SONiC Lite Unveiled: Our Journey to Transforming Campus and Edge Networks

In this article, Taras Chornyi, Director of Open Networking Solutions and Strategy at PLVision, reveals the story behind the creation of SONiC Lite — an optimized SONiC for campus and edge deployments.

Contents

1. 1. From Service to Strategy: PLVision’s Evolution into a Network Transformation Partner
2. 2. Paving the Way Towards SONiC for Campus and Edge
3. 3. Navigating SONiC Challenges for Access and Management Switches
4. 4. A Deeper Dive into SONiC Lite’s Specifics

From Service to Strategy: PLVision's Evolution into a Network Transformation Partner

Since 2007, PLVision has been expertly navigating the ever-changing landscape of networking software development, evolving from a service-oriented company to a strategic partner in network infrastructure transformation.

Initially, our primary focus was on aiding networking equipment vendors in building sophisticated software products. At that time, the industry predominantly favored proprietary solutions, with concepts like network disaggregation and open source yet to gain prominence.

Over the years, we have built a strong team of experts with diverse expertise in computer networking, consistently going the extra mile to empower our clients’ business success. Together, we have crafted innovative solutions, utilizing the power of industry-leading chips from Intel, Cisco, Barefoot, NVIDIA, Broadcom, and Marvell.

PLVision’s diverse switch ASIC SDKs expertise

We have always had a clear vision of the value offered by cutting-edge technologies, consistently striving not to catch up but to stay ahead. Recognizing the shift towards open networking technologies, we proactively embraced them and incorporated them into how we built innovative software for our clients. This move empowered those companies to provide value-added services and products, significantly enhancing their competitive edge. Moreover, we didn’t just leverage open technologies, but actively collaborated with our clients in their development, making the transition to disaggregated models smoother for others in the industry.

To give businesses the freedom to make informed decisions that align with their needs and empower them with the strength of truly open software, it is crucial not to lock them into closed ecosystems. Such constraints inflate capital and expenditures (CapEx and OpEx), hinder flexibility, and drag down the pace of innovation. That’s why we embrace vendor-neutrality in our work, preventing any dependencies on our part.

Paving the Way Towards SONiC for Campus and Edge

In 2022, SONiC was officially moved over to the Linux Foundation. Recognizing the strategic importance of this NOS, we joined the Linux Foundation and SONiC Foundation to collaborate with other companies in collectively shaping the future of SONiC and accelerating the emergence of network innovations.

Shortly after, I was honored by the SONiC Foundation and its General Members, who elected me as a Governing Board Representative. In this role, I advocate for the interests of all General Member companies. I am committed to meeting the needs of participating companies and am confident that my skills and expertise will contribute significantly to advancing SONiC.

As the industry has evolved, it has become evident that SONiC, which has been undergoing remarkable development, is achieving significant success within the data center niche, whose unique requirements it is tailored to meet. In light of the potential to extend SONiC’s success beyond the data center, the importance of diversifying its ecosystem became increasingly clear over time.

Understanding that SONiC’s next phase of development would involve venturing into new markets such as campus and edge, we recognized the need to accelerate this process. Leveraging our extensive networking experience and deep understanding of SONiC, PLVision took on the mission of driving SONiC’s expansion into the domain of access and management switches. This strategic move marked the start of our own product development – SONiC Lite, an optimized SONiC tailored for campus and edge deployments.

Navigating SONiC Challenges for Access and Management Switches

Recognizing the critical industry challenge faced by equipment vendors and enterprises, we understood the need for a solution that aligns with the efficiency requirements of access and management switches. Traditional SONiC, which is optimized for data centers with higher power and cost considerations, proved unsuitable for these scenarios. Moreover, the unique functional demands of campus and edge networks presented additional complexities.

The challenge lay in the fact that the traditional SONiC, which is designed for data centers, is resource-intensive in terms of access and management switches, necessitating platforms with powerful CPUs, substantial storage requirements, and extensive RAM usage. This poses a hurdle for organizations seeking more lightweight solutions in these environments.

Unlike hyperscalers, typical enterprises may lack the extensive R&D resources needed to independently implement SONiC. Our expertise lies in assisting them navigate this journey smoothly.

In campus and edge deployments, where efficiency is key in both functionality and hardware demands, SONiC Lite represents a game-changing solution. It optimizes SONiC for cost-effective platforms, providing network transformation, reducing operational expenses, and driving significant advancements.

A Deeper Dive into SONiC Lite’s Specifics

Engineered with scalability and flexibility in mind, SONiC Lite offers a streamlined deployment and management experience.

SONiC Lite is designed to be as lightweight as possible. Tailored for the access layer, the lowest tier in the hierarchical networking model, linking end users to the network, SONiC Lite aligns seamlessly with the specific requirements of these environments. It allows organizations to harmonize their network infrastructure under one control plane.

Our meticulous fine-tuning of SONiC components, which still preserves vital vendor-specific elements like SAI and platform components, ensures compatibility and reliability in diverse networking environments.

In addition to numerous cleanups and optimizations, SONiC Lite introduces extended functionality to cater to diverse networking needs. It also includes dedicated product support and regular annual updates, ensuring network infrastructure remains at the forefront of innovation. This commitment involves staying up to date with the latest Community SONiC version to ensure compatibility and leverage the latest joint development efforts within the SONiC community.

We are actively expanding our hardware compatibility list and enhancing functionality to better align with the evolving needs of our clients and the dynamic market demands. Stay tuned as we strive to deliver solutions that exceed expectations!  

To get a comprehensive understanding of our upcoming plans for SONiC Lite and delve deeper into its key features, we invite you to download our product brief, or contact me directly.

P. S. Interested to learn more? In this session at the 2023 OCP Regional Summit, my colleague and I shared practical insights on making SONiC work its magic in “small” boxes. I invite you to check it out for a deeper dive into our discussions and real-world applications.