Network Innovation

As networks have become more software-centric, the Network Operating System (or NOS), has become a key enabler of network and service innovation.

There are several approaches to NOS ranging from monolithic to fully disaggregated.

• Monolithic NOS: In this approach, the NOS vendor is the same as the hardware provider. A Cisco router will use only Cisco IOS NOS, a Juniper router only JunOS, and a Nokia router only Nokia SR OS. This limits innovation as it ties hardware and software innovation to the same path.
• Pseudo disaggregated: This is a NOS that comes from the hardware vendor but can, theoretically, run on another type of hardware. Cisco’s IOS XR, for instance, runs on Cisco routers that incorporate the Cisco Silicon One ASIC, but supposedly can run on third-party hardware too. This is also the case with Nokia’s SR Linux.
• Disaggregated NOS: Developed by software companies, this type of NOS runs on COTS white boxes. DriveNets Network Operating System (DNOS) is one such NOS. DNOS allows the best flexibility in choosing the right hardware at the right cost, harmonizing the hardware across network domains and, most importantly, accelerating innovation and creating new services and revenues streams.
• Open-source NOS: This is similar to disaggregated NOS, but as a free-to-use, open-source option. A notable example is SONiC. While their benefits are obvious, open-source NOSs lack necessary functionality for a many use cases and require intensive tailoring and in-house software capabilities; hence, they are mostly used by large hyperscalers.

Did you know that a NOS can feature additional capabilities such as virtualized distributed networking and native “cloudification” of the network?

Introduced by Cisco in 2011, segment routing (SR) is a flexible routing method within a single autonomous system (AS) or network domain. Having since gone through IETF standards processes, it has been adopted by a few network operators worldwide, and implemented by most networking vendors.

• Breaks network topology into segments: Each segment is represented by a segment identifier (SID). The SID can be represented as an MPLS label (aka SR-MPLS) or as an extension header in the IPv6 packet (aka SRv6). Using a collection of SIDs imposed on the packet, the packet can then be “steered” through the network based on specific policies.
• Simplifies network operations: SR can simplify network operations, especially for a large-scale network, by imposing predefined and dynamic traffic routes without requiring extensive state maintenance. It does this while allowing the use of existing MPLS infrastructure via SR-MPLS, making it easier to adopt for most service providers.
• Segment routing challenges: Transitioning from traditional MPLS networks to SR-MPLS is still a complex process that most likely will require a hybrid solution during the migration period. Furthermore, a transition from traditional MPLS to SRv6 can be even more challenging since shifting thousands of already used services based on labeled IPv4 is extremely complicated.

Segment routing, and especially SRv6 if deployed correctly along with a more modern architecture, offers service providers a robust, scalable, and cost-effective solution for modern traffic engineering. It dramatically reduces network operations efforts and supports rapid service delivery.

Do you want to learn more about segment routing and SRv6?