Edgecore Networks has announced a bold strategic pivot to become a pure-play open-source SONiC provider, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to open networking and accelerating broader market adoption of SONiC-based infrastructure. The company will now focus exclusively on SONiC under an open-source Apache 2.0 license model, delivering value through services such as support, consulting, and training.
Edgecore, a top contributor to the Open Compute Project since 2014, has played a foundational role in shaping the SONiC ecosystem. The company launched its enterprise-grade SONiC distribution in 2018 and has since contributed code upstream, helping establish SONiC as a reliable NOS for modern data center environments. With the broader open infrastructure movement gaining momentum across compute, storage, and networking, Edgecore sees SONiC as a central pillar for future open architectures.
In parallel, Edgecore will partner with Broadcom to deliver an enhanced Enterprise SONiC distribution optimized for a wide array of use cases. This collaboration leverages Broadcom’s latest switching chipsets and SONiC contributions to deliver robust, high-performance networking for AI, cloud, and enterprise workloads. Existing ecSONiC customers will continue to receive full support, and Edgecore will maintain its commitment to multi-NOS compatibility through OCP-compliant platforms.
- Edgecore shifts to become a dedicated SONiC pure-play provider.
- Revenue model pivots to services: support, consulting, training.
- Collaborating with Broadcom on Enterprise SONiC distribution.
- Continued support for ecSONiC customers and OCP community.
- Strategy aligns with growing adoption of open infrastructure across compute, storage, and networking.
“By integrating our cutting-edge switching chipsets with our contributions to SONiC, we enable end-users to streamline deployments and unlock maximum value for high-performance and AI-driven infrastructure,” said Hasan Siraj, head of products and ecosystem, Core Switching Group, Broadcom.
Understanding SONiC Networking
SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) is an open-source network operating system (NOS) that disaggregates traditional monolithic networking stacks to enable greater flexibility, scalability, and vendor interoperability. Originally developed by Microsoft for use in Azure data centers, SONiC was contributed to the open-source community in 2016 under the Open Compute Project (OCP). Its mission is to provide a robust and flexible NOS that can run on a wide variety of hardware platforms, making it easier for cloud providers, telecom operators, and enterprises to build and manage large-scale, cloud-native networks. SONiC decouples the control plane from the hardware, allowing operators to mix-and-match switches and software while maintaining operational consistency through a standardized software stack.
The core architecture of SONiC is built around a modular design that uses Docker containers to isolate networking functions like BGP, LLDP, SNMP, and more. These containers communicate via a Redis-based message bus and the Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI), which provides a standardized API between the NOS and the switch ASICs, enabling hardware-agnostic support. SONiC supports full Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking capabilities, including EVPN, VXLAN, MPLS, and segment routing, making it suitable for cloud-scale and telco deployments. Its enabling technologies include SAI, containerized microservices, and integrations with automation tools like Ansible and Kubernetes. With major contributions from Microsoft, Broadcom, Edgecore, Dell, and others, SONiC has grown into a mature, production-ready NOS, widely adopted by hyperscalers and now expanding into enterprise and edge environments.
Key Highlights of SONiC Networking:
- Mission: Provide a fully open-source, hardware-agnostic network OS for cloud-scale environments.
- Origins: Developed by Microsoft and contributed to the OCP in 2016.
- Core Architecture: Containerized microservices, Redis message bus, and SAI abstraction layer.
- Hardware Support: Compatible with a wide range of merchant silicon including Broadcom, Intel, and NVIDIA.
- Network Features: BGP, EVPN, VXLAN, SRv6, QoS, ACLs, telemetry, and more.
- Use Cases: Hyperscale data centers, enterprise core/edge, telco infrastructure, and AI fabric networking.
- Community and Ecosystem: Backed by a strong community under the Linux Foundation SONiC project.
- Benefits: Vendor neutrality, faster innovation, deep observability, automation readiness, and cost savings.
