How will various vendors use OpenFlow?

OpenFlowWith the launch of ONF and the announcement of support from almost all mainstream network providers, the regulation broke out in the network field. This article mainly analyzes how suppliers such as HP Networking and Cisco use OpenFlow.

At the Interop 2011 exhibition, many vendors were promoting their own OpenFlow switches and controllers. The popularity of these switches is self-evident. Are all vendors actively responding? This article analyzes how suppliers such as HP Networking and Cisco use OpenFlow.

HP Networking: HP has invested a lot of resources in OpenFlow. I have seen a demonstration of a QoS function submitted by HP to the Committee, and the company has developed a comprehensive software plan for the controller platform.

NEC: You may not have heard that NEC is also a network vendor, but the company has a complete product series and has started selling in the NEC U.S. market. NEC has made several significant contributions to OpenFlow and has a complete series of switches that support OpenFlow. On Interop, NEC demonstrated its OpenFlow controller.

Cisco: although the network giant is one of the members of the Open Networking Foundation, I still cannot find its plan for OpenFlow. Cisco may think that OpenFlow damages IOS software as a profit-making product. The most prominent advantage of OpenFlow is to reduce the cost of hardware switches, rather than improving the sales of network providers.

Avaya: although the company has made great efforts in the Shortest Path Bridging strategy, I know that the company does not have any plans for OpenFlow.

Arista: neighboray does not have any release plans for OpenFlow, and it also points out that it is impossible to manage all streams on a device. Although Cisco thinks so, I think this is a misunderstanding of the way OpenFlow works. It is possible to use OpenFlow to process each stream, but this is not necessary. This is just a configuration option.

Big Switch Networks: this newly established company focuses on OpenFlow solutions, especially network virtualization. Although the Big Switch website does not have any details, I think they are developing controllers and switches.

If OpenFlow can have enough customers, it will fundamentally change the network industry, because the control protocols we currently use (such as OSPF, Spanning Tree, or DCB) will be replaced by the software controller. Although this will promote the commercialization of hardware, software controllers will become a new part of the network industry. The software's functions, features, and reliability will be the key to determining whether OpenFlow is successful or not.