DENOG16 Insights: The Business and Technical Value of Open Networking

At DENOG16, I engaged with network operators about open networking, addressing two key questions:

  1. How easy is it to adopt open networking?
  2. What value does open networking deliver to businesses?

Streamlined Adoption

Open networking adoption doesn’t have to be complex. At IP Infusion, we’ve partnered with industry leaders to simplify the process, enabling over 350 service providers and data centers to transition seamlessly.

Our “Practical Guide to Network Disaggregation” series showcases customer journeys like:

Dive into these stories or access our webinar archive to explore the transformative potential of open networking.

A Technical Perspective on Adoption and Value

IP Infusion’s open networking solutions are built around these core components:

  • Management: Modern APIs like Ansible, NetConf, and gNMI enable automation, telemetry, and full lifecycle management. Where applicable, the data models are built on open standards like OpenConfig.
  • Control Plane: Our OcNOS operating system delivers a robust, standards-based control plane, leveraging over 25 years of protocol expertise. 600+ OEMs, service providers, and data center operators worldwide have adopted OcNOS.
  • Hardware Ecosystem: Industry organizations like the Open Compute Project (OCP) and Telco Infra Project (TIP) have driven open hardware designs and standard firmware loading mechanisms like ONIE. IP Infusion’s solution is compatible with 40+ platforms from industry leaders (e.g., Edgecore, UfiSpace) and ensures performance scalability ranging from 32Gbps to 51.2Tbps.
  • Chipsets: Commercially available options like Broadcom’s StrataDNX and StrataXGS families provide flexibility for diverse use cases (e.g., Jericho 2C vs. Qumran 2C). These ensure strong support for the entire ecosystem.
  • Optics: Standards like OIF’s CMIS and SNIA’s SFF, integrated into OcNOS, ensure interoperability across multiple partners. For 400G ZR/ZR+, IP Infusion has partnered with over six optics leaders, including Ciena, Coherent, HiSense, SmartOptics, NEC, and Fujitsu.
  • Business Models: Transparent licensing models (e.g., perpetual licenses with all-inclusive SKUs) provide predictable costs without compromising technical flexibility.

Production-Grade Solutions

By integrating these components, IP Infusion delivers cohesive, production-ready solutions addressing technical requirements for:

  • Best price-per-bit ratios
  • Architectural flexibility
  • Enhanced functionality

Our participation in initiatives like TIP’s FYUZ demonstrates how collaboration with standards bodies accelerates innovations, such as open optical transport networks, from management APIs to optics.

For engineers and technical leaders, IP Infusion provides a practical, standards-compliant approach to disaggregation that meets real-world demands.

Open Networking: Driving Value Through Flexibility and Innovation

The value of open networking lies in its flexibility and efficiency. By integrating management, hardware, and software, businesses can:

  • Reduce Costs: Flexible business models, such as perpetual licenses with all-inclusive SKUs, align with budget needs.
  • Boost Innovation: Open ecosystems foster innovation by enabling businesses to select the best hardware, software, and chipsets for their requirements.
  • Enhance Agility: Automation tools and standardized APIs simplify operations, reducing time-to-market for new services.

Our holistic solutions address price-performance needs while enabling scalability and architectural flexibility.

A Trusted Partner in Network Transformation

With over 25 years of experience and partnerships across the open networking ecosystem, IP Infusion delivers production-ready solutions tailored to meet business goals.

Let’s shape the future of networking together.

Have questions? Reach out—we’re here to collaborate.


Abhijeet Prabhune is Chief Customer Success Officer for IP Infusion.