Facebook reveals a next step in its vision of turning the data center as we know it into something more flexible and scalable with the "Wedge" top-of-rack switch and its "FBOSS" Linux-based OS.
The Wedge switch is designed to work with both commercial and open-source networking products. It packs an an actual microserver module (one based on Facebook's "Group Hug" architecture), meaning it runs a server complete with own networking OS next to the traditional networking silicon.
"By using a real server module in the switch, we're able to bring switches into our distributed fleet management systems and provision them with our standard Linux-based operating environment," the company says. "This enables us to deploy, monitor, and control these systems alongside our servers and storage-— which in turn allows our engineers to focus more on bringing new capabilities to our network and less on managing the existing systems."
Furthermore the Wedge design is modular, allowing users to replace the microserver module from an Intel-based Facebook choice to an ARM-based option or pack the repackage the electronics in a different enclosure.
Facebook adds the switch currently handles speeds at up to 40Gbps, but will handle up to 100Gbps in the near future.
As mentioned earlier Wedge features an own operating system-- FBOSS, a Linux-based networking OS leveraging on Facebook's custom networking software.
Currently the company is testing out both Wedge and FBOSS on its networks, but says a number of companies are already interested in using the products, including Microsoft, Goldman Sachs and Bloomberg, among others. And while the Wedge design will be open-source, Facebook will hold at least part of FBOSS close to heart. Does this mean the social network is set to become full-blown rival to the likes of Cisco and Juniper, we wonder?
