Hello friends, thank you for providing feedback on the topics in my previous posts.
While discussing disaggregation with some of my colleagues I realized sometimes we interchangeably use Disaggregation and Whitebox. While it may work OK in some context but there is a subtle difference between the two.
What is Disaggregation:
The name has it all, it is "to separate into component parts". In the context of the network, it is the methodical approach to separate a closely integrated system and/or network into multiple sub-components.
When we slice something we can either slice it horizontally or vertically( don't ask me diagonally 😀) and the same can be applied to networks. The picture below is an example of horizontal disaggregation where the system manufacturer has partitioned his systems into various subcomponents and the subcomponents interwork among each other use well-defined interfaces.
A good example of horizontal disaggregation is the "open line system" (originally deployed for submarine) where submarine network providers integrated transponders of different vendors on a common line system thus partitioning the network horizontally.
The disaggregated architecture allows service providers to choose and select different vendors for these subcomponents. AT&T (and many others) are leading the journey toward production deployment of disaggregated architecture and if you get a chance you can read about DDC architecture(for IP) and OpenROADM(for optical) for additional insights(check reference section below).
So where is the Whitebox?
Disaggregated architectures enabled swapping data plane(and other network functions like firewall, traffic control) from a specific vendor to any standard hardware. This standard 'blank' hardware is a white label switch a.k.a Whitebox.
Whitelabel box helps the service provider save CAPEX and provides CSP an option to "choose". It may however bring some additional effort required for integration, operations, and troubleshooting for a disaggregated deployment. Companies like Cumulus networks are providing integrated solutions with white box hardware provided by vendors like Facebook( yes "Facebook" 😯), HPE, Dell, and others helping CSPs to adopt and sail through early integration challenges.
To summarize Disaggregation is a broad philosophy to slice and dice your system/network into multiple sub-components while Whitebox is a specific action to replace proprietary hardware with standard hardware and manage this commodity hardware using intelligent software( SDN controller).
References:
ONF- Open Disaggregated Transport Network
Linkedin Disaggregation journey
Linkedin DataCenter architecture
My earlier post on Open Networking
"We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret - Jim Rohn"
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