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HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

openswitch.net

11–20 of 52 posts

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#11
As I stopped knowing anything about datacenters around 2001, can anyone tell me what a network operating system is?

I am going to guess large high throughput switches and some degree of software defined networks that knock putting your printers on one C-network and your servers on another into a cock hat

Apart from raw power, is there some way I can reconfigure my network without moving a cable that I previously could not?

(It's late, so just to be sure, I'm not trolling)

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#12

The hardware compatibility list is pretty slim at the moment: http://www.openswitch.net/documents/user/hardware-compatibil...

More info on the supported switch, which is produced by Accton: http://www.edge-core.com/ProdDtl.asp?sno=457&AS5712-54X

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#13
post #10

How is this any better/different than Open vSwitch? http://openvswitch.org/

openvswitch is simply an interface which provides the ability to programmatically configure your network devices. You could run it on OpenSwitch as the program/module which talks with a controller.

More so, there's already a white box switch that runs it, Pica8 switch is basically a Debian distro with OVS and proprietary drivers.

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#14
post #6

This seems like a good, if belated, move on HPs part. Ethernet switches have become trivial to build with off the shelf parts. If you open up the software then you can focus on things like build quality and reliability.

It sounds too good to me. How will they make money in the Ethernet switching sector?

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#15

As I stopped knowing anything about datacenters around 2001, can anyone tell me what a network operating system is? I am going to guess large high throughput switches and some degree of software defined networks that knock putting your printers on one C-network and your servers on another into a cock hat Apart from raw power, is there some way I can reconfigure my network without moving a cable that I previously coul…

It's just like the usual IOS or JunOS. It's just open source, thats the only new thing I suppose. This has nothing to do with SDN.

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#16

As I stopped knowing anything about datacenters around 2001, can anyone tell me what a network operating system is? I am going to guess large high throughput switches and some degree of software defined networks that knock putting your printers on one C-network and your servers on another into a cock hat Apart from raw power, is there some way I can reconfigure my network without moving a cable that I previously coul…

It's more about tenancy from what I understand. You can give unlimited people access to their own private, encrypted virtual 10.0.0.0/8 block all in the same data center and SDN makes that possible by encapsulating packets in another layer.

One area where a lot of smarts are needed needed, for example, is making sure that you're intelligently routing encrypted packets to the right machines without reverting to a broadcast to every router, switch, and machine in the DC.

I've also heard a lot about people running brand new untested protocols (like TCP replacements) right alongside traditional protocols through SDN.

I'm probably going to do a much worse job of explaining things than the guys who presented at the Open Networking Summit [1]. I highly recommend giving the keynotes a listen.

[1] https://www.youtube.com/user/OpenNetSummit

Edit: I do think this relates to SDN more than a traditional router/switch OS, based on the comments about "traditional and programmatic, declarative control plane." Either way, though, the link above is definitely good stuff.

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#17

How is this any better/different than Open vSwitch? http://openvswitch.org/

OpenVSwitch is a component in OpenSwitch. E.g. OpenSwitch uses OVSDB as its pub/sub configuration store, and also for other state. Other free software / open-source network projects like Quagga have been modified to take their config from that, and store their state to it. Tools like the CLI, the WebUI and REST API then can build on that OVSDB store.

Essentially, one of the aims of OpenSwitch is to build a cohesive API around a wide set of Linux networking tools and daemons, and build a broad community to make it happen.

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#18
post #13
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

openvswitch is simply an interface which provides the ability to programmatically configure your network devices. You could run it on OpenSwitch as the program/module which talks with a controller.

More so, there's already a white box switch that runs it, Pica8 switch is basically a Debian distro with OVS and proprietary drivers.

And here is the recently announced partnership between HP and Pica8. PicOS is certified to run on HP Altoline switches.

https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/news/pica8s-white-box-os...

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#19
post #14
post #6

This seems like a good, if belated, move on HPs part. Ethernet switches have become trivial to build with off the shelf parts. If you open up the software then you can focus on things like build quality and reliability.

It sounds too good to me. How will they make money in the Ethernet switching sector?

Its probably aimed at bringing Cisco's revenues down.

Re: HP announces OpenSwitch, an open-source network operating system

#20
post #14
post #6

This seems like a good, if belated, move on HPs part. Ethernet switches have become trivial to build with off the shelf parts. If you open up the software then you can focus on things like build quality and reliability.

It sounds too good to me. How will they make money in the Ethernet switching sector?

Selling software for central management
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