What kind of open computing switch can you buy?

What kind of open computing switch can you buy?

 

Whether you love it or hate it, the Open Computing Project (OCP) has made waves in the hardware world of the data center. When Facebook decided to develop and produce its own high-performance data center switch, it reminded network giants Cisco and Hewlett-Packard to let them know that the present is a changing era.

Two years ago, Facebook announced the development of a top-level rack switch unrelated to the operating system for the data center, which will be shared by the Open Computing Project (OCP. In addition, the TOR switch code is wedge-shaped and runs on a Linux-based operating system. The FBOSS switch has been running for more than a year.

 

Facebook wedge Switch

Shared Architecture

The wedge switch Tor uses the same Modular Micro-server architecture, and Facebook has deployed a standard Open Computing Project (OCP) server in its data center. This means that the wedge switch can be seamlessly integrated into Facebook's existing software deployment, configuration, and management systems.

However, for Facebook, only some products do not mean that their products are used by all users, and there are other open switches in the standard Open Computing Project (OCP) ecosystem.

Vswitch suppliers such as zhibang, Broadcom, Intel, and Mellanox also provide reference designs for standard Open Computing Project (OCP) switches.

In terms of software, Big Switch Networks facilitates the OCP Design for Linux on an open network (officially accepted in March 2015). The integrated cloud network company provides the open network environment installation (ONIE) and ACPI platform description (APD) technology to simplify the software development of these switches.

 

Facebook's 6-pack modular Switch

The basic idea of ONIE and ADP is to establish an exposed metal network switch environment. ADP allows you to create BIOS accessible information that can be dynamically generated by the operating system for all necessary control interfaces. The ONIE definition combines the Linux kernel and Busybox boot loader, and provides an available and compatible operating system installation environment. Based on Linux, vswitches are allowed to be managed, configured, and deployed in the same way as Linux server hardware is managed.

Broadcom also submitted a specification, which is currently in the final stage of approval, called an Open Computing Project (OCP) switch based on the existing StrataXGSTrident switch technology. The following are the main features of the design specifications for Leaf switches and Spine Switches of open racks and enterprise-level 1U standard racks:

• Leaf Switch configuration: 48x10GbE + 6x40GbE port or 48x10GbE + 12x40GbE port;

• Spine Switch configuration: 32X 40GbE ports or 96x10GbE + 8x40GbE ports;

• Supports ONIE and multiple existing network operating system options;

• X86 Control Platform CPU, using server-level Linux operating systems and tools;

• Alternative MIPS/PPC Processors;

• L4-L7 Network Based on BroadcomXLP432 to accelerate the coprocessor for optional data planes.

This is true

One year later, what white papers and reference designs were available in 2015 that have become a real product in the market? The TOR switch launched by Facebook focuses on building Leaf switches and Spine switches that can replace data centers. The wedge TOR switch also uses the same basic technology. Facebook claims that the open modular switch platform is "6-pack ". For details about the switch device, refer to the White Paper released in March.

Which white papers and reference designs have become practical products?

Now, additional software specifications are available. Big Switch Networks, Dell, Mellanox, and Microsoft submit the Switch abstract interface (SAI) OCP. SAI is the complementary ONIE, and SAI abstracts the FPGA switch chip.

In March 2015, zhibang technology and Edge-Core networks jointly launched a new-generation 100GbE switch using OCP and a cost-optimized 40GbE design specification product.

 

Edge-Core AS670032X Switch

But what products can users buy?

If the IT department cannot purchase the product on its own, this design and specifications are of little significance. Only two recognized hardware products comply with the OCP network specifications and design specifications. Other manufacturers are also developing and producing newer versions of hardware with built-in design specifications.

Some devices do not comply with this standard process, but simply build a model. These devices are all being certified at the University of Texas's San Antonio OCP certification solution lab. Although there is a lot of controversy about these devices and programs, the devices sold by these vendors have been certified as OCP-compatible devices.

 

Mintai technology SNX Switch

For example, Edge-Core networks have tested four network products that comply with lab certification. In March 2015, Edge-Core networks became the first vendor to directly publish the wedge 16X switch designed by Facebook's TOR. With the modular wedge design becoming the core concept of Facebook's 6-pack switch, Leaf switch and Spine switch, there is a reasonable assumption that if there is sufficient demand for the product, edge-Core networks will continue to develop in this path.

 

OCX1100 of zhanbo Network

Even unexpected vendors have joined the OCP network group. At the beginning of this year, Juniper Networks began to launch the ocx11000 switch based on the OCP designed to run the JUNOS operating system.

The network giant Hewlett-Packard has accepted the OCP network reality and is working with its long-term partner, zhibang technology, to launch the HP-brand OCP-compatible switch product to the market. Both zhibang technology and Alpha network are selling OCP-compatible switches. Edge-Core networks have released a series of bare metal switches, all pre-installed with ONIE, allowing customers to load their own compatible switching operating systems. Some original design manufacturers (such as Guangda) are also producing OCP-compatible switches for customers who do not want to be named.

The OCP standard has great flexibility and can accommodate multiple data center solutions, but it is not suitable for all environments. Few companies have the same type of data center needs like Facebook or Google. Most data centers do not need a large number of servers to execute the same task, but they are still suitable for OCP-compatible switchover deployment.

Cloud support, hybrid SDN networking, and all CDN seem to be well suited to OCP hardware. However, in an unsuitable environment, significant fault tolerance functions are required. Another reason is that the fault tolerance authentication hardware is very expensive and is very specific about the software and operating system support terms used. User-level product establishment and availability guarantee these requirements do not meet the basic premise of OCP, because the hardware architecture here is a commodity.