Extreme Networks Slalom

Extreme Networks, Inc. today announced that it is extending its Open Fabric architecture and vision for Software Defined Networking (SDN) with a commitment to the new Reference Design architecture for SDN switches. Extreme will later this year introduce the first switch, the Slalom™ which will be an optimized SDN switch supporting lightweight software and network services based on the OpenFlow protocol.

The Reference Design architecture is based on merchant silicon and the Big Switch Networks Switch Light, an open source, OpenFlow thin switching platform (also announced today). This platform is based on the Indigo open source project, designed to communicate with the Big Network Controller as part of cost-optimized SDN deployments. Extreme Networks is taking the next step, combining this open platform with global service, support, and deployment capabilities for success in mission-critical networks.

Extreme Networks Slalom will provide an evolutionary progression of Extreme Networks Open Fabric portfolio, complementing the rich ExtremeXOS® based SDN-capable stackable and chassis-based switches. The combination offers customers maximum flexibility, by permitting deployment of Extreme Networks existing switch portfolio for ‘hybrid’ deployments combining SDN and existing architectures, while paving the way for optimized SDN-centric ‘leaf’ switches.

“Extreme Networks Open Fabric is designed to offer customers an open and broad portfolio of next generation data center networking solutions that support emerging SDN solutions in hardware and software,” said Oscar Rodriguez, president and CEO for Extreme Networks. “Providing customers with the widest amount of choice and performance for their networks is what reduces their costs and helps them scale.”

“As a key partner, Extreme Networks continually innovates and delivers industry leading performance and a truly open architecture that fits very well with the SDN movement,” said Guido Appenzeller, CEO and co-founder, Big Switch Networks. “We are working with Extreme Networks to develop market-leading SDN applications and OpenFlow infrastructure to in order to deliver our joint customers integrated solutions in this emerging SDN product category.”

In February, Extreme Networks began shipments of OpenFlow with the release of ExtremeXOS 15.3 and SDN applications from Big Switch Networks. These applications include Big Tap, providing traffic monitoring and dynamic network visibility with flow filtering, and Big Virtual Switch (BVS), an application for virtualized data center networks which provisions the physical network into multiple logical networks across the stack, from Layer 2 to 7. Extreme Networks will be demonstrating its SDN solutions at the upcoming ONS as well as at Interop.