SDN, NFV and Cloud
Centralizing and optimizing. Software Defined Networking (SDN), virtualization and the cloud have changed the way that companies innovate. Sysmetlab offers a wide range of SDN and cloud-based Network Function Virtualization (NFV) solutions that have helped our customers centralize and optimize assets, resources and architecture, leading to the faster development of differentiated, profitable solutions.
Software Defined Networking
SDN decouples the control and data planes to enable limitless possibilities in programming the switch per network needs. By optimizing and centralizing innovative applications, SDN offers unprecedented OpEx and CapEx savings. Sysmetlab provides comprehensive software frameworks and product engineering services spanning all three layers of SDN—the infrastructure, the controller and the application layer. Our SDN software offerings help communication quipment providers (CEPs), independent software vendors (ISV) and semiconductor vendors optimize R&D costs and accelerate time to market for innovative SDN solutions.
Sysmetlab’s frameworks for SDN include:
- OpenFlow Client
- Hybrid Routing and Switching Framework
- Fast Path Framework
- OpenFlow Test Automation Framework (OF TAF)
- SDN Controller Applications
OpenFlow Client
Sysmetlab’s OpenFlow Client (OFC) is a portable implementation of the OpenFlow client functionality and is compliant with version 1.3.1 of the OpenFlow Switch Specification. OFC is an agnostic platform and is pre-integrated on leading silicon platforms. OFC is pre-integrated with Sysmetlab’s industry leading ISS solution that can be leveraged to build hybrid OpenFlow switches and routers.
Hybrid Routing and Switching Framework
Our hybrid routing and switching framework supports both OpenFlow-based and traditional L2/L3-based routing and switching. This framework is compatible with hybrid and pure OpenFlow switches, and is pre-integrated on leading silicon platforms. It provides:
- Generic APIs for easy integration with existing software architecture
- Comprehensive set of MIB objects for management through SNMP
- Support for all OpenFlow messages and Configuration through the OF-Config Interface
OpenFlow Test Automation Framework (OF TAF)
Sysmetlab’s OpenFlow Test Automation Framework (OF TAF) offers automated test cases for the OpenFlow conformance test specification published by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF). CEPs can leverage the Sysmetlab OF TAF to validate their equipment for compliance to the OF Specification. Such pre-certification testing improves the success rate in the formal OF certification program, while saving R&D costs.
SDN Controller Applications
Sysmetlab offers several protocols from its portfolio of widely deployed software frameworks such as SDN controller applications. Our SDN controller applications offer SDN-based solutions for challenges faced in datacenter, transport and carrier networks today. The applications are pre-integrated on a popular controller platform and can easily be ported across different controller platforms with varying southbound interfaces, including proprietary interfaces and standard interfaces such as OpenFlow. Our SDN applications enable controller vendors to offer innovative applications on their controller platforms with accelerated time to market and reduced R&D costs. Sysmetlab frameworks for routing and OAM are repurposed as controller applications. Learn more >>
Network Function Virtualization
As defined by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Network Function Virtualization (NFV) aims to transform service provider networks by implementing virtualized network functions that run over industry-standard server hardware—consolidating many network equipment types onto industry-standard high volume equipment.
NFV opens an array of opportunities for equipment manufacturers and service providers. It helps service providers accelerate the rollout of new services in their networks and at the same time, reduce CAPEX/OPEX. Sysmetlab is a leading provider of software frameworks for NFV because our frameworks are proven to help communication equipment providers optimize R&D costs and accelerate time to market for innovative NFV solutions, so they can address the needs of service provider networks.
Sysmetlab’s frameworks for NFV include:
- Cloud-based virtual customer-premises equipment (vCPE) framework
- Fast Path Accelerator for virtual router (vRouter)
Cloud-based vCPE Framework
Sysmetlab’s cloud-based vCPE is a software framework that virtualizes several CPE network functions such as firewall, access control, policy management and discovering/connecting devices at home using DLNA or UPnP. This framework can be leveraged by CEPs to build ETSI NFV standards-based vCPE solutions. It is built using Sysmetlab’s widely deployed and industry-leading Intelligent Switching Solution (ISS). Sysmetlab’s ISS is a L2/L3 switching and routing solution that has been deployed in more than 100 commercial networking products.
Cloud-based vCPE
The vCPE framework is a NFV application that runs on the cloud to provide the following functions:
- Management of flow and device configuration database in the CPE
- Periodic monitoring of the CPE for service availability
- Maintaining run time status and configuration information in a persistent database for service recovery, in case of failure
Sysmetlab provides software frameworks to build an ETSI NFV standard-based solution, enabling our customers to quickly bring innovative products to market despite aggressive timelines and reduced costs.
Fast Path Accelerator for vRouter
Sysmetlab’s Fast Path Accelerator (FPA) leverages the power of multi-core architecture in a virtualized switch or virtualized network application, to implement a high-performance switching and forwarding logic. Fast Path Accelerator (FPA) for vRouters is an implementation of OpenFlow pipeline processing requirements given in Open Networking Foundation (ONF) OpenFlow specification version 1.3.1. FPA is implemented on Intel’s Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) for multi-core platforms. FPA’s architecture is modular with flexible building blocks that can easily be extended to other multi-core switch platforms.