The 10 most representative software-defined network tools in 2020

The global software-defined networking market has grown rapidly over the past decade. According to ResearchAndMarkets, the global SDN market reached $13.73 million in 2020 and is expected to grow to $32.73 million by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 19%. The research firm highlighted the importance of leading vendors such as Cisco, Extreme Networks, and HPE.

This article introduces the top 10 most representative software-defined network tools in 2020.

[[357805]]

Anuta Networks ATOM

Anuta Networks was founded 10 years ago and claims to be on par with Juniper, HPE and Huawei in the field of SDN orchestration. Currently, Anuta develops and provides multi-vendor network orchestration services for enterprise customers and large service providers through its ATOM platform, helping customers automate and accelerate their network services.

Anuta announced its partnership with Juniper in June and Anuta’s ATOM platform has now been integrated into Juniper’s existing network automation portfolio, including Junos Telemetry, Juniper HealthBot and Juniper NorthStar products.

Arista Networks Converged Cloud Fabric

Thanks to its acquisition of Big Switch Networks in February, data center and large campus networking leader Arista gained Big Switch's Big Cloud Fabric, a next-generation data center switching architecture that provides network automation and visibility for software-defined data centers and cloud-native applications.

Arista subsequently renamed Big Cloud Fabric to Converged Cloud Fabric, which the company said was an automated architecture built following cloud networking design principles.

Broadcom BroadView

Broadcom has emerged as a leader in the SDN space with a steady stream of product launches and partnerships with other IT giants such as Dell, HPE and Juniper.

Broadcom BroadView provides programmable access to the switch internals, as well as monitoring, congestion control, and advanced troubleshooting using real-time telemetry. BroadView software is available as a full source package or a Community Development Package (CDP) under a Broadcom SLA.

Cisco DNA Center

Cisco DNA Center is the network management platform for Cisco Digital Network Architecture, an intent-based network built on SDN.

With Cisco DNA Center, enterprises and channel partners can provision and configure all network devices in minutes. Cisco said DNA Center uses advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to monitor, troubleshoot and optimize the network. In June, Cisco DNA Center added several new software features, including AI endpoint analysis, which allows DNA Center to identify previously unknown endpoints on a large scale.

Extreme Networks SDN Platform

Extreme Networks' SDN platform can help customers migrate existing networks to SDN simply and quickly.

Extreme Networks' SDN platform is based on the ODL controller, which provides network management, network access control, application analytics and wireless controller technology. Extreme Networks first launched its ODL SDN controller in 2014.

HPE VAN SDN Controller

HPE is one of the leaders in the SDN market, having entered the market with its Virtual Application Network (VAN) SDN Controller, which provides a single control point for enterprise SDN networks, simplifying management, configuration and orchestration.

HPE said its SDN platform enables developers to create new products through APIs to help drive application-based network services. The VAN SDN controller is designed to run in campus, data center or service provider environments.

Juniper Contrail Edge Cloud

Juniper has its own Contrail series, which provides a software-defined approach to multi-cloud and fabric management, infrastructure and service management automation, and analytics in multi-cloud environments.

Contrail Edge Cloud targets service providers who want to deploy new services at the edge of the network where space and power are limited. Contrail Edge Cloud efficiently and economically abstracts and virtualizes computing, storage and network resources in environments such as central offices, base stations, hubs and switching sites. Juniper said Contrail Edge Cloud extends the capabilities of Contrail Networking and Contrail Security, and provides container networking, security and service chaining for emerging applications such as the Internet of Things through Kubernetes.

NVIDIA Cumulus NetQ

In May, Nvidia revealed plans to acquire Cumulus Networks, an open networking software provider that has spent the past decade helping enterprises build more efficient data centers using open networking software running on Linux.

Currently, Nvidia Cumulus NetQ network operations tools use telemetry for troubleshooting, visibility and automated workflows, which will reduce network downtime and maintenance time. Users can easily upgrade, configure and deploy network elements through a full set of operations capabilities, including visibility, troubleshooting, verification, tracking and comparative backtracking capabilities.

Pica8 Threshold

Pica8, a provider of open standards-based white-box network switch operating systems, was founded in 2009 and immediately set its sights on IT market giant Cisco.

Pica8 launched Threshold last year, an open networking product for modern education, government and Fortune 1000 enterprise networks. The company said Threshold can replace Cisco campus networks, including chassis switches, automation tools and small branch office switches. Threshold provides a centrally managed intelligent network that uses white box switches running on Pica8's PICOS open networking software suite.

Pluribus Networks' Adaptive Cloud Architecture

Pluribus Networks focuses on network analysis, data center interconnection and SDN products, providing open network-based products and using programmable SDN architecture to provide services for data centers and distributed cloud edge architectures.

Pluribus Networks in October updated its Pluribus Adaptive Cloud Architecture, which the company said simplifies operations, reduces human errors, and lowers the cost of data center networks. Pluribus Networks said the controller-less SDN architecture is built on open network switching and brings together network automation, virtualization, secure segmentation, visibility and analytics.

Original link:

https://www.crn.com/slide-shows/networking/the-10-coolest-software-defined-networking-tools-of-2020/1