DURHAM, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--During the week of February 23- 27, 2015, six companies met at the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) to perform initial testing under a new interoperability initiative in open networking. This Plugfest was designed to validate the multi-vendor compatibility of optical transceivers and cables with bare-metal open switches running Networking Operating Systems (NOS) software. The event aimed to validate the operation of open network systems, giving end users confidence that the individual components can be combined to create strong alternatives to traditional closed solutions.
Approved Open Compute Project Foundation networking components included switch hardware products from Edge-Core Networks (a subsidiary of Accton Technology Corporation) which include Open Network Install Environment (ONIE) firmware. NOS from Big Switch Networks and Cumulus Networks were then installed on the open networking hardware through ONIE establishing fully functional open network switches.
To complete the open networking solutions, 10Gb and 40Gb optical transceivers from Avago Technologies and Finisar as well as Direct Attach Cables (DAC) from Amphenol were installed in the open networking equipment. These solutions were then put through a list of tests to validate that they were operating as expected with respect to the optical transceivers and cables.
"This is a very important milestone in the open networking movement" said Bob Thurston, Director of Integrated Engineering from Fidelity Investments. "Customers will soon be able to purchase open networking equipment with confidence that entire solutions can be assembled and will operate as expected."
This first event serves as a preliminary step in a series of Plugfests at the UNH-IOL to validate the Open Compute Project Foundation's open networking solutions. The next event is planned for late Spring 2015 at the UNH-IOL in Durham, NH, USA. Future events will include switch host validation, host-side electrical validation and management, NOS stress testing and NOS protocol validation.
Representatives from UNH-IOL will be attending the Open Compute Project Engineering Workshop and U.S. Summit March 9 - 11, 2015 in San Jose, CA. Bob Noseworthy, UNH-IOL's Chief Engineer, will be presenting a summary of the Plugfest as well as a suggested roadmap for future events. For further information regarding these events, please contact Christina Dube at christina.dube@iol.unh.edu.
About the UNH-IOL
The UNH-IOL is dedicated to being the world's premier data networking resource. Beginning in 1988, the UNH-IOL has built a multimillion dollar testbed and developed testing solutions to help companies efficiently and cost effectively deliver products to market. UNH-IOL’s services fit the needs of the market, while maintaining broad, comprehensive interoperability and conformance testing of networking, data, telecommunications, and storage products. The industry relies on UNH-IOL’s extensive staff experience, standards-bodies participation, 28,000+ square foot facility, and 100+ students who represent the future interoperability testing and verification.
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