The Linux Foundation and the Open Compute Project (OCP) announced a joint collaboration to further the development of software- and hardware-based open source networking.
The organizations will work together to create stronger integration and testing, new open networking features, more scalability, a reduction in CAPEX/OPEX, greater harmonization with switch network operating systems, and increased interoperability for network functions virtualization (NFV) network transformation.
Virtualization of network functions and the resulting disaggregation of hardware and software have created interest in open source at both layers. OCP provides an open source option for the hardware layer, and The Linux Foundation's OPNFV project integrates OCP along with other open source software projects into relevant NFV reference architectures.
Given this alignment, OCP and OPNFV already have been collaborating on activities such as plugfests and joint demos. Now they have committed to expanded collaborative efforts.
Bill Carter, CTO, OCP
The work being done by OPNFV is a key piece of that re-integration: bringing together the best open source software projects together with the best choices of open source hardware, to enable NFV. By integrating and testing a set of reference architectures on top of efficient, scalable cloud hardware, OPNFV is removing all the roadblocks to NFV adoption and transformation of the telecom infrastructure.
Arpit Joshipura, GM Networking, The Linux Foundation
We see OCP as an integral partner as we explore new opportunities for NFV deployments, performance, features, and footprint. Global network operators agree and ranked OCP very high on a list of the most important projects for OPNFV in a recent survey.
