Re: Open Souce Network Operating Systems

[Peter Phaal <peter.phaal () gmail com>]

On Sat, Jan 20, 2018 at 9:32 AM, Colton Conor <colton.conor () gmail com>
wrote:
> My understanding if Free Range Routing is a package of software that runs
> in linux, but not a full and true NOS right?

Why not consider Linux a NOS? Installing Free Range Routing adds control
plane protocols: BGP, OSPF, ISIS, etc.


> I looked into Cumulus Linux, but it seems to only run on the supported
> hardware which is while box switches. Can you run Cumulus Linux on a X86
> server with intel NICs? Can you run Cumulus on a raspberry pi?

Cumulus Linux is basically Ubuntu with Free Range Routing pre-installed
along with a daemon that offloads forwarding from the Linux kernel to an
ASIC. CumulusVX is a free Cumulus Linux virtual machine that is useful for
staging / testing configurations since it has the same behavior as the
hardware switch.

On X86 servers with Intel NICs, just run Linux. Cumulus Host Pack can be
installed to add Free Range Routing and other Cumulus tools on the server.
Alternatively, you can choose any Linux control plane, automation, or
monitoring tools and install them on the hosts and Cumulus Linux switches
to unify management and control, e.g. Bird, collectd, telegraf, Puppet,
Chef, Ansible, etc.

Linux distros (including Ubuntu) are available for non-X86 hardware like
Raspberry Pi etc.


> Ideally I think I am looking to a Linux operating system that can run on
> multiple CPU architectures, has device support for Broadcom and other
> Merchant silicon switching and wifi adapters.


If you consider Linux as the NOS then it already meets these requirements.