2024: A year of Networking Innovations 

Dependence on the network is rapidly increasing, underscoring the need for robust network infrastructure and better connectivity. 

While the abundance of AI applications has shown how quickly many parts of life will change with these developments. Organizations are racing to build and train AI models, placing a strain on the networking infrastructure. Looking to strengthen critical infrastructure for both service providers, hyperscalers, and enterprises, we take a look back at a number of milestones for DriveNets – looking forward to continued growth in 2025. 

Deploying DriveNets Network Cloud at Comcast

In Sept 2024, Comcast announced that as part of the Janus project, they are using DriveNets Network Cloud software–along with other best-of-class hardware and optics solutions-–in its core network, enabling them to innovate faster and reduce overall costs. The announcement revealed Comcast’s innovative journey to become one of the first network operators in the world to converge and automate its core network and maximize its network performance and efficiency. 

First Fabric-Scheduled Ethernet solution Now in Production

After ByteDance partnered with DriveNets and Broadcom to test a Scheduled Ethernet solution, this motivated ByteDance to deploy the world’s first 1K GPGPU production cluster powered by DriveNets  Ethernet Scheduled-Fabric. 

Building converged network infrastructure

Following last year’s announcement that Network Cloud will support ZR/ZR+ optics from multiple vendors on its supported white boxes, DriveNets and Infinera completed a joint solution certification, allowing operators to build converged network infrastructures and lower their network OpEx. Furthermore, DriveNets also completed testing and certification of multiple Ciena 400G coherent pluggable transceivers integrated in the DriveNets Network Cloud platform, allowing operators the flexibility to mix and match elements from multiple vendors as well as reduce the number of networks they need to support. 

Evolving TIP’s DDBR

The Telecom Infra Project (TIP) completed silver badge testing for DDBR-PR&IGW, evaluating a data cluster solution consisting of disaggregated fabric white boxes from Ufispace’s 400G offering, namely the S9705-48D and the S9700-23D. DDBR-P&IGW also evaluated Ufispace 400/100G core and edge router white box S9700-53DX. All of the devices are being orchestrated by Drivenets’ network operating system DNOS. 

Contributing to the Evolution of the OCP DDC standard

A major contribution was accepted by the Open Compute Project (OCP). OCP’s “25/100G NCCM Router Specifications” document, contributed by AT&T Labs, UfiSpace and DriveNets, introduces a converged control and management architecture. In this architecture, a new module – the NCCM – replaces the NCC and NCM modules of the “classic” Distributed Disaggregated Chassis (DDC) architecture, thus significantly simplifying network architecture. 

Expanding DriveNets’ partner ecosystem

DriveNets expanded its partner ecosystem in India with the addition of NMSWorks, Teleindia and Nuvem Labs to the DriveNets partner network, further deepening our local presence and engagement with the Indian industry. Adding these three leading partners to our global ecosystem will create a more holistic, end-to-end solution delivery system for our local service providers. 

Enabling Network Transformation Projects with European Service Providers

Expanding DriveNets’ growing global partner ecosystem, DriveNets and Radisys are delivering end-to-end networking projects that enhance network scale and accelerate new services rollouts for European service providers. The partnership focuses on network scaling projects and new services rollout, as well as end-to-end network orchestration, integration and control. 

Launching the highest-performance Ethernet-based AI networking solution

DriveNets  and Accton Technology launched two new white boxes based on Broadcom’s Jericho-3-AI and Ramon-3 ASICs, becoming the first companies to make the white boxes with the new Broadcom ASICs available for commercial AI networking use. The solution combines the proven high-scale software from DriveNets and white boxes from Accton, and supports AI and ML clusters with up to 32K GPUs connected with 800Gbps interfaces. 

Expanding disaggregated, cloud-native networking solutions in Japan

DriveNets  announced a collaboration with NEC Networks & System Integration Corporation (NESIC) to expand the availability of disaggregated cloud-native networking solutions in Japan. This partnership and the join technical lab to be established will give Japanese operators greater choice and flexibility in rolling out innovative cloud-native networking solutions. 

Leading the Disaggregation Revolution

As the industry embraces disaggregation, DriveNets emerges as a pioneer, fostering an infrastructure meritocracy through diverse partnerships and cutting-edge AI solutions. “It was a great year for us. We gained new customers. What is more interesting is that our existing customers are extending the usage of our technology to new areas in the network, including the edge,” said Hillel Kobrinsky, Chief Strategy Officer and co-founder. 

Bring on 2025!