Edgecore Networks and Orange delivered the first disaggregated switch composed of Edgecore hardware and Orange network operating system based on SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) open source community.
Orange selected Edgecore switches to deliver connectivity for its hundreds of access Points of Presence (PoP). These locations provide 1G, 10G, and 100G access services to enterprise customers.
The disaggregated Edgecore hardware platform comes pre-loaded with the ONIE (Open Network Install Environment) software installer for the automated loading of compatible open source or commercial network operating system offerings.
Orange is installing its own SONiC distribution to run on the switches. Orange relies on its developers’ expertise working in conjunction with Edgecore and the SONiC community, to which Orange actively contributes, to develop their own networking software solutions.
Heimdall Siao, President of Edgecore said, “As the leader in disaggregated open networking solutions, Edgecore is excited to be involved in this disaggregated and community SONiC networking project with Orange in a telecom use case. Edgecore’s switches running SONiC software provide the high-capacity throughput required for access networks. And, by utilizing Edgecore’s carrier grade and proven robust designs, Orange is able to deploy solutions in the most demanding of carrier networks. This successful experience in Orange’s network proves that disaggregated open networking solutions are robust and capable of handling the most demanding of network environments.”
Jean Luc Vuillemin, Executive Vice President of Orange International Networks, said, “We are pleased to team up with Edgecore to launch our network disaggregation transformation. This joint work enables us to drastically transform the way we build and upgrade our networks. It allows us to move away from off the shelf and locked-in solutions to in-house developed solutions relying on our network developers’ expertise. Upskilling our teams to master our software allows us to regain full control of our networks and therefore manage upgrades in a fast, cost-effective and sovereign way, while providing an improved and reliable service to our customers.”
