SONiC Capabilities: Empowering Networks with Open-Source Solutions

Download PDF

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

February 8, 2024
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.
clients logo

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.

At PLVision, we believe in the power of collective intelligence and the dynamic nature of open technologies, aligning seamlessly with our ethos of continuous learning and exploration.

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

SONiC today is a great example of successful industry collaboration in open networking. It stands out as one of the most popular open networking systems initiated by Microsoft.

Over time, PLVision has evolved alongside the open networking ecosystem, and our collaboration with SONiC has been a part of this transformative process. Since the early days of SONiC’s introduction to open source, we have actively participated in its enhancement and adaptation, working closely with our clients, partners, and the SONiC community.

SONiC logo

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.

A Deeper Dive into SONiC Lite’s Specifics

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

By minimizing RAM, CPU, and storage requirements, it facilitates seamless integration with typical access switches. This empowers OEMs and ODMs to build more efficient platforms.

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.
SONiC Lite
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.

Meet SONiC Lite

Explore the SONiC Lite product page, download the first demo version, and follow the setup instructions to try it out.

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.

Get the detailed product brief of SONiC Lite

Fill out the form and your download will start automatically

This field is required
This field is required
This field is required
Please enter a valid email address
Your message has been sent, thank you! We will contact you as soon as possible.
Taras Chornyi

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SONiC Lite?

SONiC Lite is a lightweight version of Community SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) designed specifically for campus and edge deployments. It offers an optimized and scalable solution for a unified network environment, along with greater performance, control, security, sustainability, and agility.

How does SONiC Lite differ from traditional SONiC?

SONiC Lite is a lightweight version of Community SONiC designed specifically for access layer deployments. It achieves this by minimizing RAM, CPU, and storage requirements. While it retains key functionalities from traditional SONiC, it optimizes performance for resource-constrained environments.

What are the benefits of using SONiC Lite?

For enterprises, SONiC Lite provides several business advantages: vendor neutrality, regular software updates, feature velocity, customization options, and cost-efficiency through lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
Thanks to the SONiC Lite, OEMs/ODMs can expand the functionality of their hardware to support customers' specific use cases in campus and edge deployments, while also achieving lower Bill of Materials (BOM) costs per switch.