Comments on: Software-defined networking is hot and Big Switch has data to prove it

By: Keith Townsend

Keith Townsend — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 23:45:01 +0000

Reblogged this on Virtualized Geek and commented: I'm starting to understand and agree with the value applications making API calls into a Software Defined Network. Before watching the video on SDN from Structure, I would have never believed data center providers would let software/applications define the peering relationship with other data center providers. This is a completely different way to look at applications and networks. Before we get to that application level integration we need to workout SDN at the hardware layer. Solutions like those developed by Big Switch Networks eventually being the OpenStack of SDN. It’s too early to tell if it would be Big Switch’s solution itself. Also, I wouldn't assume that VMware will close Nicira's solutions to other platforms. I think 2013 will be the year of the non-VMware hypervisor. The Hypervisor will be a commodity and VMware needs to move beyond being the best hypervisors. Shortly good enough will be good enough. VMware will need to move up a layer in the stack and focus on where the true value is added in this space which is data center and cloud management. They have the advantage of being able to manage the whole stack. Network is one piece of what the Nicira purchase brings. They’ve purchased a cross platform cloud management company and now the makers of OpenSwitch and changed management. I’m personally anxious to hear their vision for SDN.

By: Kyle Forster

Kyle Forster — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 17:48:03 +0000

Hi Stacey,

While we agree with you that Big Switch Networks’ focus in SDN is in the right place with the applications, we also think it is worth mentioning the most important constituency (to us) for this release — the rapidly increasing number of SDN users.

In a design session two weeks ago, one of the data center architects with whom we were working said “you know – the reason I flew out here is because of the ecosystem that is emerging around you guys with Floodlight. I don’t want to buy from just one company. I want you to be my door to multiple points of view.”

We hear that often. When our biggest customers are telling us that the breadth of applications and the SDN ecosystem around us is what they value, that is where we put our time and energy.

Since we started the company, we’ve been actively engaged (albeit quietly) in building an ecosystem of OpenFlow physical switch, hypervisor switch, and SDN application partners to go the distance. We are quite proud of the data we just released, and wanted to share it with our users and ecosystem partners. This is working for everyone.

Thanks,
Kyle Forster
Co-Founder, Big Switch
(the guy on the right in the pic above)

By: GigaLoam

GigaLoam — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:35:45 +0000

This article carries an odd tone.

It seems overly critical of BigSwitch and comically apologetic for VMWare in this section:

“But, since VMware has yet to close on the Nicira acquisition or detail its plans and products for the software defined data center, the release is mostly about FUD and enticing a likely buyer.”

No one needs to wait to know what VMWares plans will be.

Nicira will become a “vSphere Network Director” or something equally vGeneric which requires $3000+/socket VMWare Enterprise Plus license to use.

Anyone who has spoken to VMWare from the perspective of a customer in the past 2-4 years knows that they company is all about vendor lock-in. The VMWare attitude identical to Microsoft’s in the late 90s just a layer down.

The BigSwitch statements here are self-serving yes, but hardly FUD.