The Adoption of Open Networking: Benefits and Challenges

In recent years, the concept of open networking has gained significant traction. It refers to a networking approach where the hardware and software is disaggregated, allowing for greater flexibility, customization, and innovation. In the past year, we have seen increased interest and adoption.

Traditionally, networking equipment was proprietary, meaning that the hardware and software were designed and owned by a single vendor. With traditional vendors, it has been difficult for organizations to switch to different vendors, as their equipment was not compatible with other vendors’ products. Traditional networking vendors also limited the customization options, as organizations could only use what the vendor provided.

However, open networking gives organizations greater control over their network infrastructure. The hardware and software is open, allowing organizations to make modifications and improvements as they see fit. Open networking not only results in lower costs, as organizations can use off-the-shelf components, such as Broadcom ASICs, but it also allows organizations to create a network tailored to their specific needs.

Open networking also offers faster innovation and deployment of new technologies. Because the components are open-source, developers from around the world can contribute to the development of new technologies. An example is the SONiC NOS, where the community drives innovation. Open networking leads to a faster pace of innovation, as organizations can take advantage of the latest developments as soon as they are available. As more organizations adopt open networking, we expect to see continued growth in this area, with new technologies and solutions being developed to meet the growing demand.

Open networking also helps organizations avoid vendor lock-in, as they are not tied to a single vendor. They can switch to different vendors at any time without having to replace their entire network infrastructure. Organizations can choose the best solutions for their specific needs without being tied to a single vendor.

What is Driving the Increase in Adoption?

Over the past year, we have seen organizations adopt open networking at a faster pace. A combination of recent adoption factors includes cost savings, flexibility, customization, innovation, vendor independence, interoperability, and support from a robust open-source community. Other factors, such as supply chain constraints and IT budget reductions, have also accelerated its adoption since open networking hardware has better availability and is less expensive.

Cost Savings: One of the primary reasons customers choose open networking is the substantial cost savings. Open-source components are often significantly less expensive than proprietary hardware and software, making it easier for organizations to allocate their budget to other areas. This makes it especially attractive when IT managers and business leaders have to work within the constraints of reduced IT budgets.

Flexibility and Customization: Open networking offers organizations greater control over their network infrastructure, allowing them to make modifications and improvements as they see fit. This results in a network tailored to their specific needs, providing a better user experience.

Innovation: Open networking encourages innovation, as developers from around the world can contribute to the development of new technologies. This leads to a faster pace of innovation, as organizations can take advantage of the latest developments as soon as they are available.

Vendor Independence: Open networking helps organizations avoid vendor lock-in, as they are not tied to a single vendor. It allows organizations to choose the best solutions for their specific needs without being tied to a single vendor.

Interoperability: Open networking promotes interoperability, as open-source components are designed to work with other open-source components. Open networking also makes it easier for organizations to switch to different vendors, as their equipment is more likely to be compatible with other vendors’ products.

Open-source Community: Open networking has a robust open-source community, which provides organizations with access to a wealth of knowledge and resources. It can be especially beneficial for organizations new to open networking or looking to expand their expertise.

Scalability: Open networking allows organizations to scale their network infrastructure as needed without having to replace their entire network. Also, open networking makes it easier for organizations to accommodate growth and changes in their network requirements.

Supply Chain Challenges: Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, organizations have experienced significant challenges procuring the hardware they need. At the time of this writing, we still face considerable lead times from traditional vendors like Arista, Cisco, and others, where one-year lead times are still the norm. We have seen much better availability and shorter lead times for hardware from open networking vendors like Edge-Core and UfiSpace.

What Are Some of the Challenges of Open Networking?

As in any new industry, open networking has its challenges. Organizations should be aware of the complexity, support, compatibility, security, and stability issues associated with open networking and take steps to mitigate these risks. By understanding the challenges of open networking, organizations can make informed decisions and implement open networking to meet their specific needs and requirements. Below are some of the challenges we have been seeing.

Complexity: Open networking can be complex, as it requires organizations to have a deep understanding of networking technologies and protocols. This can be incredibly challenging for organizations that are new to open networking or have limited technical expertise. In this case, it is highly recommended you work with an experienced integrator to help with your open networking journey. 

Support: While open-source communities can be a valuable source of knowledge and support, organizations may still need to rely on commercial support for some components. This can be challenging, as commercial support for open-source products can incur additional costs. For example, SONiC is a free NOS, but relying on community support for mission-critical networks may not be acceptable for an organization; in these cases, support is offered through 3rd party vendors, such as Aviz Networks. Organizations can also opt for hardened versions of commercial NOSes for open switches. Commercial NOS vendors, including IP Infusion and Pica8 offer support with their software.

Interoperability: Open-source components may not be compatible with proprietary components, making it difficult for organizations to integrate their network infrastructure with existing systems. This can be a challenge, as organizations may need to replace existing systems or make modifications to make everything work together. Many of the open NOS vendors, however, have addressed this issue by making sure their software is interoperable with traditional vendors. 

Security: Organizations need to be diligent and aware of security risks by patching and updating their open-source components to minimize the risk of security breaches. Commercial open NOS vendors have protocols in place to address security concerns.

Stability: Open NOS can be less stable than proprietary components, which can result in bugs, compatibility issues, and other problems. Typically, we have seen that the major issues can be resolved during POCs.

How Hardware Nation Can Help

Navigating the complexities of open networking can be challenging for organizations of any size. We recommend not going it alone and working with an integrator that understands the complexities and challenges of migrating to an open networking model. Hardware Nation has years of experience working with all the major hardware and software vendors in the open networking industry and can help your organization realize its benefits.