The movement to establish open source software as the foundation of software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) has been boosted by the arrival of CA Technologies, IIX, Megaport and Spirent.

The OpenDaylight (ODL) project now has 49 companies and at least 300 developers behind the cause of creating open source SDNs and NFVs.

“These new members bring key management, security and testing skills to the ODL community,” said ODL’s executive director Neela Jacques.

The growth in the application economy and the boom in mobile services have multiplied the demands on the networks of enterprises and services providers and software defined networking can help them keep pace, said John Smith, enterprise management specialist at CA Technologies. “SDN is one of the key ways to be more dynamic and responsive. OpenDaylight can help the SDN framework evolve,” he said.

The growth of the community is really quite astonishing

Neela Jacques

California-based SDN specialist IIX is to make its programmable interconnection technology, SDI, more available for developers. Content providers, data center providers, internet service providers (ISPs), carriers and enterprises should be able to make secure, direct connections with their cloud partners, said Paul Gampe, IIX’s chief technology officer. “We are creating an ecosystem and an alternative to traditional networking. Open source is a proven way to add value to that ecosystem.”

The Megaport Platform

Similarly, Megaport’s ‘on-demand, elastic connectivity’ (the eponymously named Megaport Platform) could provide an open interoperable system for the open source community to use as a foundation.

“Our mission is to place control of the network design and behaviour directly into the hands of our users,” said Brooke Mouland, CMO at Megaport. “Having an open, interoperable platform at the core is crucial.”

The time, cost and complexity of the old telecoms world must be avoided, he said.

Testing company Spirent Communications’ s contribution to ODL will be to help speed the adoption of SDN technologies by making validation much easier and faster for members, according to Malathi Malla, its director product marketing. “Our expertise will optimise the ODL controller’s capabilities without affecting quality of service and experience,” he said.

“The growth of the community is really quite astonishing,” said ODL’s Jacques.