Big Switch Networks Shows SDN Value

Software-defined networking (SDN) and its close cohort network functions virtualization (NFV) are increasingly large parts of the environment for businesses that want to get the most out of current systems. Recently, Big Switch Networks modified one of its own entries in the SDN field to deliver new value with a slate of new use cases, as well as the means to help businesses augment current networks with the latest in technology.

Big Switch shows us how closely related SDN and NFV are by bringing NFV support to its Big Cloud Fabric platform, which offers what's called a “leaf / spine SDN fabric,” which allows for both VMware virtualization or OpenStack cloud use. This in turn makes it worthwhile for use with NFV, and the ability to “...expand NFV deployments beyond the datacenter to central offices, smaller POPs and remote locations via NEBS support, a new VM controller option and stretched-fabric deployments,” as the company described.

However, it wasn't just Big Cloud Fabric that got an update, reports noted; also getting an update was Big Monitoring Fabric, which is a network packet broker (NPB) running under SDN principles. It also uses Open Networking switches as well as a data plane development kit (DPDK) service noted built around x86 systems. With the updates to Big Monitoring Fabric, users get access to better network services for out-of-band network monitoring.

Just to round it out, reports from Big Switch also noted new support for open networking switches built around both Tomahawk ASICs and the Broadcom Trident-II+, as well as support for Red Hat OpenStack Platform 8 and a newly completed benchmark test with Dell and Red Hat.

It's clear Big Switch has been busy, but this is the price of operating in the rapidly-changing world of SDN and NFV. Those who don't keep up with the latest moves in the field are likely to be left behind by those who are making the necessary advancements to keep up, With network infrastructure changing so routinely—made vital by the ever-increasing demands on the network—having systems that can best accommodate the ever-growing range of use cases is important to long-term survival. Big Switch is making these moves, actively, and demonstrating its ability to be a player in this market for the foreseeable future by providing a growing slate of use cases to ensure it will be able to readily accommodate current needs.

The SDN and NFV markets are increasingly packed with competitors eager for a slice of this market, and Big Switch is no exception. Big Switch is rapidly making itself an exception, though, by offering a lot of versatility and making itself valuable in the field.

Edited by Maurice Nagle