SoftIron Introduces HyperSwitch™, Built On Open Source SONiC

SoftIron Ltd., the leader in purpose-built and performance-optimized data center appliances, today announced the availability of the HyperSwitch™, its next-generation top-of-rack switch built to maximize the performance and flexibility of SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud), an open source network operating system built by Microsoft for scale-out performance networking. The HyperSwitch family includes three models, each optimized for hyperscale data center performance with simplified core networking functionality, and wire-speed on all ports at all times with uncompromising performance.

SoftIron’s HyperSwitch line of networking switches deliver simplicity, scalability and performance with packet speeds of up to 1.8 terabits per second, offering data center operators the ability to build lightning fast, scale-out data centers without the compatibility issues and vendor lock-in of proprietary solutions. HyperSwitch units add power and extensibility by including an AMD EPYC™ Embedded 3000 Processor that can be used flexibly by network operators for network security applications such as firewalls, or for dedicated storage managers, and virtually any other software desired for custom networking operations.

The HyperSwitch family is built with the task-specific purpose of maximally leveraging the power of SONiC, an open sourced network operating system pioneered by Microsoft for their Azure cloud platform. Built using the Switch Abstraction Interface (SAI), SONiC has innovated the networking space by breaking monolithic switching software operations into multiple containerized microservices. SONiC simplifies switch programming and offers operators independent control to build flexible, application specific hardware platforms that meet their specific and/or evolving IT needs. As an extensible platform built for containerization, SONiC can be easily augmented with third-party components and software, delivering virtually endless capabilities that serve a range of needs from SMBs to hyperscale data centers. SoftIron’s HyperSwitch creates a specialized hardware environment aimed at delivering the full power, performance, and scalability that SONiC has become renowned for.