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2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 7: DENT Workshop

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the seventh in a series of 10 summarizing the sessions from the OCP DENT Mini Summit. Please see previous posts here:

Part 1: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/19/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-1-leading-the-evolution-of-nos/

Part 2: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/21/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-2-introduction-to-dent/

Part 3: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/26/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-series-part-3-vision-of-dent/

Part 4: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/28/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-4-dent-features-roadmap/

Part 5: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/04/02/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-5-the-whats-done-and-whats-new-in-dent-streaming-activities/

Part 6: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/18/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-6-switch-abstraction-interface-sai-testing-in-dent/

The DENT community hosted a Mini Summit during the OCP Global Summit to gather industry leaders, engineers, developers, and stakeholders interested in DENT within the framework of the OCP.

DENT harnesses the power of Linux to manage network switching hardware and functionalities without the need for specialized software. Amazon’s Taskin Ucpinar demonstrated precisely that during 2023 OCP’s DENT Workshop.

Throughout the session, participants witnessed the seamless integration between Linux and network hardware. Unlike proprietary solutions, DENT leverages the Linux Kernel and other Linux-based projects as the foundation for building a standardized network operating system. This approach ensures compatibility and flexibility, allowing standard Linux tools and utilities to effectively manage devices.

Live demonstrations underscored the simplicity of using Linux commands to configure and manage network hardware. Tasks such as setting up device communication and configuring BGP were executed effortlessly, showcasing how Linux-based functionalities translate into network management tasks within the DENT ecosystem.

What sets DENT apart is its ability to bridge the gap between Linux and network hardware, providing a unified platform where standard Linux tools can be leveraged to manage complex networking environments. This not only simplifies network management but also opens up possibilities for innovation and customization without the constraints of proprietary software.

The DENT workshop highlighted the transformative potential of Linux in the realm of networking. By embracing Linux principles and leveraging its robust ecosystem, DENT paves the way for a new era of standardized and user-friendly network operations.

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2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 6: Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI) Testing in DENT

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the sixth in a series of 10 summarizing the sessions from the OCP DENT Mini Summit. Please see previous posts here:

Part 1: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/19/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-1-leading-the-evolution-of-nos/

Part 2: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/21/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-2-introduction-to-dent/

Part 3: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/26/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-series-part-3-vision-of-dent/

Part 4: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/28/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-4-dent-features-roadmap/

Part 5: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/04/02/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-5-the-whats-done-and-whats-new-in-dent-streaming-activities/

The DENT community hosted a Mini Summit during the OCP Global Summit to gather industry leaders, engineers, developers, and stakeholders interested in DENT within the framework of the OCP.

In this segment, Taras Chornyi, Director of Open Networking Solutions and Strategy at PLVision, and Manodipto Ghose, Product Manager at Keysight, discuss streamlined integration through Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI). Harmonizing SAI with the DENT NOS enables hardware and silicon vendors to speed up innovation and interoperability.

Recent developments focus on testing methodologies and the integration of Open Traffic Generator (OTG) APIs to optimize the process.

DENT addresses challenges in SAI integration by emphasizing compatibility between NOS and SAI implementations. The project introduces a robust testing framework to verify adherence to expected behaviors and standards.

The inclusion of OTG enhances DENT’s testing capabilities, facilitating seamless transitions between software-defined test beds and hardware-based traffic generators. This approach promotes reusability and efficiency, accelerating the validation process for SAI implementations.

By establishing a standardized testing framework, DENT empowers developers to ensure compatibility and functionality across diverse network environments. The collaboration between PLVision, Keysight, and DENT fosters diverse innovation, driving advancements in network infrastructure technology.

Ultimately, DENT’s commitment to enhancing network integration through SAI and OTG represents a significant leap forward in networking technologies. Stay tuned for further updates as DENT continues to push the boundaries of network innovation.

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2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 5: What’s Done and What’s New in DENT Upstreaming Activities

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the fifth in a series of 10 summarizing the sessions from the OCP DENT Mini Summit. Please see previous posts here:

Part 1: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/19/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-1-leading-the-evolution-of-nos/

Part 2: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/21/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-2-introduction-to-dent/

Part 3: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/26/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-series-part-3-vision-of-dent/

Part 4: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/28/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-4-dent-features-roadmap/

The DENT community hosted a Mini Summit during the OCP Global Summit to gather industry leaders, engineers, developers, and stakeholders interested in DENT within the framework of the OCP.

Bruno Banelli, Emerging Technologies Architect at Sartura, detailed the importance of maintaining and improving foundational elements, while acknowledging that this crucial work can sometimes go unnoticed. Banelli and Sartura have quietly been making significant strides in advancing DENT’s upstreaming activities and shedding light on the value of upstreaming in the Linux Kernel domain.

Banelli emphasized the enduring power of open-source collaboration, even in an era dominated by cutting-edge technologies. He articulated the motivations driving Sartura’s upstreaming efforts as it pertains to DENT, highlighting the dangers of technological debt and the necessity of ensuring the longevity and stability of products.

Sartura’s contributions to DENT exemplify the tangible impact of upstreaming activities. By implementing TLV info tables and addressing the industry-wide challenge of PoE support in the Linux kernel, Sartura has enhanced DENT’s network operating system and facilitated broader access to these advancements.

Looking ahead, Sartura’s commitment to upstreaming serves as a beacon of collaboration and dedication to open-source principles. Their efforts transcend mere technical contributions, embodying a spirit of resilience and fortitude in maintaining the foundations of our technological infrastructure.

In celebrating Sartura’s steadfast dedication, it’s essential to recognize the importance of fortifying the old amidst the allure of the new. DENT’s development promises a more robust and enduring technological future, serving as a reminder that progress is not only about innovation but also about the steadfast maintenance of the foundations upon which it rests.

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2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 4: DENT Features Roadmap

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the fourth in a series of 10 summarizing the sessions from the OCP DENT Mini Summit. Please see previous posts here:

Part 1: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/19/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-1-leading-the-evolution-of-nos/

Part 2: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/21/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-2-introduction-to-dent/

Part 3: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/26/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-series-part-3-vision-of-dent/

The DENT community hosted a Mini Summit during the OCP Global Summit to gather industry leaders, engineers, developers, and stakeholders interested in DENT within the framework of the OCP.

2023 marked the most active year in DENT’s history. Taskin Ucpinar, Senior Director of Software with Edgecore Networks Corporation and Amazon representative, detailed DENT’s 2023 journey. 

DENT embraced a new era with the release of Cynthia 3.0, 3.1 and 3.2, with unprecedented focus on stability and deployability. 

DENT v3.0, released March 30th, 2023, implemented a new LTS kernel, following kernel upstream best practices. DENT 3.0 ushered in the technical community’s move to a rapid innovation/release cycle, enabling earlier access to requested features in a modern DevOps world that includes 802.1x, QoS, IGMP Snooping, and Egress Policing. 

DENT 3.0 built on a solid foundation of fundamental OS features for networking, three years in the making, that included SwitchDev, POE+ and others. Specific feature updates in 3.0 include:

DENT v3.1 soon followed in accordance with DENT’s rapid release cycle. Released June 22nd, 2023, v3.1 included over 240 new test suites and fully vetted versions of IEEE 802.1x, QoS, IPv6, and IGMP Snooping.

DENT continued its acceleration of retail marketing momentum with the launch of DENT v3.2. Enhancements include a fortified test suite covering critical network protocols, an upgrade to Debian 10 LTS for leveraging latest Linux features, virtualization support for running DENT on VMs, virtual routing and forwarding for network segmentation, and support for TN48M2-SWDEV, a 48-port 10G switch with 6 40G uplinks from Delta Electronics.

2024: The Year of DENT v4 Deep Thought. DENT plans to migrate to Debian 12, enhance LLDP and PoE support, introduce a firmware upgrader, and expand testing for protocols and authentication methods. DENT remains committed to compatibility and efficiency, integrating with the Linux kernel and offering OCPI for application development. The introduction of Switch Manager streamlines integration between DENT and OCPI.

Future aspirations include package streaming, ZTP, OpenConfig support, multicast routing, and fortified security measures. Users are encouraged to explore DENT’s resources, from open-source repositories on GitHub to comprehensive documentation on the DENT website. With each step forward, DENT reaffirms its commitment to empowering users and driving innovation in networking technology.

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2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 3: Vision of DENT

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the third in a series of 10 summarizing the sessions from the OCP DENT Mini Summit. Please see previous posts here:

Part 1: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/19/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-1-leading-the-evolution-of-nos/

Part 2: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/21/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-2-introduction-to-dent/

The DENT community hosted a Mini Summit during the OCP Global Summit to gather industry leaders, engineers, developers, and stakeholders interested in DENT within the framework of the OCP.

Amazon’s Jason Long, Director of Network Development, provided perspective on DENT’s vision and ability to revolutionize NOS. By utilizing Linux Kernel, SAI, Switchdev, and other Linux-based projects, DENT has fostered a strong support system for disaggregation and accelerated innovation.

Unlike existing solutions like Sonic, DENT starts its journey at the edge, targeting distributed edge deployments like retail outlets and branch offices. Its strategic focus on edge deployments optimizes performance and resource utilization by minimizing hardware abstractions and leveraging Linux fundamentals.

DENT fosters an open ecosystem, encouraging collaboration among stakeholders, from end-users to hardware vendors. Standardizing interfaces with hardware components ensures compatibility across various hardware and use cases, facilitating seamless integration with third-party solutions.

While DENT initially targets edge deployments, its scalable architecture and commitment to innovation pave the way for expansion into other markets, including enterprises. With its optimized infrastructure, DENT aims to democratize networking, making it accessible and cost-effective for organizations of all sizes.

In conclusion, DENT represents a significant advancement in network operating systems, offering tailored solutions for edge deployments and beyond. Join us on this transformative journey towards a more connected future with DENT.

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2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Series Part 2: Introduction to DENT

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the second in a series of 10 summarizing the sessions from the OCP DENT Mini Summit. Please see part one here: https://dent.dev/?p=928

The DENT community hosted a Mini Summit during the OCP Global Summit to gather industry leaders, engineers, developers, and stakeholders interested in DENT within the framework of the OCP.

The second portion of the 2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit was presented by Kevin Yao, Senior Director of Strategic Account at Micas Networks. Yao opened by discussing the practical applications of DENT from the perspective of a new project member. Then, Yao went on to outline DENT’s mission to create an ecosystem of contributors and users around a full-featured NOS and control plane that is natively supported by Linux and a hardware ecosystem enabling the transition to disaggregated networks.

Yao explained to attendees how DENT transcends traditional operating systems, presenting a holistic ecosystem comprising software, hardware, and testing tools. This comprehensive approach aims to offer seamless solutions across technological domains, from switch silicons to supporting infrastructure.

Central to DENT’s ethos is collaboration and inclusivity. Through partnerships with industry leaders and adherence to open-source principles, DENT aspires to foster a dynamic community where innovation flourishes.

Fueled by Linux-based software and boasting an array of hardware options, DENT promises unparalleled flexibility and scalability. Whether streamlining integration processes or optimizing costs, DENT is positioned to meet diverse needs effectively.

DENT’s community-driven nature features robust support from the Linux community and active engagement from stakeholders. DENT emerges not merely as a project, but as a movement toward a more collaborative and innovative tech landscape.

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2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 1: Opening (Welcome and Vision of NOS)

By Blog, Community News

The Open Compute Project (OCP) Foundation is a growing, global community whose mission is to design, use, and enable mainstream delivery of the most efficient designs for scalable computing. OCP is rooted in the belief that openly sharing ideas, specifications, and other intellectual property is the key to maximizing innovation and reducing complexity in tech components. 

At the 2023 OCP Global Summit held in San Jose, CA between October 17-19, 2023, industry leaders, researchers, and pioneers from the open community engaged in dialogues, workshops, and interactive sessions aimed to increase understanding of project progress and foreseeable challenges. The Global Summit is the largest of two OCP Summits held each year. 

The DENT community hosted a Mini Summit during the OCP Global Summit to gather industry leaders, engineers, developers, and stakeholders interested in DENT within the framework of the OCP. The summit provided a platform for sharing insights, advancements, and best practices related to DENT and its integration within OCP’s ecosystem. It focused on discussing DENT’s architecture, deployment strategies, use cases, and community engagement.

The first presenter was the Linux Foundation’s Arpit Joshipura, GM and SVP of Networking and Edge IoT and Domain AI. Joshipura began DENT’s Mini Summit by providing key insights into the evolving landscape of Network Operating Systems (NOS) through the lens of DENT. Joshipura highlighted opportunities for deployment across various projects, extending beyond retail into diverse verticals. 

Addressing the historical fragmentation of NOS, Joshipura underscored recent harmonization efforts, notably with projects like DENT and Sonic aligning with industry specs. The goal remains clear: to foster interoperability and prevent hardware respinning.

Joshipura outlined significant progress in DENT’s architecture and deployment, particularly in retail and e-commerce sectors. Notably, community contributions have shown steady growth, with commits and contributors up by 15-25% in the past year. With commitments and contributions on the rise, the future of NOS is promising, driven by collaboration and innovation.

Concluding with an invitation to the 2024 ONE Summit taking place in San Jose, CA from April 29–May 1, Joshipura urged participation from networking professionals. ONE Summit promises to remain a pivotal platform for industry dialogue and collaboration.

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Amazon

DENT Member Spotlight: AWS

By Blog

This is the first in a new series of posts highlighting members of the DENT Project. We begin the series with a spotlight on Amazon Web Services (AWS), as explained by AWS Senior Product Manager Vincent Tong.

Please tell us a little about your organization:
We’re a team in AWS that is responsible for delivering networking services for both internal and external customers. The network services include LAN, Wi-Fi and WAN installation, provisioning, monitoring and remediation.

Why is your organization adopting a Network Operating System (NOS)?
We needed a NOS that we could develop, fix bugs and roll out new releases on for the 48x1G switches, that are part of the Just Walk Out solution. AWS had previously used third party NOS but had issues with the availability and timing of new releases to deliver new features or fix bugs.

Why did you join DENT, and what impact do you think DENT has on Network Operating Systems?
AWS joined DENT because there were no viable open source NOS for Enterprise applications at that time. Today, AWS is deploying DENT at scale in switches, wireless base stations, and entry/exit gates.

What do you see as the top benefits of being part of the DENT community?
Being part of the DENT community has allowed AWS to collaborate with leading silicon vendors, original device manufacturers, software developers, and test vendors to create an ecosystem for Enterprise Edge applications.

What sort of contributions has your team made (or plans to make) to the DENT community?
AWS has taken leadership positions in the DENT Board of Directors, Technical Steering Committee (TSC) and Marketing Committee. In 2023, AWS obtained speaking slots in several conferences in US, Canada and Europe to promote DENT. In addition, AWS has upstreamed test cases and POE code for dentOS.

What sets DENT apart from other industry alliances?
DENT is different from other open source NOS like SONiC because it is focused on Linux. Developers will be able to use the same Linux tools that they normally use to develop and deploy dentOS.

How will DENT help your business?
DENT has helped AWS move quickly to develop new features, fix bugs and roll out new releases with the support of other DENT members. The addition of SAI support within dentOS will allow AWS to widen the range of hardware platforms that can use dentOS.

What advice would you give to someone considering joining DENT?
Participate in the different DENT user group forums (https://lists.dent.dev/g/main) like the TSC, Features working group or Marketing working group to check out DENT at no cost. This will allow you to quickly make an evaluation and decide if DENT is right for you.

 

What is PoE?

By Announcements, Blog

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a technology for delivering DC power to devices over copper Ethernet cabling. With the ability to transport both data and power across a single cable it not only reduces the need for multiple cables, it eliminates the deployment of separate power supplies, all while simplifying the installation process, and improving safety, which ultimately results in saving time and reducing the cost of installing the cables.

In 2022, the DENT project introduced PoE on dentOS to help users control PoE-based power distribution and management on all devices. But, there was one major issue. The initial implementation was not fully integrated into the Linux kernel because it did not allow the PoE functionality to be controlled by all the standard Linux tools and processes.

Today, the DENT community is proud to announce that a new kernel-based PoE implementation project has officially launched. By moving the PoE controller functionality to Linux Kernel, the standard Linux tools will be able to control the power distribution and management, all while unifying PoE-based power management control across all networked platforms. 

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For more information on DentOS and the functionality it offers, please visit https://dent.dev/ 

Click Here for More PoE information

Opensource PoE and DENT

DENT Mini-Summit at OCP Global Summit 2023

By Announcements, Blog, Community News

Join us for an inspiring morning filled with insights and innovation as we dive into the future of networking at the DENT Mini-Summit. DENT would like to cordially invite you to join us at our upcoming Mini-Summit, a co-located event at the OCP Global Summit on October 18, 2023, from 8 am to 12 pm inside room LL20A. Come join us as we discuss how DENT is enabling the evolution of customer expectations through Linux Kernel networking. Take a peek at our full schedule.

Be sure to make a plan to visit the DENT booth at the OCP Global Summit! We will be located directly behind the Experience Center at booth C38. Stop by our booth to meet some of the DENT community members, watch some of our live-recorded demos that spotlight the advantages of using DentOS and just how user-friendly our software has become, pick up some exclusive swag, and just say Hi! We are looking forward to discussing the innovative future of network operating systems (NOS) with you. See you there!

Do you have a jam-packed schedule and are trying to decide which DENT talk will pique your interest? Plan accordingly by checking out our amazing list of speakers below:

Wednesday, October 18

  • 8:00am – 8:10am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • Opening Remarks [Welcome and Vision of NoS]
      • Arpit Joshipura, General Manager, Networking, Edge, and IoT, Linux Foundation
  • 8:10am – 8:25am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • Introduction to DENT
      • Kevin Yao, Senior Director, Micas
      • Max Simmons, Marketing Executive, Micas
  • 8:25am – 8:40am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • Vision of DENT
      • Jason Long, Director, AWS Apps Networking
  • 8:40am – 8:55am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • DENT End-User Story
      • Sean Crandall, Senior Manager, Network Development, Amazon
  • 8:55am – 9:10am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    •  DENT Features Roadmap
      • Taskin Ucpinar, Senior TPM, Amazon
  • 9:10am – 9:35am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • What’s done and What’s new in DENT Upstreaming Activities
      • Bruno Banelli, Emerging Technologies Architect, Sartura
  • 9:35am – 10:15am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI) Testing in DENT
      • Taras Chornyi, Director of Open Networking Solutions and Strategy, PLVision
      • Manodipto Ghose, Product Manager, Director System Testing, Keysight Technologies
  • 10:15am – 10:40am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • DENT Workshop
      • Taskin Ucpinar, Senior TPM, Amazon
  • 10:40am – 11:05am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • Open Source PoE & DENT
      • Carl Roth, Software Development Engineer, Amazon
      • Shaw Li, Manager, Software Development, Amazon
  • 11:05am – 11:30am | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • Best Practices to Integrate DENT Community Test Cases into CI Pipeline
      • Mircea Dan Gheorghe, Director System Testing, Keysight Technologies
      • Manodipto Ghose, Product Manager, Director System Testing, Keysight Technologies
      • Chetan Murthy, Senior Software Developer, Amazon
  • 11:30am – 12:00pm | SJCC – Lower Level Level – LL20A
    • Panel: DENT BoF
      • Jan Klare, Senior Solutions Architect, BISDN
      • Larry Ho, Chairman and Vice President of Software Engineering, Edge Core
      • Sandeep Nagaraja, Principal Engineer, Amazon
      • Taras Chornyi, Director of Open Networking Solutions and Strategy, PLVision
      • Manodipto Ghose Product Manager, Director System Testing, Keysight Technologies
      • Avik Bhattacharya, Senior Product Manager, Keysight Technologies
      • Marian Stoica, Senior Engineer, Luxoft