Big Switch, Facebook and NTT Join Up on Tools to Run a Networking Switch

Over the past several years, Facebook has been steadily working to improve data center hardware. Now, Facebook, NTT and Big Switch Networks are creating a unified operating system for the Open Compute Project.  Facebook initiated the OCP four years ago with the idea of driving open source designs for servers, storage appliances and networking tools. 

With its new partners Facebook is creating a combination of open source software tools that can be used to operate a working networking switch. The move could help provide choice when compared to alternative, proprietary networking hardware and software. 

The new software from ther partners works as the core operating system code that configures  components that comprise a switch. This can include environmental sensors, fan drivers and lots of other device types. The software base relies on the pairing of OpenNetLinux from Big Switch and FBOSS from Facebook.

There are demonstrations of the new software platform going on this week, and more news is slated to arrive soon.