Leveraging SONiC Functionalities in Disaggregated Network Switches
Leveraging SONiC Functionalities in Disaggregated Network Switches
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DOI：
10.1109/tsp49548.2020.9163508
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发表时间：
2020-07
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Ali AlSabeh;Elie F. Kfoury;J. Crichigno;E. Bou-Harb
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作者：
Ali AlSabeh;Elie F. Kfoury;J. Crichigno;E. Bou-Harb
自网络行业诞生以来，路由和交换设备一直局限于紧密耦合的硬件和软件组件。供应商提供封闭源代码的专有堆栈，限制网络运营商使用定制功能，从而阻碍创新。这种聚合模式成本高、耗时长，而且不可扩展，因为设备的更改需要供应商的干预。因此，该行业开始制造白盒交换机并开发支持多个供应商和专用集成电路(ASIC)的网络操作系统(NOSS)。由于软件和硬件是分离的，这种模式被称为“分散的”；本质上，供应商的交换芯片(例如，Broadcom)与不同的网络操作系统(例如，SONIC)兼容。在本文中，我们讨论了在设计和实施由分散的网络设备组成的试验床时所学到的经验教训。我们迭代了几个与供应商无关的开源互联网协议(IP)路由套件和NOS。此外，我们还重点介绍了一种可编程的新型转发数据平面，并探讨了它们的功能。试验台由EdgeCore提供的两个白盒开关组成，使用英特尔公司BareFoot Networks制造的可编程开关硅(Tofino)。我们在交换机上安装了Sonic NOS，并测试了静态和BGP路由协议。我们报告了配置过程和部署工作分类环境所需的先决条件。最后，我们将讨论如何扩展开源NOSS和可编程交换机以支持园区网络，而不仅仅是面向数据中心。
Ever since the inception of the networking industry, routing and switching devices have been limited to tightly-coupled hardware and software components. Vendors provide closed source proprietary stacks, restraining network operators from utilizing customized features, and hence hindering innovation. This aggregated model is costly, time consuming, and unscalable as changes in the devices require vendor’s intervention. As a result, the industry started manufacturing white-box switches and developing Network Operating Systems (NOSs) that support multiple vendors and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). This model is referred to as ”disaggregated” as the software and hardware are decoupled; essentially, vendors’ switching silicons (e.g., Broadcom) are compatible with different NOS (e.g., SONiC). In this paper, we discuss the lessons learned while designing and implementing a testbed that consists of disaggregated network devices. We iterate over several open source Internet Protocol (IP) routing suites and NOSs that are vendor-agnostic. Additionally, we highlight a novel type of forwarding data planes that are programmable and explore their features. The testbed consists of two white-box switches provided by Edgecore that use programmable switching silicon (Tofino) manufactured by Barefoot Networks, an Intel Company. We installed SONiC NOS on top of the switches and tested static and BGP routing protocols. We report the configuration process and the prerequisites needed to deploy a working disaggregated environment. Finally, we discuss how open source NOSs and programmable switches can be extended to support campus networks, rather than being data center-oriented only.