Skip to main content
search
Category

Community News

Jul 25
Love0

DENT Member Spotlight: Keysight Technologies

By Blog, Community News

This is the third blog in a series of posts highlighting members of the DENT Project. We continue with a spotlight on Keysight Technologies, as explained by Dean Lee, Senior Director of the Cloud Industry Solution Team at Keysight.

Please tell us a little about your organization:

We are the Network Test Solutions group within the Keysight organization. Our team builds Ethernet traffic generators and protocol emulators for the networking industry to validate the LAN, WAN and data centers deployed in enterprises, service providers and hyperscalers around the globe.

Why is your organization adopting a Network Operating System (NOS)?

We believe that the open architecture and collaboration among end users, ASIC, switches and test equipment vendors could truly benefit the networking industry and accelerate innovations.

Why did you join DENT, and what impact do you think DENT has on Network Operating Systems?

DENT, as an open source community, fully leverages the wide adoption of Linux into networking operating systems. Keysight has been a proponent of Open NOS and Open Traffic Generator. DENT aligns with our core competency and beliefs.

What do you see as the top benefits of being part of the DENT community?

Keysight has great opportunities to work with industry leaders in network architecture, ASIC and switch designs. We can collaborate and enhance our test capabilities with the DENT community.

What sort of contributions has your team made (or plans to make) to the DENT community?

Keysight provides expertise and test equipment in validating data centers deployed with DENT NOS. We also manage and house the community test lab, which provides the test pipeline for DENT NOS CI/CD.

What sets DENT apart from other industry alliances?

DENT is flexible and also specializes in retail, enterprise and campus networking. It covers the area not serviced by SONiC. Since it is a true Linux-based NOS, the deployment and management can be easily handled just like a Linux server.

How will DENT help your business?

We can leverage the test cases contributed by community members and share them with more Keysight test solution users.

What advice would you give to someone considering joining DENT?

DENT is the NOS for any applications outside core data centers. It is easy to deploy and adopt. Keysight provides a community test lab to assist PoC and vendor validation as a service. The onboarding of new use cases is easy with community support.

Keysight DENT Representatives:

Dean Lee, Senior Director, Cloud Industry Solution Team

Manodipto Ghose, Product Manager 

Jul 18
Love0

Linux Support for PoE Funded by DENT

By Blog, Community News, News

DENT has made significant strides in enhancing the upstream Linux Kernel to function as NoS without additional overheads for retail-edge use cases. A critical feature for these edge scenarios is Power over Ethernet (PoE). In this blog post, we will explore DENT’s contributions by examining past, present, and future PoE support in the upstream Linux Kernel.

Past Developments:

Previously, the Linux kernel offered no support for PoE technologies. Hardware vendors frequently provided non-universal, user-space solutions resulting in fragmented and inconsistent implementations. DENT recognized the need for evolution and began developing a standardized solution integrated within the Linux kernel.

In 2022, a major milestone was reached when a Power Sourcing Equipment (PSE) subsystem was added to the Linux kernel. However, this subsystem was only capable of supporting a related technology called Power over Data-Lines (PoDL). Learning and building from this achievement, DENT focused on implementing total PoE support.

Ongoing Developments:

DENT member Bootlin has spearheaded the development of DENT’s upstreaming efforts. Our initial goal was to bring basic PoE support, focusing on basic features like enabling and disabling power and achieving port status. This successful effort resulted in the development and upstreaming of drivers for two different PoE controllers: Microchip PD692x0 and TI TPS23881.

Bootlin’s Köry Maincent (Embedded Linux and Kernel Engineer) played a critical role in this development, spanning nine iterations from November 2023 to April 2024. The culmination of this work will be seen in the Linux 6.10 release, marking a significant achievement for DENT and the broader Linux community.

For more information on Maincent’s remarkable work, watch his presentation from Embedded Open Source Summit 2024.

Following the initial support, DENT immediately began working on the next set of features, including enhanced status information like consumed power, negotiated class and extended state reports, as well as the option to read and configure PoE port power limits. This work, developed through six iterations, has been merged and is set to be included in Linux 6.11.

What’s Next:

Looking ahead, DENT has ambitious plans for PoE. Next steps include:

  • Supporting port priority to manage power allocation when existing, available power is insufficient.
  • Implementing the PD62x0 persistent configuration mechanism for custom configurations across reboots.
  • Modifying the POED project to use the new standard Linux interface for PoE instead of user-space drivers.

DENT is committed to further enhancing PoE support within the Linux kernel. Stay tuned as DENT continues to build a brighter future for open source PoE.

For more information on Bootlin’s PoE work, read its recent PoE blog: https://bootlin.com/blog/power-over-ethernet-poe-support-into-the-official-linux-kernel/

Check out upcoming events where DENT will be present: https://dent.dev/event/

Apr 23
Love0

DENT Member Spotlight: Edgecore Networks

By Blog, Community News

This is the second in a series of posts highlighting members of the DENT Project. We continue with a spotlight on Edgecore Networks, as explained by Edgecore Networks’ Head of Engineering Larry Ho.

Please tell us a little about your organization:
Back in 2020 when Edgecore joined DENT as a founding member, we were convinced that open source NOS, like dentOS, can play a key role in the next-generation technologies of open networking. Obviously, we still are as of today. A key component of Edgecore’s solution is an open source NOS.

Why did you join DENT, and what impact do you think DENT has on Network Operating Systems?
When Edgecore joined DENT, it was the only open source NOS that was architected and designed for enterprise edge and retail. Today, it remains the only NOS that is dedicated to this space.

What do you see as the top benefits of being part of the DENT community?
Since 2021, there has been growing interest by operators in enterprise edge and retail domains to deploy Open Source software. DENT is a proven technology in deploying to retail stores. Its community plays a pivotal role in ramping up DENT and its related technologies. It also serves as the messenger to educate operators who may be interested in DENT.

What sort of contributions has your team made (or plans to make) to the DENT community?
Edgecore started as a switch hardware contributor. While we plan to continue contributions in this area, we also participated in DENT’s test subgroup to help solidify DENT’s community development and testing infrastructures and processes. Edgecore was also instrumental in supporting DENT to adopt SAI in 2022. If and when DENT adopts switch hardware based on Broadcom’s silicon, we will look at opportunities for SAI contributions. 

What sets DENT apart from other industry alliances?
DENT is now a 4+ years open source project. It is still gathering participation and interest. During this journey, DENT has shown its willingness to adjust from its original purely switchdev base architecture to include a SAI base architecture. In Edgecore’s view, SAI will increase the choices of silicon and switching platforms available which is key to DENT’s ultimate goal: broad commercial deployment. 

How will DENT help your business?
A key element of Edgecore’s solution is open source NOS.

What advice would you give to someone considering joining DENT?
Like any open source community, there are several key factors to ensure its success. One is broad deployment in commercial environment: adoption; The other is continuous evolution of its technologies with contributions from broad segments of the community. There are actually more factors. Joining DENT implies you are preparing to help in one or more of these factors.

Edgecore Networks DENT Representatives:

Nanda Ravindran, Vice President of Product Management

William Chiang, Project Software Manager

 

 

Apr 18
Love0

2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 10: DENT BoF

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the tenth 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/

Part 7: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/18/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-7-dent-workshop/

Part 8: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/04/11/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-8-open-source-poe-and-dent/

Part 9: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/04/16/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-9-best-practices-to-integrate-dent-community-test-cases-into-ci-pipeline/

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 final session of the 2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit featured a roundtable discussion from the following figures:  

Jan Klare: Senior Solutions Architect at BISDN 

Larry Ho: Chairman; Head of Engineering at Edge-Core Networks

Sandeep Nagaraja: Principal Engineer at Amazon 

Taras Chornyi: Director of Open Networking Solutions and Strategy at PLVision 

Manodipto Ghose: Product Manager at Keysight

In the dynamic world of networking, DENT stands out as a pivotal force, driving discussions toward collaborative innovation and future readiness. The recent Panel: DENT Birds of a Feather (BoF) session shed light on DENT’s trajectory, emphasizing its role in shaping the digital landscape.

The dialogue revolved around collaboration, particularly between DENT and Sonic. There’s a growing consensus on the potential merger of these platforms, with DENT possibly running as a container within Sonic. This integration promises seamless interoperability and efficiency, propelling DENT toward broader adoption.

A key focus for DENT is its evolution toward the Enterprise Edge. Panelists stressed the importance of imbuing DENT with enterprise-grade features, expanding its utility beyond traditional networking realms. From PoE to straight-through processing (STP), DENT aims to integrate seamlessly with Enterprise infrastructure, fostering innovation and operational excellence.

Looking ahead to 2024, DENT embarks on a journey toward innovating compute products and exploring technologies. This diversification signifies DENT’s commitment to staying at the forefront of networking and computing convergence.

Despite challenges in infrastructure for medium-sized campus deployments, DENT remains resilient. Through strategic collaborations and technological advancements, DENT aims to overcome these hurdles, reinforcing its position as a leader in the networking landscape.

Central to DENT’s evolution is community-driven innovation. Stakeholders are encouraged to actively participate in DENT’s journey, shaping its trajectory and contributing to its success.

In conclusion, DENT emerges as a guiding force in the ever-evolving world of networking. By embracing collaboration, diversification, and community-driven innovation, DENT charts a course toward a future where networking knows no boundaries, empowering organizations to navigate the digital age with confidence.

Follow us for more updates!

Apr 16
Love0

2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 9: Best Practices to Integrate DENT Community Test Cases Into CI Pipeline

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the ninth 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/(opens in a new tab)

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/

Part 7: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/18/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-7-dent-workshop/

Part 8: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/04/11/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-8-open-source-poe-and-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.

Keysight Director Mircea Dan Gheorghe, Keysight Product Manager Manodipto Ghose, and Amazon Senior Software Engineer Chetan Murthy educated attendees on how to deploy the DENT community test bed in a virtualized setting. By leveraging virtualized test ports and DENT NOS, users can easily recreate real-world networking scenarios in a streamlined manner.

The deployment process is designed to be user-friendly, catering to both newcomers and experienced contributors. With a focus on accessibility and ease of setup, the virtualized test environment democratizes testing and accelerates innovation within the DENT community.

Comprehensive test coverage and seamless integration with CI pipelines enhance efficiency and facilitate rapid iteration and deployment of DENT solutions. By embracing standardized testing practices, the DENT ecosystem promotes interoperability and reliability, driving greater adoption of DENT technology.

In summary, the deployment of the DENT community test bed in a fully virtualized environment marks a significant milestone in the evolution of DENT technology. As the DENT community continues to innovate and collaborate, the future looks promising for dynamic edge networking.

Follow us for more updates!

Apr 11
Love0

2023 OCP DENT Mini Summit Part 8: Open Source PoE and DENT

By Blog, Community News

This blog post is the eighth 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/

Part 7: https://dent.dev/blog/2024/03/18/2023-ocp-dent-mini-summit-part-7-dent-workshop/

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 Carl Roth, a Senior Software Engineer, explained how in today’s enterprise networking landscape, the absence of a comprehensive open source Power over Ethernet (PoE) tool has hindered innovation and flexibility. Without a unified solution, network administrators have grappled with fragmented approaches to PoE management, often relying on proprietary software with limited functionalities.

Commitment to open-source ethos has culminated in the development of a PoE tool integrated seamlessly within DENT, its enterprise NOS. This solution not only caters to diverse PoE standards but also introduces support for Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP)-based negotiation, enhancing precision and efficiency in power allocation.

Roth offers a comprehensive overview of the software and hardware architecture underpinning Amazon’s PoE tool within DENT. From the implementation of L1 negotiation to the intricacies of L2 negotiation, every aspect has been meticulously crafted to ensure optimal performance and compatibility.

By embracing open-source principles, Amazon has not only addressed a longstanding gap in enterprise networking but also fostered a culture of collaboration and innovation. The availability of Amazon’s PoE tool as part of DENT empowers network administrators to leverage cutting-edge technology while retaining the flexibility and transparency inherent in open-source solutions.

Active community engagement and the prospect of upstreaming the solution underscore Amazon’s commitment to driving progress in the field of network infrastructure.

Through innovation, collaboration, and a steadfast dedication to open-source principles, Amazon has set a precedent for the industry, paving the way for enhanced efficiency, flexibility, and scalability in PoE management. 

Follow us for more updates!

Apr 09
Love0

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.

Follow us for more updates!

Close Menu