Watch this presentation and learn why Linux Networking is the right fit in the data center and allows customers choice and flexibility in networking.

1. v
Linux is Freak’n Awesome
Shrijeet Mukherjee, Scott Emery, Tuyen Quoc
May 26, 2016

2. Demo
cumulusnetworks.com 2May 26, 2016

3. The topology on display ….
cumulusnetworks.com 3
Eth2 Eth2Eth3Eth3
Swp1 Swp1Swp3 Swp3
Br0 : 10.0.1.20/24 Br0 : 10.0.1.21/24
Bond0 : 10.0.1.10/24 Bond0 : 10.0.1.11/24
May 26, 2016
mgmt
172.16.1.20 172.16.1.21
172.16.1.11172.16.1.10
mgmt

4. May 26, 2016 cumulusnetworks.com 4
•Linux as a NOS Yesterday
•Linux as a NOS Today
•Linux as a NOS Tomorrow
Outline

5. Linux was pervasive even inside networking gear .. Just not as
a NOS 
Linux was used to boot an ‘app’
 Linux provided platform driver support
 Booted the “networking application”
 Every tool/application, stack behavior was re-invented, and re-
invented .. And re-invented.
Linux had issues with enterprise level operations
 Primarily a host OS
• Device scale
• Protocol behavior ; ARP, LLDP, STP etc
 Lacked Robust, scalable routing suite
 Bridge implementation needed scale handling
cumulusnetworks.com 5
Yesterday
May 26, 2016

6. May 26, 2016 cumulusnetworks.com 6
Linux as a networking model (Is networking an APP or Infra ?)
The Linux universe
APP
 Hadoop/Zookeper
Hypervisor
 KVM/Xen
Docker
 Mesos/Kubernetes
Kernel
 Bridges/Routers/OVS
Each builds on each other and is silently
interchangeable i.e Infra
 Even MSFT picked Linux for it’s cloud OS
Virtual Machines
Virtual Switches
Physical Servers
Physical Switch
Router
Today

7. Big events in 2015 in the linux
May 26, 2016 cumulusnetworks.com 7
 Kernel Additions
 Nftables
 EBPF
 TC integration
 New Bridge driver
 VXLAN driver enhancements
 VRF
 Light Weight Tunnels
• (infra for MPLS)
 Link state management
 Optimize IPv4 FIB lookup, route
driven congestion algorithm
selection
 Switchdev support for Mellanox
Switch, DSA devices
 NetCP (network coproc) driver
support
 TCP fingerprinting
 Userland Upgrades
 Quagga
 iproute2
 ethtool
 lldpd
 libnl
 ifupdown2
Today

8. So you believe the kernel will hold you back.
May 26, 2016 cumulusnetworks.com 8
Grey : Traditional
Stack
Red : Special
pathways
What is the Ratio ?
So the linux
kernel is getting
in your way ?
Today

9. Linux as a networking model
(to SAI or not to SAI .. They do not compete)
May 26, 2016 cumulusnetworks.com 9
 Application interface, Portable
and maintainable apps can use
this layer
Innovation here leads to hair
pulling
 Low level device interface;
Simplifies system software
developers, but only useful in the
context of the full system around it
Innovation and change here is
good

10. Linux networking – the path to completeness – atleast data
center
Bridging
 New bridge model, incredible scale
Routing
 VRF, MPLS, Light Weight Tunnels etc
 Continuing performance improvements
Packet Processing path
 eBPF, new classifiers for TC, Nftables
cumulusnetworks.com 10
Tomorrow and
Beyond
May 26, 2016

11. Linux networking – the path to completeness – atleast data
center
Bridging
 New bridge model, incredible scale
Routing
 VRF, MPLS, Light Weight Tunnels etc
 Continuing performance improvements
Packet Processing path
 eBPF, new classifiers for TC, Nftables
cumulusnetworks.com 11
Tomorrow and
Beyond
And then there is SwitchDev
 Network Stack IS the Linux Kernel
 Acceleration of Components with available
drivers
 Your VM and Switch behave the same way
May 26, 2016

12. The topology under display ….
cumulusnetworks.com 12
Eth2 Eth2Eth3Eth3
Swp1 Swp1Swp3 Swp3
Br0 : 10.0.1.20/24 Br0 : 10.0.1.21/24
Bond0 : 10.0.1.10/24 Bond0 : 10.0.1.11/24
May 26, 2016
mgmt
172.16.1.20 172.16.1.21
172.16.1.11172.16.1.10
mgmt

13. mgmt
The topology under display ….
cumulusnetworks.com 13
Eth2 Eth2Eth3Eth3
Swp1 Swp1Swp3 Swp3
Br0 : 10.0.1.20/24 Br0 : 10.0.1.21/24
Bond0 : 10.0.1.10/24 Bond0 : 10.0.1.11/24
172.16.1.20 172.16.1.21
172.16.1.11172.16.1.10
Mellanox SN2700, Spectrum,
100/40G
Accton 5712, Trident2,
10/40G
Why it works :
 Linux provides primitives;
PROTO_DOWN,
ebtables
 OCP provides h/w
 MLAG becomes an
intelligent application
May 26, 2016
mgmt

14. I am MLAG .. And so can you ..
cumulusnetworks.com 14
System Command
act-5712-08 ssh cumulus@172.16.1.20, passwd: ocprocks!
mlx-2410-03 ssh cumulus@172.16.1.21, passwd: ocprocks!
cndemo1 ssh cumulus@172.16.1.10, passwd: ocprocks!
cndemo2 ssh cumulus@172.16.1.11, passwd: ocprocks!
May 26, 2016
WIFI SSID :: cumulus-demo Password :: ocprocks!

15. © 2015 Cumulus Networks. Cumulus Networks, the Cumulus Networks Logo, and Cumulus Linux are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cumulus Networks, Inc. or its affiliates in
the U.S. and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. The registered trademark Linux® is used pursuant to a sublicense from LMI, the exclusive
licensee of Linus Torvalds, owner of the mark on a world-wide basis.
ThankYou!
cumulusnetworks.com 15
Bringing the Linux Revolution to Networking
May 26, 2016