SONiC overview

SONiC is an abbreviation for Software for Open Networking in the Cloud, and is a Linux-based open source network operating system that runs on switches and ASICs from multiple vendors.
It was developed by Microsoft and released to the community as open source in 2016.

SONiC's unique feature is its switch abstraction layer (SAI) that separates hardware and software, enabling it to flexibly support cutting-edge 800G switches. Furthermore, by dividing the software into multiple containerized components, it allows for rapid feature additions and updates.

SONiC is released every May and November, with new features and bug fixes added each time.
Furthermore, SONiC continues to evolve within a vibrant ecosystem that includes ASIC vendors such as Broadcom, Intel, and NVIDIA, switch vendors such as Celestica, Edgecore, and Micas, and cloud vendors such as Google and Microsoft.
Accelerated development to address modern use cases has led to a surge in adoption in recent years, and it is quickly becoming the dominant OS for data center networks.
This is due to the fact that it can provide a full set of network functions such as BGP and RDMA, and has a long track record of operation in the data centers of several major cloud service providers.
Also, because it is open source, there is no need to worry about it being acquired or monopolized by a specific company, and it also has the advantage of being highly compatible with third-party products such as monitoring tools.

SONiC basic architecture

Differences between the community and commercial versions

Next, we will explain the differences between the free community version of OSS SONiC and the Edgecore version of SONiC.

After being released by Microsoft, the Community version of SONiC has been continuously developed by community participants around the world.
The Edgecore version of SONiC is also based on this Community version of SONiC, and Edgecore is developing it based on Version 202211 of the Community version of SONiC, adding unique functions for its own switches to ensure stable operation.
Both are common releases, and there are no dedicated packages for specific use cases, such as for data centers or service providers.

In terms of functionality, there are some key differences between the Community version of Sonic and the Edgecore version of Sonic. The difference in platform is a particularly important factor.

SONiC Community Edition: Compatible with white Box switches from multiple vendors, including those equipped with ASICs from Broadcom and Intel.

Edgecore SONiC: Designed exclusively for Edgecore switches, not compatible with switches from other manufacturers

As a benefit from the customer's perspective, the Edgecore version of SONiC is officially supported by the manufacturer, and compatibility with peripheral devices such as transceivers and cables has been verified, allowing for safe implementation and operation. Furthermore, maintenance is handled directly by Edgecore, so it is highly reliable in commercial environments and has a well-established support system.

SONiC Use Cases

Next, we will introduce a table that summarizes examples of switch port speeds to show what specific functions can be utilized with SONiC.

The network functions and switch configurations required for each application are introduced below.

AI/ML and high-performance computing (HPC)For : High-speed 400G/800G switches leverage low-latency, high-bandwidth features such as EVPN/VxLAN and RoCEv2.

For data centers: 25G/100G switches are the main focus, and features with excellent redundancy and scalability, such as EVPN/VxLAN and MCLAG, are used.

For enterprises: 1G/10G switches with basic network isolation and bandwidth expansion features such as VLAN and LACP.

For retail / campus networks: PoE (Power over Ethernet) compatible switches allow you to connect and power devices such as IP phones and surveillance cameras.

Overseas, Microsoft, Alibaba, eBay, and others have been among the first to introduce SONiC, but in recent years, adoption cases have also been rapidly increasing in Japan. Many specific examples have been introduced at technical events such as JANOG and SONiC workshops.

SONiC domestic adoption example

LINE Yahoo!: Implemented SONiC in the CLOS data center. Key points for implementation were multi-vendor compatibility, automated configuration, and high performance.

KDDI: SONiC is used in data centers. The key points for adoption are the automated construction using ZTP and multi-vendor support.

Mitsui Knowledge Industry (MKI): SONiC is being introduced to a GPU cluster for drug discovery. The key points for the introduction are scalability, avoidance of vendor lock-in, and multi-tenant support.

NTT PC Communications: Adopts SONiC for its monitoring network routers. Compatibility with inexpensive third-party optical modules is the key to its adoption.

Mitsui E&S Systems Research Institute: Deployed approximately 100​ ​Edgecore SONiC and Edgecore switches in a large-scale data center network. Used to collect and transfer autonomous driving data, SONiC has been used from the PoC phase to the actual commercial phase.

*For details on Mitsui E&S 's implementation case, click here

How to obtain SONiC

There are two ways to obtain SONiC.
You can either get a pre-built image or build it yourself by entering the source code of the community version of SONiC.

The community version of SONiC can be downloaded from the Github link below.
*Download here

The commercial version of SONiC is available on each vendor's download site.

How to install SONiC

Next, let's talk about installation.
Generally, white Box switches are equipped with ONIE (Open Network Install Environment), so this is used to perform the installation.

There are several ways to download an image from an image server via the management port after logging in to the device via a console connection, or to import an image from a USB to the switch. In our lab, we use a method where the image is downloaded automatically from a DHCP server.

*Reference materials can be found here