CALIENT plugs S320 optical switch into SDN with OpenFlow support

CALIENT Technologies, Inc. now offers an application programming interface (API) for OpenFlow for its S320 optical circuit switch (see “Calient debuts high-density photonic switch for data centers”). The API enables the S320 optical switch to be used in data center networks based on OpenFlow-enabled software-defined network (SDN) principles.

The OpenFlow API runs on the S320’s MEMS Switching Module (MSM). When combined with an OpenFlow controller, the API enables the S320 to reconfigure data center networks to optimize high-capacity data flows at the optical layer and to function as part of an integrated packet-circuit switched SDN.

The 320-port (full duplex) S320 is designed to create any-to-any high-speed fiber-optic fabrics that connect top-of-rack switches to each other and to core routers for connectivity to the Internet. An OpenFlow controller now can reconfigure S320 connections based on time of day, real-time application flows, or predictive algorithms. This improves efficiency by obviating the need to overprovision connections for peak traffic because they can be reconfigured on demand.

“Now is the right time for SDN-controlled optical circuit switches in the data center because they dramatically lower latency and can provide the instant bandwidth necessary for moving big data,” said Atiq Raza, Chairman and CEO of CALIENT. “The potential impact on data center is so great that it is already accelerating the virtualization of these networks.”

The S320 OpenFlow API will be available for interoperability testing late this year.

For more information on optical switches and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.