking combinations and the use of open-source tools to create custom solutions.
Protection Against Obsolescence
Disaggregated networking allows organizations to upgrade or replace components independently, without affecting the entire network. This approach enables the adoption of new technologies without full network replacement, protecting investments beyond the typical 3 to 5 years offered by traditional vendors.
Accelerating Adoption
Open networking can be a game changer for organizations, helping to reduce costs, increase flexibility, and speed up innovation. With years of experience, we can help you enable the adoption of open networking by providing educational resources and guidance on the benefits and implementation of open networking. By embracing open networking, organizations can take advantage of open-source technologies and standards, which can lower the cost of network hardware and reduce the complexity of network management.
We will work with you to help select, implement, and manage comprehensive open networking solutions.
Future-Facing Technology
To successfully adopt the open networking model and help future-proof your organization’s technology strategy, your IT team needs a partner with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic and ever-evolving open networking ecosystem. It is crucial to have an in-depth understanding of the various vendors of white box switches, network operating systems (NOS), and optics, along with the implementation options, orchestration tools, and interoperability concerns that come with them. As a result, selecting the right solution for your organization can be challenging without the proper guidance and expertise. At Hardware Nation, we have a deep understanding of these complex elements and provide the necessary support to help your team adopt the open networking model faster and more efficiently. We work closely with you to understand your unique needs, and help you select the most suitable and comprehensive solution that aligns with your goals and objectives.
We Provide Solutions for:
Data Centers
Software-Defined LAN
Network Automation
To successfully adopt an open networking model and help future-proof your organization’s technology strategy, you need a partner with a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic and ever-evolving open networking ecosystem. It is crucial to have an in-depth understanding of the various vendors of white box switches and network operating systems (NOS), along with the implementation options, orchestration tools, and interoperability concerns that come with them.
Successful adoption of open networking requires a well-planned strategy, including careful selection of compatible hardware and software, thorough testing, ongoing management and support, and may also involve specialized engineering and design expertise to ensure optimal implementation and performance.
Use Cases
Disaggregation and flexibility
Offers expanded hardware choice, validated by the vendor for streamlined deployment, and avoids vendor lock-in.
Openness and programmability
Maintains open standards while providing pre-built integrations and specialized features for easier use and extended functionality.
Rapid innovation and customization
Leverages community advancements with a focus on stability, offering vendor-specific optimizations.
Cost savings and operational efficiency
Reduction in CAPEX/OPEX, plus streamlined deployment, automation, management, and enterprise support.
Open networking enables flexible and scalable spine-leaf architectures, reducing vendor lock-in and optimizing network performance.
Open networking facilitates the disaggregation of hardware and software in central offices, enabling cost-effective and agile network upgrades.
Open networking enables the deployment of OpenLAN and OpenWiFi solutions, providing cost-effective and flexible alternatives for wired and wireless enterprise networks.
Open networking supports the development of flexible and adaptable 5G networks, enabling faster innovation and deployment of new services.
Why Hardware Nation?
Open networking can be transformative for your organization, but knowing where to start can be overwhelming. Since 2017, our seasoned network engineers have deployed solutions powered by Cumulus Linux, Pica8, IP Infusion, and SONiC. We have navigated deployment challenges, gaining a deep understanding of risks and roadblocks associated with open networking. Our expertise and close ties within the ecosystem, including hardware vendors such as Edge-Core, Arista, NVIDIA, Celestica, Dell, and UfiSpace, position us uniquely to guide your open networking adoption.
How Can Hardware Nation Help You Succeed?
Open Networking can be a game changer for your organization, but realizing its full value requires a trusted partner. Our team of experts can offer vendor-neutral guidance and assess whether open networking is appropriate for your organization’s unique needs. We are partnered with industry-leading open networking vendors, and our prior real-world experience implementing these solutions enables us to identify the best solutions based on prior use cases. We guide customers through every stage of the implementation process, from discovery to consultation, roadmap creation, adoption, implementation, and management. Our experts, with their diverse backgrounds in networking, security, cloud, and other key areas, help determine the most effective approach to implementing an open networking solution, taking into account both emerging and legacy solutions.
Experience
Leveraging years of open networking and infrastructure experience across diverse industries, we ensure seamless integration across your entire technology stack.
Partnerships
We have deep relationships with the top disaggregate hardware, software, and solutions vendors.
End-to-End Networking Solutions
Our team of network architects builds next-gen networks tailored to your unique use case and provides end-to-end solutions from discovery to deployment and management.
Vendor Neutrality
We follow a vendor and technology-agnostic approach to ensure you get the best holistic solution based on your needs.
Increase Agility and Reduce Costs
Open networking solutions enable efficiency and faster innovation across your organization, but realizing its full value requires a trusted partner. Our team of specialists and partners have the experience, expertise, and objectivity to help you with virtually any open networking questions.
Open Switches
With open switches are switches are original design manufacturer (ODM) switches without an operating system pre-loaded on them. By separating the hardware and software customers typically see significant CapEx and OpEx savings over traditional networking. You will also be able to innovate faster with a DevOps and community approach.
Edge-Core Open Switches
Edge-Core open networking solution are based on open standard, bare-metal hardware with a choice of independent open software for NOS (Network Operating Systems), SDN, virtualization, and cloud orchestration.
UfiSpace Switches
UfiSpace is a pioneer for disaggregate and open networking solutions with industry firsts for cell site gateways, the core network, and the edge network. Their focus has been on high-end networking solutions to ensure commitment to customers for fast time-to-market and state-of-the-art disaggregated open networking platforms.
NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum Open Switches
Mellanox Spectrum based Linux switches deliver leading performance, efficiency & scalability. Mellanox Spectrum switches are compatible with a variety of network operating systems, including NVIDIA Cumulus Linux, SONiC, NVIDIA Onyx, and DENT . Switches are configurable with optics and software.
Network Operating Systems
You now have the freedom to choose the best software for your needs. Network operating systems (NOS) are purpose built to run on open switches. Our team can help your organization select, deploy, and manage NOS. Some NOS options include the following.
NVIDIA Cumulus Networks
With the acquisition of Cumulus Networks, NVIDIA has become the leader in end-to-end open networking for all layers of hardware and software. NVIDIA offer Cumulus Linux NOS and NVIDIA NetQ.
Pica8 PICOS
PICOS® is the only two-in-one open network operating system (NOS) coupling full enterprise support with “classic” SDN. It comes in two versions, PICOS Enterprise and SDN editions.
SONiC
SONiC is a free open source NOS developed by Microsoft and the Open Compute Project. It includes networking components necessary for a fully functional L3 device.
DENT
DENT NOS uses the Linux Kernel, Switchdev, and other Linux-based projects to allow developers to treat networking ASICs and silicon like any other hardware. This simple disaggregated Linux/SwitchDev-based switch ultimately simplifies integration across the ecosystem and encourages application developers to adopt this new standard.
IPInfusion
IP Infusion delivers enterprise and carrier-grade software solutions, allowing network operators to reduce network costs, increase flexibility, and to deploy new features and services quickly.
Shop Switches by ASIC
Choose your switch by ASIC. We have the most popular ASICs listed below, including Broadcom, Barefoot, and Spectrum.
Barefoot Tofino 3.3T
Barefoot Tofino 3.3T is a P4-programmable switch chip from Barefoot Networks that can run up to speeds of 6.5 Tbit/s.
Barefoot Tofino 6.5T
Barefoot Tofino 6.5T is a P4-programmable switch chip from Barefoot Networks that can run up to speeds of 6.5 Tbit/s.
Broadcom Helix 4
These switches use Broadcom’s Helix 4 silicon.
Broadcom Hurricane 2
These switches use Broadcom’s Hurricane 2 silicon.
Broadcom Maverick
These switches use Broadcom’s Maverick silicon.
Broadcom Qumran-AX
Broadcom’s Qumran-AX ASIC helps build highly scalable, feature-rich switches to enable cloud-scale networking and Carrier applications.
Broadcom Qumran-MX
The Broadcom Qumran-MX ASIC switch series are high-performance flexible, feature-rich, and deep-buffering switches that enable cloud-scale networking and carrier applications. They process up to 800Gbps of traffic and support flexible 10G/25G/40G/50G/100G network interfaces. The flexible and microcode-programmable packet processor supports bridging, routing, MPLS, VPLS, L2VPNs, L3VPNs, OAM, and Data Center Tunneling Encapsulations including VXLAN and NV-GRE. Some applications include storage applications ToR, border leaf, and data center interconnect (DCI).
Broadcom StrataDNX Jericho2
Broadcom StrataDNX Jericho2 ASIC helps build highly scalable, feature-rich, module chassis or aggregation switches to enable cloud-scale networking and Carrier network applications. Jericho2 supports standard implementation for 100 and 400 Gigabit Ethernet.
Broadcom Tomahawk 2
Tomahawk 2 ASIC can be used to build highly scalable and feature-rich ToR (top-of-rack) switches, blade switches, and core fabric equipment to enable cloud-scale networking.
Broadcom Tomahawk 3
The Tomahawk 3 ASIC introduces 56G-PAM4 SerDes to the industry-leading Tomahawk line, supporting up to 12.8 Tb/s of switch chip bandwidth along with the new 400G and 200G IEEE standards. It supports up to 32x400G, 64x200G or 128x100G ports.
Broadcom Tomahawk+
Broadcom Tomahawk+ series ASICs can help build highly scalable, feature-rich, top-of-rack (ToR), blade or aggregation switches to enable cloud-scale networking.
Broadcom Trident 2
Trident 2 based switches can be used to build highly scalable, feature-rich, blade switches, top-of-rack (ToR) switches, and aggregation equipment to enable cloud-scale networking. It supports VXLAN and enables spanning-tree-free and CLOS-style network topologies through TRILL, SPB and ECMP.
Broadcom Trident 3
Trident 3 based switches can be used to build highly scalable, low-power, feature rich top-of-rack (ToR), aggregation, and spine switches. This ASIC introduces dataplane programmability and 25 Gbps SerDes into the industry-leading Trident line. It supports new overlays and tunneling, such as GENEVE, NSH, VXLAN, GPE, MPLS, MPLS over GRE/UDP, GUE, ILA and PPPoE.
Broadcom Trident+
These switches use Broadcom’s Trident+ silicon.
Spectrum 3
The NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum-3 SN4000 series switches are the 4th generation of NVIDIA networking Spectrum switches, purpose-built for leaf/spine/super-spine datacenter applications. They are ideal for data center switches for cloud, ethernet storage fabrics, as well as machine learning.
Spectrum 2
NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum-2 SN3000 ethernet switches are ideal for leaf and spine data center network solutions, allowing maximum flexibility with port speeds from 1GbE to 400GbE per port and port density that enables full-rack connectivity to any server at any speed. SN3000 carries a whopping bidirectional switching capacity of up to 12.8Tb/s with a landmark 8.33Bpps packet processing rate.
Spectrum
NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum SN2000 series open ethernet switches provide the highest performance with 1/10/25/40/50/100G speeds. With comprehensive support for virtualization and large forwarding tables, Spectrum SN2000 is ideal for building large layer-2 and layer-3 data center fabrics.
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See What Our Customers are Saying
We take a consultative approach and help our customers strategize and implement technologies that help future-proof IT network infrastructures.
Amazing company and people to work with. They understand your needs based on your requirements. They were phenomenal in providing the support and assistance we needed for our DC hardware. I highly recommend them as a vendor/supplier for white box networking sales, support, and services.
Indra Mondal, Senior Network Engineer, Kudelski Group
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