SDN is Evolving

I’ve spent the last couple days at #ONS2015 -The Open Networking Summit in Santa Clara. This year seems much different. Past years there was a lot of hype around the ONF defined SDN, with a lot of companies sort of trying to adhere to the generic definition, and a lot of use cases around NFV in big SPs.

Although the use cases are still evolving in exciting ways, this year there is a lot more focus on actual solutions using various aspects of these technologies. Many using the ODL controller, talking about the ONOS controller, others using their own versions, FB built and is using micro-controllers. A lot of talk about software networks, but not always in the context of the formal definition. More, how companies are weaving open source SDN or NFV components into their existing networks to get services to market much quicker. Using software services where they used to use hardware services to provide developers the freedom to be more creative with services and provide agility never thought possible before in the network.

I sat through a session where several companies talked about white box switching and the point was made that most switching vendors have had at least one model of white box switch in their product lines for a long time. As defined, it is a switch running merchant silicon, possibly from an ODM that the vendor slaps their OS in and logo on, and calls it their own. I suppose the only difference now is the number of vendor OS that can be slapped in and the ODMs are changing somewhat. Really not a super new idea (nor all that exciting from my perspective). Some are tagging this as SDN though. A bit departed from the original definition, I must say.

One theme I do really like is the idea of many companies working together to create these open source projects that can then provide commonality to customers of all those things that aren’t differentiating, allowing the vendors to create the uniqueness which, in most cases is going to reside in the application services themselves anyway.

My key takeaway today was -  opensource is all about choice.  With the proliferation of opensource products and platforms, the user can choose to start from scratch and build hardware and software products based on guidance provided by the project or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, they can purchase a turnkey distribution of an opensource product from the vendor they are the most comfortable will provide the level of service and support they desire.

At KEMP we believe Software Defined Networking is the future of networking and we embrace the opportunity to create solutions that provide benefits for our customers through an open and cohesive set of products that don’t lock customers in and do provide them the flexibility to deploy the services they need when and where they need them.