HP announced Thursday a line of data center switches that can use the OpenFlow network-virtualization protocol, aiming to simplify network management in modern data centers.

HP currently has 16 OpenFlow-enabled switches, but has plans to extend support for OpenFlow across all switches in its FlexNetwork architecture in 2012.

OpenFlow is an open standard that enables users to configure networking environments to their specifications. It enables researchers to run experimental protocols in networks built out of standard equipment, without requiring vendors to expose design details of their products.

Bethany Mayer, senior VP and general manager at HP Networking, said HP was an early innovator of the standard. The company supported more than 60 universities and research centers in trials of the technology.

“With more than 10m OpenFlow-capable switch ports deployed and the broadest portfolio currently available on the market, HP is leading the move to the OpenFlow standard and further simplifying networks for our enterprise clients,” she said.

All major network vendors, Internet companies and other high-tech firms are members of the Open Networking Foundation (ONF), which developed OpenFlow. Members include Cisco, Juniper, Dell, IBM and Brocade, as well as Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo! among many others.

Organizations that have deployed HP’s OpenFlow-enabled switched include Indiana University, Stanford University and the Global Environment for Network Innovations Project (GENI Project).

First version of OpenFlow was developed at Stanford and the ONF, which was created in March 2011, approved version 1.2 in December 2011. The group is working to launch OpenFlow 1.3 in April.