Large organizations are looking for ways to implement Web-scale networking/ IT principles with open initiatives that have components that are easier to source. By eliminating propriety technologies and the limitations they impose, initiatives like Open19 provide modular and efficient installations for data centers so they can scale and grow with customizable, flexible and economical solutions that can address the use cases of data centers of any size. Cumulus Networks announced it is going to be supporting Open19 for these very same reasons, and because it believes it can help in accelerating Web-scale networking adoption.
The CTO and Co-founder of Cumulus Networks, JR Rivers, addressed this very issue and said, “There’s no question that more and more companies are seeking to replicate the web-scale IT principles. Like us, they believe disaggregation is the future and open initiatives like Open19 are vital in making it easier for companies of all sizes to make the transition. We’re excited to bring our years of experience building Cumulus Linux, the most mature networking operating system, to the table to accelerate Web-scale adoption.”
Open19 brings together players from the entire ecosystem to create an open standard that can fit any 19” Rack environment for server, storage and networking. The goal is to create a solution that can be applied in large, medium and small scale data centers by optimizing base rack cost, time for rack integration and to build an eco-system.
Open19 has created community-driven standards and designs that are more customizable, flexible and economical to address the needs of data center operators. The Open19 standard works in any EIA 19-inch rack to allow many more suppliers to produce servers that will interoperate and will be interchangeable in any rack environment.
Cumulus Networks is bringing its expertise in enterprise cloud in Web-scale networking to support Open 19 with its Cumulus Linux to build affordable high-capacity networks. Cumulus Linux is the first and only open network operating system to support the Open19 switch, which will help customers receive the benefits of Web-scale networking while standardizing on EIA 19-inch rack to increase interoperability.
The Open19 platform has three elements. The Brick Cage, Power Shelf and Network Switch, using a 3.2T switch for every two cages enabling initially 50G per server with an additional 50G provisioned at 25G signaling. The Open19 switch also has 800G of standard QSFP connectors for uplinks and non-Open19 gear.
Open19 wants to optimize base rack cost, reduce commons by 50 percent, enable fast rack integration, 2-3x faster integration time, and build an ecosystem that will consolidate requirements and volumes. With these parameters in place, they want to increase the adoption level with a solution that can be applied across the board by data centers of any size.
Edited by Alicia Young