Edgecore Networks announced the introduction of
Minipack, the industry's first open modular switch for 100G and 400G
networking, which conforms to the Minipack Fabric Switch design
contributed today by Facebook to the Open Compute Project (OCP).
Minipack is a disaggregated whitebox system providing a flexible mix of
100GbE and 400GbE ports up to a system capacity of 12.8Tbps, ideal for
the deploying the next generation of high capacity data center fabrics,
Internet exchanges, and high bandwidth service provider infrastructures
with the flexibility and cost benefits of open networking.
"Facebook
designed Minipack as a fabric switch with innovative performance, power
optimization and modularity to enable our deployment of the next
generation data center fabrics," said Hans-Juergen Schmidtke, Director
of Engineering, Facebook. "We have contributed the Minipack design to
OCP in order to stimulate additional design innovation and to facilitate
availability of the platform to network operators. We welcome
Edgecore's introduction of Minipack as a commercial whitebox product."
The
Edgecore Minipack AS8000 Switch is an open network platform that
enables network operators to select disaggregated NOS and SDN software
options from commercial partners and open source communities to address
different use cases and operational requirements. Edgecore has ported
and validated Software for Open Networking in the Cloud (SONiC), the OCP
open source software platform, on the Minipack AS8000 Switch as an open
source option for high capacity data center fabrics. In addition,
Cumulus Networks® has announced the availability of its Cumulus Linux
operating system for the Edgecore Minipack switch, as the industry's
first fully supported commercial disaggregated software option on a
modular 100G/400G switch for enterprises and data centers.
Modular System for 400G and High Density 100G Switching
"Network
operators are demanding open network solutions to increase their
network capacities with 400G and higher density 100G switches based on
open technology. The Edgecore Minipack switch broadens our full set of
OCP Accepted open
network switches, and enables data center operators to deploy higher
capacity fabrics with flexible combinations of 100G and 400G interfaces
and pay-as-you-grow expansion," said George Tchaparian, CEO, Edgecore
Networks. "The open and modular design of Minipack will enable Edgecore
and partners to address more data center and service provider use cases
in the future by developing innovative enhancements such as additional
interface modules supporting encryption, multiple 400G port types,
coherent optical ports and integrated optics, plus additional Minipack
Switch family members utilizing deep-buffer or highly programmable or
next generation switching silicon in the same flexible modular form
factor."
The
Minipack switch is a modular system capable of supporting a mix of 100G
and 400G Ethernet interfaces up to a maximum of 128x100G or 32x400G
ports. Minipack is based on an internal main switch board with Broadcom
StrataXGS Tomahawk 3 Switch Series silicon capable of line rate
12.8Tbps Layer2 and Layer3 switching. The Minipack front panel has eight
slots for port interface modules (PIM). The first PIM options available
for the Edgecore Minipack switch are the PIM-16Q with 16x100G QSFP28
ports, and the PIM-4DD with 4x400G QSFP-DD ports. The Minipack modular
switch is a 4U form factor, power optimized for data center deployments,
and includes hot-swappable redundant power supplies and fans for high
availability.
Availability
The
Minipack AS8000 Switch with PIM-16Q 100G QSFP28 interface modules will
be available from Edgecore resellers and integrators worldwide in Q2.
PIM-4DD 400G QSFP-DD interface modules will be available in Q3. SONiC
open source software, including platform drivers for the Edgecore
Minipack AS8000 Switch, are available from the SONiC GitHub.