HP Steps Up OpenFlow Support

OpenFlow technology has been used for years by researchers and early adopters as a way to build software defined networks. OpenFlow is now getting a major vote of confidence from HP with a portfolio of at least 16 switches that will offer full support for OpenFlow.

HP has been a supporter of the OpenFlow effort for several years, but previously had not offered full commercial support on its switching platforms.

“We have been working with OpenFlow and had a special licensed version available for over four years,” Saar Gillai, Vice President, Advanced Technology Group, and CTO at HP Networking told InternetNews.com. “Now, based on strong demand from our customers, we’re putting out a fully supported commercial release that any of our customers can download and use on their switches.”

The move enables over 10 million switching ports that HP has deployed in the field to run OpenFlow. The basic idea with OpenFlow is that enterprises can connect multiple switches and even networks together to create a flow. Multiple vendors including Juniper Networks provide options for OpenFlow, though HP is the first Tier 1 vendor to offer full commercial support across a large footprint of its installed base.

Read the full story at EnterpriseNetworkingPlanet:
HP Opens Up Its Switches to OpenFlow

Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist