Facebook Releases FBOSS Open Switching System

Facebook released its open switching system (code-named “FBOSS”) on GitHub. The initial release consists primarily of the FBOSS agent, a daemon that runs on each switch and manages the hardware forwarding ASIC. It receives information via configuration files and thrift APIs and then programs the correct forwarding and routing entries into the chip. It also processes packets from the ASIC that are destined to the switch itself, such as control plane...

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Facebook Shows its Yosemite Open Source Modular

At the Open Compute Summit in San Jose, Facebook introduced its "Yosemite" open source, modular chassis for high-powered microservers. Key design elements to the system: A server-class SoC with multiple memory channels, which provides high-performance computing in 65W TDP for SoC and 90W for the whole server card. A standard SoC card interface to provide a CPU-agnostic system interface. A platform-agnostic system management solution to manage...

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HP Teams with Foxconn for Cloudline Servers

HP and Foxconn introduced a portfolio of basic, cost-focused and customizable compute platforms optimized for the Open Compute Project specifications as well as HP Helion OpenStack.  The companies formed a non-equity joint venture a year ago and this is their first product. HP Cloudline servers, which are built on open-design principles, support open management tools and leverage common industry interfaces in hardware and firmware. The design...

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Pacnet Deploys Infinera's Open Transport Switch to Virtualize Optical Network

Pacnet, which operates submarine cable systems connecting 15 cities in the Asia-Pacific region, has deployed Infinera’s new Open Transport Switch (OTS) software to extend virtualization into the optical layer of its network. Pacnet’s existing Intelligent Transport Network is based on the Infinera DTN-X packet optical transport networking platform. Infinera’s OTS is now deployed within the Pacnet Enabled Network (PEN), which is an SDN-based service...

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OpenOptics MSA Contributes WDM Spec to Open Compute

The OpenOptics Multi-Source Agreement group is contributing the developed wavelength specifications to the Open Compute Project (OCP). The new specification enables data to be streamed at terabits per second over a single fiber. The founders and supporters for the OpenOptics MSA for Highly Scalable Interconnect Solutions include Mellanox Technologies, RANOVUS, Ciena, Oracle, Vertilas, and Ghiasi Quantum. The MSA combines 1550 nm WDM laser and silicon...

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Broadcom Releases Open Switch APIs

Broadcom released an Open Network Switch Library (OpenNSL) of APIs that enable the development of new applications on top of Broadcom StrataXGS switches. The OpenNSL software platform map Broadcom's Software Development Kit (SDK) to an open north bound interface, enabling the integration of new applications and the ability to optimize switch hardware platforms. Examples include network monitoring, load balancing, service chaining, workload optimization...

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Cumulus Extends ACPI Standard to Bare Metal Switches

Cumulus Networks has extended ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) to now support network OS integration with bare metal switches. The company describes ACPI as a new standard for OS integration with servers, laptops and desktop computers. The new expansion to this specification, called ACPI Platform Description, or APD, allows hardware providers to rapidly and more easily integrate network OSes, accelerating the proliferation of bare...

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SingleHop Acquires Server Intellect to Expand Private Cloud with MS Support

SingleHop, which provides hosted private clouds and managed hosting services, has acquired Server Intellect, a Microsoft gold certified provider of cloud server and managed hosting services. SingleHop’s enterprise-focused private cloud offering has long supported VMware.  Through the acquisition, SingleHop can now support Microsoft’s Hyper V support and Azure offerings. Server Intellect was founded in 2003 and is based in Orlando, Florida. “Server...

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