[f-nsp] Extreme Networks bought MLX/VDX/SLX - what about future ?

[Wilbur Smith]

The VDX developers are going over to Extreme, so software development on that platform will continue; same for MLX.

I get I’m biased here, but the SLX isn’t a commodity box. Yes, we’re using Broadcom ASICs, but we’re also using Cavium & Xeon-D. We’re also using a lot more of those ASICs than our competition; SLX has a much higher line-rate port density. It also has 36G of port buffers for each module (by comparison Arista has 4G).

But what matters about SLX is that its built for analytics. The entire box is a KVM hypervisor and SLX-OS is a VM that runs on the MP & LPs. In addition to SLX-OS, there’s a separate Ubuntu based VM that a customer can use for analytics & troubleshooting. You can launch VNC & Wireshark from this VM and capture traffic on the fly, or launch a Docker container inside it to run PerfSonar.

You can also write your own code to run in this VM to do whatever you want. There’s a 10G analytics path across the backplane that allows you to capture any traffic from a port & mirror it to this VM. You can then have an application on the VM look at this traffic and take an action, like blocking an DOS attack. We’re bringing over a lot of OSS tools into this VM, like Wireshark, ARP Sponge & PerfSonar, to make troubleshooting & network management easier.

Wilbur



From: foundry-nsp [mailto:foundry-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net] On Behalf Of Robert Hass
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2017 11:04 AM
Cc: foundry-nsp at puck.nether.net
Subject: Re: [f-nsp] Extreme Networks bought MLX/VDX/SLX - what about future ?

The way how Broadcom deal with Brocade IP Business was most ungentle as we can imagine.
My through about VDX - they will not do anything good with that equipment as it's Brocade ASIC not Broadcom. Extreme have 0% of wisdom regarding creating ASICs. There will be no new VDX.
SLX ? Broadcom based. They (Extreme) will expand that product line. BUT SLX is not VDX. It's IP Fabric, more than few vendors have IP Fabric. SLX doesn't have anything unique. Just another switch.
Rob

On Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 5:49 PM, Wilbur Smith <wsmith at brocade.com<mailto:wsmith at brocade.com>> wrote:
Hay Guys,
More info should be coming out on how this will all work, but the MLX, VDX, & SLX will be continued to be developed by Extreme because frankly…it’s better that what they currently have. The SLX is basically the replacement for the MLX (based on MLX & VDX code) and Extreme needs that box. Both VDX & MLX have large install bases that generate revenue. Anyone acquiring those product lies wouldn’t kill them off because they need that revenue to pay down any debt used to finance the purchase; it doesn’t make financial sense.  All those products are also part of multi-year support contracts with the US Government (our largest customer), so Extreme or Arris couldn’t walk away from the products even if they wanted to.

I know…not the answer you wanted to hear (no one in Brocade wanted to be purchased either), but your account teams should have more info over the next few weeks.

Wilbur


On 3/31/17, 3:51 AM, "foundry-nsp on behalf of Jethro R Binks" <foundry-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net<mailto:foundry-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net> on behalf of jethro.binks at strath.ac.uk<mailto:jethro.binks at strath.ac.uk>> wrote:

    It is concerning that the edge has gone one way to Arris and the data
    centre part to Extreme.  What's going to happen to the code which they
    have been gradually unifiying over all these years?  Is it going to
    fracture again?  Or, probably unlikely, is that spun off separately and
    will sell to both units?  Or is there an agreement for one to maintain it
    and the other to buy it in?  Can't see how that could work.  What branding
    will be kept?  What will happen to those relationships you've built up
    with account managers and technical support?

    Uncertain times, and I can't see a happy outcome with long-standing
    Brocade/Foundry corporate customers who want both edge and core/dist/dc
    equipment.

    Jethro.



    On Fri, 31 Mar 2017, Robert Hass wrote:

    > Hi
    > Just readed that Extreme Network bought MLX/VDX and SLX products from
    > Brocade/Broadcom:
    >
    > https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.theregister.co.uk_2017_03_30_extreme-5Fnetworks-5Fto-5Fsplash-5F55m-5Fon-5Fbrocades-5Fdata-5Fcentre-5Fbiz_&d=DwICAg&c=IL_XqQWOjubgfqINi2jTzg&r=l86Fj-WC0GHHSCjQjuUvTzxOj0iW25AHL3VIC5Dog8o&m=LxPHGaJJz2a0asTjkuP6JoRl3HiltgsK1UokSVxBF6Y&s=Quv7QwdpoAUCH2BBkouOwRpgxEEWEHG4bgKZdW12cQI&e=
    >
    > I'm wondering what will be future for these products - especially as we
    > invested a lot of time and money to deploy them in our network.
    >
    > I don't have any experiences with Extreme. Any thoughts ?
    >
    > Rob
    >

    .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
    Jethro R Binks, Network Manager,
    Information Services Directorate, University Of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

    The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body, registered in
    Scotland, number SC015263.

    *** Please note I will be uncontactable 31st Mar to 18th Apr 2017 ***
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