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Elevate Your Career with Aviz Certified SONiC Professional

Are you ready to take your networking career to the next level? Discover how the Aviz Certified SONiC Professional certification can unlock your potential in the revolutionary world of SONiC technology.

Today, we are delighted to unveil the Aviz Certified SONiC Professional (ACSP) certification, a testament to our dedication to improve the abilities of individuals in the fast-paced SONiC environment.

How is Aviz Networks Raising the Bar for Industry Standards?

With technology constantly evolving, the demand for skilled professionals capable of mastering intricate solutions becomes paramount. Aviz Networks recognises the essential contribution of SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) in shaping the future of networking. Our pioneering certification programme seeks to set a distinctive standard for SONiC competence and superiority.

Mastering SONiC: A Comprehensive Certification Overview

Created particularly for network engineers working with SONiC, SONiC developers, SONiC testers wanting to enhance their abilities, and the professionals wanting to switch to SONiC, the Aviz Certified SONiC Professional certification serves as an essential bridge to the world of SONiC. It covers important concepts such as below of SONiC. 

  • Architecture
  • Fundamentals, Core & SONiC Infrastructure
  • Platform, Layer2 & Layer3 expertise
  • Debugging & Troubleshooting

How to Advance Your Career with SONiC Technology Certification

Being awarded this certification is more than just obtaining a qualification – it opens the door to career progression and industry recognition. As an innovator in SONiC technology, Aviz Networks provides this certification as a robust preparatory base for professionals to confidently venture into the SONiC industry.

Top Benefits of Aviz Networks’ SONiC Certification for Professionals

    • Holistic Knowledge: Our certification lays emphasis on all important SONiC concepts, ensuring well-rounded understanding.
    • Industry Recognition: Being the first in its field, this certification carries significant industry value and recognition.
    • Career path opportunities: This certification will help if you want to switch to SONiC development or testing, excel in companies migrating to SONiC.
    • Early mover advantage: SONiC is a relatively young NOS. It is the fastest growing open source NOS. Being in this Industry is somewhat similar to joining one of the giants when the networking industry was starting. And having ACSP is akin to obtaining one of the prestigious certifications in the very beginning.
    • Online test: The test is completely online. One can take it anytime and from anywhere.

    Begin Your SONiC Certification Journey 

    Here are some basic exam details:

    • Duration: 1 hour
    • Format: 50 multiple-choice questions covering various difficulty levels
    • No Negative Marking: We encourage learning and advancement without fear of penalties.

    How to prepare for the Aviz Certified SONiC Professional?

    There are multiple sources you can use to prepare for the SONiC Certification. SONiC being the fastest growing open source NOS, there is a wealth of knowledge on the Internet. Here are some of the sources you can use to prepare for your Aviz Certified SONiC Professional certification:

    • There are a lot of channels on YouTube, which cover the basics and SONiC configurations at various complexity levels. There are also the Open Source Community channels like OCP, NANOG etc.
    • Bootcamps: Apart from this, there are a lot of boot camps organized by various companies which cover various aspects of SONiC. Aviz also organizes several in-person and virtual bootcamps throughout the year. Go to aviznetworks.com -> Events for the information about the latest bootcamps.
    • Basic Network certification materials: ACSP is a SONiC certification. However the major role of SONiC is in handling Layer 2 and Layer 3 traffic. Hence the certification doesn’t only confine to pure SONiC skills in these areas. It is recommended to up your routing and switching skills to at least CCNP levels training. Apart from this you should know about Layer 4 concepts in detail. 
    • SONiC Command Line CLI page: A lot of questions in the ACSP certification need SONiC CLI. You must thoroughly prepare the SONIC Command Line Interface Guide in the community.
    • SONiC Architecture Guide and important links: Community maintains a very good SONiC Architecture Guide and there are a lot of links on that page. These pages must be gone thoroughly to be adequately prepared for this certification. 

    Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving Aviz Certification

    Following flow diagram summarizes the process of getting Aviz Certified SONiC Professional Certification. 

    How to Become an Aviz Certified SONiC Professional

    Are you ready to become an Aviz Certified SONiC Professional? Visit our certification page for complete exam details and registration. 

    Join the Conversation

    We recognize the power of community collaboration and dialogue. Join us on our YouTube Channel and follow our LinkedIn page to take part in discussions.

    Stay informed about our upcoming SONiC course from Aviz Networks.

    At Aviz Networks, we’re not just shaping the future of networking; we’re also dedicated to fostering the career development of individuals who seek to make a difference in this rapidly evolving field. The Aviz Certified SONiC Professional certification is more than just a validation of your skills; it’s your gateway to numerous opportunities in the world of SONiC technology.

    We eagerly anticipate witnessing your successes as you embark on this transformative journey in your professional endeavors.

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    Aviz Welcomes Fadi Nasser to Our Advisory Board

    Aviz Welcomes Fadi Nasser- CCO, to Our Customer Advisory Board
    Aviz Welcomes Fadi Nasser- CCO, to Our Customer Advisory Board

    Aviz is thrilled to announce a significant addition to our Customer Advisory Board. Fadi Nasser, a distinguished technology professional with extensive experience in the Middle East’s technology sector, has joined the board. His expertise and insights are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping Aviz strategic direction, particularly in the realm of open networking initiatives like SONiC and other open-source projects in the Middle East.

    Fadi Nasser’s Expertise in Advancing Open Networking

    Fadi Nasser brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of the unique market dynamics in the Middle East to Aviz Customer Advisory Board. With a proven track record of leading technology-driven transformations, Nasser’s addition provides invaluable insights into Aviz efforts to deepen involvement in open networking initiatives across the region. His guidance positions us as a key player in the evolution of open networking, driving our commitment and accomplishments. Nasser’s dedication to fostering open innovation and collaboration seamlessly aligns with Aviz objectives, particularly in advancing the SONiC ecosystem and Network Copilot infrastructure. With his expertise, we aim to elevate Aviz vision and capabilities to new heights in the field of next-generation networking.

    In his own words, Fadi Nasser expressed his excitement about joining Aviz Customer Advisory Board and contributing to the company’s vision. He said

    I feel deeply privileged to join the Aviz Customer Advisory Board. The exceptional work Vishal and the Aviz team have achieved in promoting the adoption and deployment of SONiC, along with advancing networking into data-driven, AI-first deployments, resonates with my beliefs on market trends concerning cloud and AI developments. Being part of the Aviz Customer Advisory Board allows me to contribute to this vision alongside a team of talented professionals and industry-leading members of the Aviz Customer Advisory Board. Together, we aim to introduce new capabilities in AI and Cloud — covering Far, Mid, Near Edge — for Access, Enterprise, and Data Centers, by fostering industry collaboration to drive more rapid and innovative impacts of Open Source in the IT Ecosystem.

    Fadi Nasser, Chief Commercial Officer, Meeza IT.

    We warmly welcome Fadi Nasser to the Aviz Advisory Board. His unmatched influence and leadership within the Middle East's technology sector are essential to our mission of expanding SONiC's global footprint, especially in regions where its full potential remains untapped. Fadi's profound expertise and significant achievements in the Middle East not only enhance our team but also strengthen our commitment to promoting Networking 3.0 adoption worldwide. We are excited to have him with us, confident that his contributions will be crucial in broadening the reach of the SONiC ecosystem. Welcome aboard, Fadi!

    Vishal Shukla, CEO, Aviz Networks
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    NCP

    Introducing Network Copilot: Elevating Network Infrastructure to 3.0

    Envision a world where network infrastructures stack and its management is AI-driven, data-centric, flexible, cost effective and transformative as the most ambitious technological endeavors of our time. That’s precisely the future Aviz is steering the networking toward with the launch of Network Copilot. This isn’t merely a product launch; it represents a fundamental reimagining, propelling us into what we’re dubbing the Networking 3.0 era.

    The Rise of Network Copilot

    Network Copilot transcends the typical tech offering. It’s a conversational AI crafted to meet the complex demands of modern network infrastructures. Its design is LLM agnostic, ensuring seamless integration without disrupting your current systems, and doesn’t demand a PhD in data science to get started. Engineered with enterprise-grade compliance at its core, it offers not just power but also reliability and security.

    It begins its learning process with the customer’s expectations – their unique challenges, context and thresholds. Through ongoing network data training, Network Copilot reshapes network management, providing innovative solutions in compliance, capacity planning, troubleshooting, and more. The core of its innovation is the “Prompt Engineer as a Service” feature, which allows users to customize use cases to their specific needs. This ensures that Network Copilot not only meets but also anticipates the evolving needs of its users, setting a new standard for customization and efficiency in network infrastructure management.

    Experience the future of network management with Network Copilot, an innovative AI solution that reshapes compliance, troubleshooting, and capacity planning for modern infrastructures.

    Redefining the Status Quo

    The landscape of network operations has long been mired in outdated methodologies. Despite the potential for AI and automation to revolutionize industries, network management has remained entrenched in inflexible, template-driven solutions.

    Recent attempts at innovation through Network AI Operations (AIOps) platforms have fallen short, offering costly, proprietary systems that constrain rather than liberate.

    Network Copilot shatters these old paradigms, embracing open-source technologies and the spirit of community-driven innovation. This approach not only champions data privacy and breaks free from vendor lock-ins but also ignites a rapid pace of innovation, delivering a solution that’s both cost-effective and built to last.

    Beyond the Horizon: Networking 3.0
    Networking 1.0 Networking 2.0 Networking 3.0
    Vendor Dependency High Medium Low
    Network Management Vendor Tools Only Template Driven IAC Or Observability AI Driven Copilot while enabling templates for pragmatic transition
    Support Vendor Dependent Vendor Siloed Vendor Agnostic single pane of support
    Cost to Customers $$$$$ $$$ $

    The Evolution of Networks – How they are Made and Managed

    Network Copilot doesn’t just aim to be different; it seeks to redefine the playing field by embracing the Networking 3.0 Stack. This innovative framework simplifies the complexities of networking components like ASICs, NOS, and switches; fostering a universal approach to network management. This vision is supported by Aviz’s strategic partnerships throughout the technology ecosystem, enabling networks to not just react to the future but actively shape it.

    Ushering in the New Era of Networking 

    So, what does this shift to Networking 3.0 look like in practice? It’s a ready-to-deploy recipe where networks are standardized yet infinitely customizable, thanks to vendor-agnostic operational layers integral to the Networking 3.0 Stack. It’s an AI reality where GenAI not only automates tasks but also anticipates needs, creating insights and solutions on the fly. Finally, it’s a service model that guarantees you’re never alone, providing 24/7 support from the brightest minds in the field, ready to address any challenge that arises.

    The Future Is Now

    With Network Copilot, we’re not merely introducing a new product. We’re kickstarting a movement towards an open, cloud, and AI first network infrastructure. This is about laying the groundwork for not only immediate gains in efficiency and cost savings but also establishing a robust foundation for whatever innovations the future holds.

    Welcome to the era of Network 3.0, where your network’s potential is boundless, driven by open source innovation, defined by flexibility, and distinguished by the empowerment it offers through choice, control, and cost efficiency. The future of networking isn’t on the horizon; it’s here, and with Network Copilot, it’s more vibrant—and promising—than ever.

    Let’s Connect

    I’m always excited to hear from readers. Email me directly at vishal.shukla@aviznetworks.com

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    NCP

    Network Copilot: The Gen-AI Gateway for Transforming Your Networks

    Network Copilot Blog

    The rise of generative AI frameworks based on large language models is transforming the dynamics of human-computer interactions within data-driven applications. Across various industry verticals, Copilots are being introduced to facilitate collaborative relationships between operators, practitioners, and decision-makers through interactive conversational prompts with intelligent systems. Networking is undergoing a similar transformation, given the evolution of data centers to meet the demands of advancing technology and the increased reliance on AI-driven computing. Enterprise and cloud data centers generate extensive operational and application data, offering significant visibility. Aviz envisions leveraging the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) to distill this vast amount of data from Edge, Data Center, and Cloud Network Infrastructure into actionable business-driven summaries.

    Network Copilot

    Aviz Network Copilot stands as the industry’s pioneering vendor-agnostic Generative AI Solution, harnessing the capabilities of open-source Large Language Models (LLMs) to efficiently process, correlate, and simplify the intricate demands of networks. It is tailored for decision-makers, network research engineers, and data center operators. Network Copilot is driven by our ONES (Open Network Enterprise Suite) multi-vendor, multi-NOS data mobility platform, serving as the backend infrastructure for data ingestion, aggregation, and enrichment across diverse datasets, including Network State, Performance, and Application data.

    Life Cycle: Bring AI to your Networks

    Network Copilot brings a practical understanding of generative AI to every networking professional, fostering innovation in defining and customizing Large Language Models (LLMs) for their specific use cases within a multi-vendor ecosystem. This process ensures a tailored approach without compromising on operational efficiency and network security. The journey begins by outlining use cases, selecting the appropriate model, followed by training and tuning to align with contextual expectations, ultimately deploying with confidence.

    Optimize your network's performance and security with AI-based solutions from Network Copilot.

    Focussed Use Cases

    With Network data sets varying from hardware inventory to application visibility, our focus is geared towards the following critical use cases.

    • Network Compliance: Providing insights and recommendations for compliance management tasks, the Copilot ensures that network devices align with business expectations. This covers aspects such as security compliance, resource utilization, and end-of-life hardware inventory. Administrators are promptly alerted to any deviations from best practices.
    • Forecasting & Capacity Planning: Support the network architecture team in strategically forecasting and overseeing the resources needed to meet current and future demands on the network infrastructure. This ensures the data center network operates optimally, delivering performance, scalability, and efficiency.
    • On-Demand Business Intelligence Analytics: Unlike traditional applications that come with pre-packaged analytics use cases, Network Copilot helps deliver ad-hoc business intelligence analytics that suit the spectrum of end users ranging from network practitioners on one hand to decision makers on the other hand.
    • Insights on Network State Anomalies: Leveraging its generative AI capabilities, the copilot excels in identifying anomalous behaviour within the network. This includes providing answers on unusual traffic spikes, deviations from normal usage, or potential security breaches.
    • Troubleshooting & Optimization Assistance: Assist NetOps and support teams in streamlining troubleshooting and day-2 operations by providing extensive visibility into network state information and traffic flows. Identify areas of concern and suggest remedial actions to ensure compliance with established standards.

    Network Copilot is Ready

    Network Copilot offers a vendor-agnostic data platform, allowing customers to store and process network-generated and network-related data through standard interfaces. This establishes an optimal foundation for Copilot to seamlessly integrate Gen-AI into your networks.

    Seamlessly integrate Gen-AI into your networks with Network Copilot's vendor-agnostic data platform, providing a solid foundation for storing and processing network-generated and network-related data.

    Network Copilot is specialized in providing conversational insights into the operational state and compliance metrics derived from a diverse array of network switches within the organization’s network infrastructure. The real-time information gathered by the application at scale encompasses:

    • Inventory: Static information about network devices and servers, including uptime, platform-specific or vendor-specific data, software versions (Network Operating System, Linux Distribution), number of operational ports and speed.
    • Network Health: Time-series-based operational data, including the operational status of devices and links, platform or system resource utilization (CPU, memory, etc.).
    • Network Traffic: Periodic percentage utilization of network bandwidth versus available bandwidth, traffic rate (packets/sec), drops due to network errors, congestion, and unintentional discards.

    Copilot offers a Chat-GPT-like experience, delivering responses based on its extensive training. Users are empowered to save and export new questions tailored to specific customer use cases, fostering collaboration with the Aviz team to refine responses. Operating on a hybrid approach, combining fine-tuned and retrieval augmented generation (RAG), Copilot requires some supervision in context delivery. Users can dynamically load customer-specific context or business expectations into the application to enhance responses related to compliance. Network Copilot is adaptable and can be deployed as a standalone application on On-Prem, supporting commodity servers with NVIDIA GPUs for efficient responses, or as a service in the Cloud. See below for hardware and software requirements

    Upcoming…

    Expand on Data Sets 

    Network Performance: Network Copilot will enhance existing functionalities related to network performance metrics, offering conversational insights into the efficiency and reliability of networks in alignment with service level agreements (Network SLA). This encompasses datasets related to network latency, packet loss, and the reachability of services across the network.

    Application Compliance: Automated insights into application metrics will assist network practitioners in identifying primary application consumers and top talkers. It enables an understanding of the predictability of application-specific network usage, facilitating the detection of anomalies and security risks associated with application data. The datasets encompass application identification for both data center and mobile core networks.

    Cloud Ready: The Network Copilot model will undergo improvements to accommodate cloud network datasets, with a focus on application compliance, performance, and usage. This enhancement involves gathering diverse data through standardized APIs, logs, and importing from cloud storage.

    Improvise Model for Customers

    As Network Copilot receives feedback from customers, the content—comprising network state, performance and application datasets, along with contextual feedback collected from various environments—will facilitate the refinement of pre-trained large language models and the persistence of custom models. This process enables domain adaptation and adjustment to the network supportability domain. Exploration of Unsupervised RAG Approaches at Scale: Initiatives will focus on delving into unsupervised, purely data-driven, multimodal retrieval of contextually relevant information from both internal and external sources, encompassing both static and dynamic data. 

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    ONES

    SONiC Network Operating System (NOS) Support vs SONiC Network Operation (NetOps) Support Demystified

    SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) Network Operating System (NOS) has seen a huge surge in its popularity and adoption in the last few years. Originally developed by Microsoft and subsequently open-sourced, it offers a versatile, modular, and hardware-agnostic platform that decouples the switching hardware from the software running on it. This allows the much-needed flexibility in networking hardware choices for the enterprise. The openness of SONiC and the customer demands have prompted a majority of hardware vendors to support SONiC on their switches. While SONiC has become a leading choice for data center networking, and major hardware vendors are supporting it on their platforms, this disaggregation is leading to a fair bit of chaos as organizations deploy hardware sourced from multiple vendors with different flavors of SONiC running on them.

    SONiC Market Revenue by Customer Type (by 650 Group)
    SONiC Market Revenue by Customer Type (by 650 Group)

    In this blog, our goal is to bring clarity to what it means to deploy, operate, and support SONiC and its various flavors on different platforms, understand the SONiC support ecosystem, and navigate the ecosystem to utilize the options best suited to your organization.

    NetOps & SONiC Support Landscape

    Aviz ONES Covers SONiC NOS Support and SONiC NetOps Support in Single Price
    Aviz ONES Covers SONiC NOS Support and SONiC NetOps Support in Single Price

    Operating and supporting SONiC on multiple hardware platforms involves a combination of strategies due to its open-source nature and the disaggregated model it promotes. Here’s what organizations should know before making decisions for NetOps tools and Support options available for SONiC.

    • Proprietary Single Vendor NetOps: relies on a network operations model where all solutions come exclusively from one vendor. While this ensures tight integration and often simplifies network management, it leads to vendor lock-in. Many vendors have integrated SONiC with their existing NetOps tools, but organizations may face constraints with adaptability, potential high costs for changes, and dependency on the vendor’s roadmap.
    • Proprietary Single Vendor Support: refers to a support model in which all assistance for the hardware and software comes exclusively from the original vendor. Much like integrating existing NetOps tools with SONiC, many vendors support SONiC on their platforms. While it may ensure a deep knowledge of the hardware and software SONiC is running on, it can limit flexibility, and organizations may be bound by the vendor’s support hours, and policies.
    • Disaggregated Multi-vendor NetOps: represents a shift from traditional, monolithic network operations to a more flexible model where network components, both hardware and software, can be sourced from various vendors. This approach relies on unified multi-vendor software solutions for optimized network operations and cost savings. Vendors who previously created unified tools have also started integrating SONiC, but such tools lack the depth in their SONiC integrations. So far, only Aviz has taken the approach of developing a purpose-built solution for multi-vendor SONiC NetOps.
    • Disaggregated Multi-vendor Support: refers to a support model in which the assistance comes from a third party vendor who has deep knowledge of the software and hardware components across all the vendors utilized in a network infrastructure. Availability support across multiple vendors introduces the complexities in coordination and communication, which is why it is critical that the third party vendor has back channels established into all the original vendors, with tight SLAs. Again, so far, Aviz is the only vendor that has established well-defined SLAs with the vast majority of Platform and ASIC vendors to create the back channels.

    When executed right, a Disaggregated Multi-vendor NetOps and Support structure for SONiC can yield huge cost-savings, minimize vendor lock-in risks, and allow organizations to adapt more flexibly to the technological advancements in the networking domain.

    Unpacking & Navigating Multi-vendor SONiC Deployments

    SONiC presents a transformative approach to networking, offering a modular, adaptable, cost-effective, and forward-looking solution to meet the evolving needs of next generation network infrastructures. When it comes to evaluating options for SONiC NetOps and Support, we recommend:

    1. Understanding Hardware Compatibility for SONiC: ensure that all hardware platforms you’re selecting are SONiC compatible, and make sure you are evaluating the platforms in context of the feature sets you plan to utilize.
    2. Narrowing Down the Builds for SONiC: some vendors offer custom SONiC builds optimized for their hardware.
    3. Identifying a Normalized NetOps Stack for SONiC: for efficient network operations, you will need to identify tools that not only understand SONiC’s underlying architecture, but also the various nuances that get introduced by various flavors of SONiC. Only tools that are purpose-built for SONiC can handle such nuances, since they are designed to normalize the data before delivering functionalities.
    4. Identifying a Neutral SONiC Support Partner: vendors who provide SONiC compatible hardware also offer support, but that is typically limited to the support for SONiC on their own hardware and their custom SONiC builds. Third-party providers on the other hand generally focus on supporting the community distro. The key is in identifying vendors who not only have good experience with SONiC on multiple platforms, but also deep relationships with individual Platform and ASIC vendors that you select for your infrastructure.

    Aviz ONES & Multi-vendor SONiC Support

    Aviz Networks is a leading provider of open-source SONiC solutions, dedicated to revolutionizing the networking landscape with their unique approach. We firmly believe in SONiC’s potential as the future of networking and focus on delivering purpose-built tools and solutions specifically designed for its ecosystem.

    With over 100 man-years of experience across various hardware platforms, Aviz Networks has developed their flagship platform, Open Networking Enterprise Suite (ONES). ONES is designed to work seamlessly with any SONiC on any platform, regardless of the underlying ASIC.

    As a testament to our commitment to open networking, we have established strong relationships with the majority of platform, ASIC, and OS vendors. Our highly skilled SONiC support team, along with ONES, are used by businesses worldwide to effectively deploy, operate, and support SONiC across diverse hardware environments.

    Experience the Power of ONES and the ONE Center!

    Aviz Networks invites you to experience firsthand the transformative power of ONES and our Multi-vendor SONiC Support. Visit the state-of-the-art Open Networking Experience Center (ONE Center), either online or in-person, and discover the possibilities of SONiC across a wide range of hardware. Take advantage of a free, hands-on experience and explore how SONiC can optimize your network operations. Test our well-known vendors in hardware, platforms, ASIC, and OS environments, including Cisco SONiC, NVIDIA SONiC, Celestica SONiC, Marvell SONiC, Wistron SONiC, Edgecore Community SONiC, Arista SONiC, Supermicro SONiC, Enterprise SONiC, and DELL SONiC before your SONiC deployments.

    Schedule your demo today and unleash the potential of your network!

    Benefits of Aviz Solutions:

    • Open-source based: Leverages the flexibility and scalability of SONiC
    • Platform-agnostic: Works with any SONiC on any platform, with any underlying ASIC
    • Comprehensive solutions: Offers a complete suite of tools for deployment, operation, and support
    • Expert support: Provides access to a highly qualified SONiC support team
    • Free trial: Experience the capabilities of ONES and the ONE Center firsthand

    Contact Aviz Networks today to learn more about their innovative solutions and unlock the potential of SONiC for your business.

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    Future-Proof Networking: Harnessing the Power of SONiC in Vendor-Neutral Data Center Environments

    Optimizing Data Center Networks: The Role of IP Clos Architecture and BGP Protocol

    In contemporary data center networks, the IP Clos (IP-based Cloud Scale Networking) architecture is widely embraced for its ability to deliver a non-blocking high-bandwidth network fabric, low latency, and scalable connectivity between servers and switches, while ensuring fault tolerance. Central to the success of the IP Clos architecture is the utilization of the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) as the routing protocol. 

    BGP stands out due to its features in traffic engineering, scalability, and adaptable routing, making it well-suited for the demands of modern data center environments. BGP is the protocol responsible for orchestrating internet routing, optimizing path selection through Autonomous Systems (AS), peering mechanisms, and configurable attributes.

    The IP Clos network architecture is not a recent development, having been in existence for a decade and extensively implemented in large-scale data centers. It has been deployed using proprietary Network Operating Systems (NOS) and switches from specific vendors, showcasing its enduring relevance and effectiveness in meeting the evolving needs of data center networking

    ‍

    Key Features of SONiC That Make It Stand Out from Traditional NOS

    Our Journey with SONiC

    “When I joined the Aviz network, I was excited about its vision and approach to enabling IP Clos architecture through open source, any vendor, and any switch combination. Being an engineer, I am all praises for open source for three reasons. First, it’s free; second is community support. And the third reason is my ability to innovate and modify it to my needs without going through any red tape associated with a vendor-locked OS” said by Khurram Khani, VP of Customer Success, Aviz Networks

    SONiC is the first true open source NOS (Network Operating System) that employs cutting-edge  microservices based architecture far more capable than traditional network operating systems. SONiC has amassed a large ecosystem of developers not only in the community but also within a majority of Switch/ASIC vendors who embrace the technology due to sheer customer demand.

    ‍

    The Power of Open Source: Optimizing Production Network SLAs

    ‍

    The Power of Open Source: Optimizing Production Network SLAs

    ‍

    With the great power of Open Source comes greater responsibility on the shoulders of the network operation teams. SONiC being an open-source NOS (network operating system) comes under the same Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that guarantee a certain level of performance, availability, uptime, and latency. One of our initial goals was to ensure that our customers are protected and we put all the right processes and automation in place and execute well-rounded SLAs.

    How has Aviz Networks addressed concerns about SONiC’s ability to support Day 2 operations?

    We met several customers who shared their myths about SONiC being an open source.  The most common one is—will it be resilient, scalable, and have the necessary support compared to the decades-old proprietary vendor switches? Well, Aviz Networks with its expertise in networking, puts all the concerns to rest.

    At Aviz, we have helped Fortune 500 companies with their journey around SONiC deployment at each step—right from vendor selection, use-cases validation, pre-staging, staging to production Day 2 support. The fact is SONiC has also already been successfully deployed at nearly all hyper scalers including Microsoft Azure, Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, Google, and Meta have joined the board. 

    A Guide to Efficient Day 2 Network Operations: Monitoring and Maintenance

    Day 2 network operation refers to ongoing monitoring, planned and unplanned maintenance, and operation efficiency.  This covers all the activities after the network goes into production and is live. 

    Here’s an example of one of the Fortune 500 companies (One of the game developer companies in the US) we worked with. This company’s data center was designed around IP Clos and BGP. As part of their ongoing BGP Network maintenance, the company has brought up their expectations and requirements about SONiC  Day 2 BGP operations tasks.  

    The customer asked us to certify SONiC’s BGP Day 2 Operations capabilities around:

      • BGP Node Maintenance – Customer expectation was to gracefully take a node out of service without any impact on the existing network and data traffic and reconverge the network quickly

      • BGP Link Maintenance – The next requirement is to take a link out of service without any impact on the existing network and data traffic and reconverge the network quickly

    • Network SLA – The other ones was assurance and guaranteed SLA around network re-convergence.‍

    Day 2 BGP operation: Benefits of Using Community List and Route-Map for Node and Link Drain

    BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is often used for node and link drain as it provides a mechanism for the controlled removal of routes from a network. This helps to manage rerouting in a controlled manner when a node or link is being drained. 

    BGP can be used to gradually decrease the amount of traffic flowing through that node or link, while ensuring that the remaining traffic is still able to reach its destination. This is accomplished by updating BGP routing tables to reflect the new topology of the network.

    Aviz Networks Ensures Smooth BGP Node Removal on SONiC BGP switch

    Aviz Networks has built industry-leading automation around SONiC BGP node drain process validation. The BGP nodes are gracefully taken out of the network without any disruption to traffic. Aviz FTAS Automation also ensures that the network converges within SLA and has zero traffic loss.

    Our team performs the following automated steps during BGP node drain validation on SONiC switches

      1. BGP Community list

    The BGP Community list is used to tag routes. It includes a community value that can be used to identify routes that will be redirected.

    The “no-advertise” community is used in scenarios where a BGP node receives a route that it should not advertise to other BGP peers.  We, at Aviz Networks, uses a “no-advertise” community during validation when it’s performing graceful removal of a BGP node or link

      1. BGP Route-map

    Route-map is used to match routes that will be redirected. This route-map should match the community value that was added to the routes.

    Example of Node/ Link Drain Config on SONiC Router

    route-map drain-community permit 10
    on-match next
    set community no-advertise
    set ipv6 next-hop prefer-global
    exit
    router bgp <AS #>
    address-family ipv4 unicast
    neighbor v4server route-map drain-community in
    address-family ipv6 unicast
    neighbor v6server route-map drain-community in
    end

    Finally, the physical connectivity of the node can be removed. This is accomplished by shutting down the router, link or taking out the physical link

    Aviz FTAS ensures BGP Day 2 Operations meet Reconvergence SLA with Zero Traffic Loss

    Aviz FTAS certifies BGP Day 2 operation and reconvergence times. This involves measuring the performance of BGP reconvergence time, zero traffic loss, identifying any deviations or breaches, and taking corrective action if required‍

    Convergence Validation using Traffic Gear
    Convergence Validation using Traffic Gear

    How to Perform Node Drain Using AS Path Prepend in BGP

    AS Path is a BGP attribute used to identify the sequence of Autonomous System (AS) numbers that a BGP route has traversed on its path to reach the target SONiC BGP router.  When a BGP router sends an update, it appends its own AS number to the existing AS Path called AS Path prepending. When the router sees its own AS number in the route, it discards that route. If a destination has two paths, then the path with the lowest AS Path length is chosen.

    “set as-path prepend last-as <no. of times to insert>” lets users insert the last ASN. Inserting last-as 10 times would eventually influence the router to choose another available Path.

    Aviz Networks FTAS Topology for AS-Path validation 
    Aviz Networks FTAS Topology for AS-Path validation 

    ‍

    Example FTAS Configuration:

    As part of the Fabric Test Automation Suite (FTAS) by Aviz Networks, we rigorously test configurations such as the one below to ensure robust functionality, combining the reliability of SONiC’s CLI with advanced testing methodologies:

    route-map as-prepend permit 10
set as-path prepend last-as 10
exit
router bgp <ASN>
address-family ipv4 unicast
neighbor v4server route-map as-prepend in
address-family ipv6 unicast
neighbor v4server route-map as-prepend in
end

    This sample configuration, involving route-map manipulation for AS-path prepending in BGP, is meticulously tested to guarantee the suite’s effectiveness in maintaining consistency and robustness in network operations.

    How to Monitor BGP Sessions with Aviz ONES App

    Periodic monitoring of BGP sessions between routers is critical to ensure that the sessions are established and maintained properly. This involves checking the status of BGP neighbors, monitoring BGP messages, and verifying that the expected routes are being exchanged.

    Analyzing the BGP route advertisements received from neighboring routers helpt to proactively identify any anomalies, such as unexpected route flapping or neighbor reset. With Aviz ONES App Monitoring the BGP routing table can help detect issues and make necessary adjustments to the routing policies.

    BGP Monitoring using Aviz Network’s ONES App
    BGP Monitoring using Aviz Network’s ONES App

    Empowering Modern Network Operations: Aviz Networks’ SONiC BGP Expertise

    In conclusion, Aviz Networks has proven SONiC BGP capabilities to effectively manage Network Day 2 operations. We have proven SONiC’s ability to handle complex BGP network topologies, BGP route maps, as-path and policy-based routing. SONiC is a reliable choice for managing and operating large-scale IP CLOS BGP networks. With its widespread adoption with hyper scalers and Fortune 500 companies, it has demonstrated its capability to handle the evolving demands of modern network operations, flexible routing, reliability, efficient connectivity, and scalability.

    If you have inquiries regarding SONiC BGP or any other features, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team is eager to engage with you at your convenience.

    Categories
    ONES

    6 KPIs for your SONiC NetOps system to scale your networks efficiently – Learn how ONES telemetry module works to achieve it

    This investigation explores the experiments conducted to evaluate how effectively the ONES (Open Networking Enterprise Suite) functions when tested at various scales. Scale testing of the telemetry collectors presents several challenges that need to be carefully addressed to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of the telemetry infrastructure. Addressing these challenges involves a combination of careful architecture design, efficient resource management, scalability testing, and ongoing optimization efforts. Successful scale testing of telemetry collectors requires a holistic approach to ensure that the system can handle the demands of large and complex network environments.

    Following diagram lists some of the key factors that play a vital role in the scale testing.

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    Multiple facets of scale testing collectors
    Figure-1: Multiple facets of scale testing collectors

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    6 Key Goals for High-Performance ONES Telemetry Data Collection

    The Aviz`s approach to software development strives for excellence in performance and quality on all fronts. Achieving high scale numbers for ONES collectors involves setting specific goals to ensure the efficiency, reliability, and scalability of the telemetry infrastructure. Some of the key goals include:

    1. Performance Optimization: Optimize the performance of ONES to handle high volumes of data with minimal latency, ensuring real-time data processing and analysis.
    2. Resource Efficiency: Efficiently utilize system resources (CPU, memory, storage) to support high-scale telemetry data collection without causing resource bottlenecks or degradation in performance.
    3. Data Integrity and Quality: Maintain high data integrity and quality throughout the telemetry data collection process, ensuring accurate and reliable information for analytics and decision-making.
      1. Maintaining data integrity is like a good cup of coffee – you can’t start your day without it, and if it’s ever compromised, you might just spill the beans! That’s why, at ONES, we take our data integrity as seriously as that first sip in the morning – no compromises allowed!
    4. Fault Tolerance: ONES should be embedded with built-in fault tolerance mechanisms to ensure continuous operation, even in the event of component failures or disruptions.
    5. Resilience: ONES ability to maintain functionality, reliability, and performance even when subjected to various challenges, such as high data volumes, network congestion, device failures, or other adverse conditions. A resilient telemetry collector can withstand and recover from disruptions, ensuring continuous data collection, processing, and delivery under varying circumstances.
    6. Longevity: “Longevity” refers to the ability of the ONES to maintain consistent and reliable performance over an extended period. ONES should demonstrate stability and consistent performance over extended durations, ensuring that it can handle continuous data streams without experiencing deterioration in functionality.

    How to Achieve Scalability Goals with ONES: A Success Story

    ONES Scale topology dashboard
    Figure-2: ONES Scale topology dashboard

    The success story of our ONES is a testament to its remarkable journey in achieving the scalability goals. Through meticulous design and rigorous scale testing, ONES demonstrated the ability to handle high data volumes with exceptional speed and responsiveness. The implementation of advanced algorithms and optimization techniques allowed us to achieve real-time data processing, ensuring that insights are delivered promptly for timely decision-making. The collector’s resource efficiency became a hallmark of its success, intelligently managing CPU, memory, and storage to prevent bottlenecks and guarantee sustained performance. 

    Data Integrity Tests: Pillars of Reliability

    • Seamlessly integrated into every phase, Data Integrity Tests maintain alignment between the Source of Truth (SOT) and delivered data, fortifying ONES’ resilience
    • This commitment bolsters confidence in the accuracy and reliability of ONES’ telemetry data insights

    Resource Optimization with Datadog Integration

    • Seamless integration with Datadog for Resource Optimization verification enables meticulous monitoring and analytics of resource utilization
    • Engineers leverage real-time insights to fine-tune configurations, ensuring optimal performance thresholds for ONES

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    Scale simulator architecture
    Figure-3: Scale simulator architecture

    Fault Tolerance and Resilience Validation

    • ONES deploys an innovative Traffic Control mechanism in the Linux ecosystem, validating its response to varied network disruptions
    • This approach assesses ONES’ ability to navigate and overcome adverse conditions effectively
    • Milestone in Telemetry Solutions

    ONES’ scaling journey marks a pivotal milestone, reflecting commitment towards unparalleled telemetry solutions for evolving modern network needs.

    ONES`s Latency was measured under the scale conditions. Subject to scale conditions handling 1024 odd devices, the time taken by the collector to process the data received and push to the database was continuously monitored and remarkable consistency of low latency was achieved under the scale conditions.

    How does the gNMI simulator support scale testing for gNMI-based systems?

    A gNMI simulator developed internally to support scale testing is designed to emulate realistic scenarios for gNMI-based systems at large scales. This simulator allows engineers to generate a high volume of gNMI requests and responses, enabling comprehensive testing of the system’s performance, scalability, and resilience under various conditions. It facilitates the evaluation of how the gNMI-based system handles a significant number of concurrent connections, diverse telemetry data, and complex network scenarios. This tool is instrumental in identifying potential bottlenecks, optimizing resource utilization, and ensuring the reliability of gNMI implementations in large-scale environments.

    Conclusion

    Discovering the challenges and triumphs in scaling ONES for robust telemetry solutions has never been more accessible. Explore our journey, witness the strategies firsthand, and witness ONES in action by booking your One Center demo today. Engage with our team and experience the evolution of scalable solutions firsthand. 

    Categories
    ONES

    Validate SONiC with high Quality Bar for Your Mission Critical Use Cases

    Try FTAS Latest 2.3 Release with EVPN, MC-LAG, ECMP and focus on Scaling

    Try Fabric Test Automation Suite (FTAS) 2.3 Latest Release  – a robust suite of test cases meticulously designed to evaluate the deployment readiness of SONiC. Our unwavering commitment to improvement has shaped FTAS, evolving through invaluable customer feedback and integrating new features in alignment with the latest SONiC releases.

    Exciting news on our journey – FTAS 2.3 is now live! This version brings a myriad of enhancements, all aimed at refining SONiC assessment and streamlining pre-deployment testing. Let’s explore the latest features and discover how they can enhance your testing experience!

    4 Exciting Features in FTAS 2.3 You Should Know

    1. Decoding the Technological Tapestry of Data Center Interconnect
    • Data Center Interconnect (DCI) orchestrates a seamless integration of cutting-edge technologies. EVPN (Ethernet VPN), VXLAN (Virtual Extensible LAN), and MCLAG (Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation Group) collaboratively contribute to the intricate dance of network orchestration. EVPN dynamically manages control plane operations, VXLAN extends virtual networks seamlessly, and MCLAG ensures redundancy and load balancing. This technical synergy within DCI forms a robust infrastructure, adept at addressing the challenges of interconnected data centers. Each technology plays a pivotal role in achieving fluidity and resilience in the overall network composition.In response to real-world customer deployments, the latest release of FTAS introduces a host of new test cases, enhancing the existing coverage and ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of your network infrastructure.
    1. The Advantages of BGP-EVPN with VXLAN in Data Center Communication
    • Seamless Connectivity:
      • VXLAN EVPN ensures uninterrupted data flow by extending Layer 2 connectivity over a Layer 3 network.
    • Efficient Workload Management:
      • Dynamically manages virtualized workloads and facilitates precise distribution of MAC and IP addresses.
    • Scalability and Flexibility:
      • Adapts to the evolving demands of modern data center deployments, providing a reliable solution for network virtualization.
    • Enhanced Connectivity in FTAS 2.3:
      • Explore diverse scenarios covered by VXLAN EVPN in FTAS 2.3, showcasing its ability to enhance network connectivity and foster resilience.
    • Discover the power of BGP-EVPN with VXLAN, contributing to seamless communication, efficient resource utilization, and enhanced data center performance. Explore FTAS 2.3 for a deeper insight into these advantages.
    EVPN/VXLAN Topology
    EVPN/VXLAN Topology

    Here are the VXLAN EVPN scenarios covered in FTAS 2.3.

    Feature Test Scenario
    BGP-EVPN-VXLAN EVPN VXLAN Configuration and verification
    EVPN VXLAN for known unicast, BUM traffic (eBGP) with RIF
    EVPN VXLAN for known unicast, BUM traffic (eBGP) with SVI
    EVPN VXLAN for known unicast traffic (eBGP) with link events and router failure – RIF
    EVPN VXLAN for known unicast traffic (eBGP) with link events and router failure – SVI
    EVPN VXLAN for known unicast traffic (eBGP) with link events and router failure – RPCH
    Symmetric IRB with EVPN eBGP-RIF (eBGP)
    Symmetric IRB with EVPN iBGP-RIF (iBGP)
    Symmetric IRB with EVPN iBGP-SVI
    Symmetric IRB with EVPN eBGP-RPCH
    Symmetric IRB with EVPN iBGP-RPCH
    Asymmetric IRB with EVPN eBGP
    Asymmetric IRB with EVPN iBGP
    1. What is MCLAG and How Does it Enhance Data Center Reliability?
    • MCLAG (Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation) stands as a beacon for enhancing data center reliability, fostering a resilient and redundant network infrastructure. In the face of a switch failure, MCLAG seamlessly transfers traffic to a backup switch, effectively preventing downtime. This technology ensures high availability, load balancing, and simplified network design, making it indispensable for critical applications where continuous connectivity is paramount.Discover the breadth of MCLAG use cases covered in FTAS 2.3, showcasing its ability to fortify data center networks and elevate reliability based on real-world customer deployments.
    L2 MCLAG
    L2 MCLAG
    L3 MCLAG
    L3 MCLAG

    FTAS 2.3 covers following MCLAG use cases based upon the customer deployments.

    Deployment Test Scenario
    L2 MCLAG MCLAG-L2 Steady State with port channel and vlan on peer link
    MCLAG-L2 Member Link Down
    MCLAG-L2 Peer Link Down
    MCLAG-L2 Active Reboot
    MCLAG-L2 Standby Reboot
    L3 MCLAG MC-LAG L3 validation using port channel configuration
    MC-LAG L3 validation, Bring down the member link of Spine1
    MC-LAG L3 keepalive link down
    MCLAG-L3 Active Reboot
    MCLAG-L3 Standby Reboot
    1. Maximizing Network Efficiency: A Deep Dive into ECMP Scaling & Resilience
    •  Mastering ECMP: Navigating Scaling and Resilience Essentials- 
    • Intelligent Traffic Distribution:
      • ECMP optimizes network performance by intelligently distributing traffic across equal-cost paths.
    • Enhanced Load Balancing:
      • In data centers, ECMP significantly enhances load balancing for efficient traffic distribution.
    • Increased Bandwidth Utilization:
      • ECMP maximizes efficiency by substantially increasing bandwidth utilization.
    • Fault Tolerance Assurance:
      • Ensures fault tolerance, maintaining network resilience in the face of disruptions.
    • Crucial in Modern Environments:
      • In dynamic environments, ECMP ensures efficient resource utilization and high availability.
    • FTAS 2.3 Advancements:
      • FTAS 2.3 introduces eBGP support, enhancing ECMP scalability for advanced network capabilities.
    • Explore ECMP eBGP Scenarios:
      • Delve into diverse ECMP eBGP scalability scenarios in FTAS 2.3 for insights into scalable and resilient networks.
    • Unlock the potential of ECMP Scaling & Resilience with FTAS, from foundational principles to advanced capabilities in FTAS 2.3.Here is the list of ECMP eBGP scalability scenarios added in FTAS 2.3.
    Test Scenario Description
    ECMP Scalability – eBGP support Scalability to 16 ECMP paths and 32K eBGP routes
    Scalability to 32 ECMP paths and 64K eBGP routes
    Scalability to 64 ECMP paths and 128K eBGP routes
    Scalability to <number of leaf1 ports> ECMP paths and 1K eBGP routes per path

    Conclusion

    FTAS 2.3 has arrived, brimming with enhancements to facilitate seamless SONiC assessment. This latest release introduces an array of new VXLAN EVPN scenarios, encompassing diverse test cases tailored for efficient data center communication. Furthermore, MCLAG use cases guarantee the establishment of resilient, redundant networks, providing a safeguard against downtime during switch failures. Notably, FTAS 2.3 extends its support for ECMP scalability with eBGP, elevating both network performance and fault tolerance.

    Dive into the specifics of these upgrades, ranging from VXLAN EVPN configurations to MCLAG and ECMP eBGP scalability scenarios. With its comprehensive coverage and improved capabilities, FTAS 2.3 promises to elevate your testing experience, ensuring your SONiC assessment is not just thorough but also enriched with advanced features.‍

    Schedule a Call with Our Team to Delve into FTAS. For comprehensive information before the scheduled call, visit our FTAS product page.

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    All

    FTAS 2.2 Release: Unveiling New Features, Technical Enhancements, and Test Cases

    What New Features Does FTAS 2.2 Offer for SONiC Testing?

    Enhanced Testing of SONiC NOS with BGP NetOps, Dual Stack and ECMP coverage

    What is FTAS (Fabric Test Automation Suite)?

    Fabric Test Automation Suite (FTAS) is a virtual machine containing an extensive array of test cases. FTAS aims to validate essential features and functions of SONiC NOS for Fabric Deployment Readiness. The test cases focus on qualifying the fabric across functions, features, scale, day-2 operations, and chaos scenarios.

    ‍

    Fig.1. FTAS Architecture
    Fig.1. FTAS Architecture

    ‍

    FTAS evolves continuously, incorporating customer feedback and integrating new features from the latest SONiC releases. In a significant stride forward, we’re thrilled to announce the unveiling of FTAS 2.2 in our ongoing journey.

    Exploring FTAS 2.2 Enhancements: A Brief Overview

    Fabric Test Automation Suite (FTAS) is a robust collection of test cases meticulously crafted to evaluate SONiC’s preparedness before deployment. Our continuous commitment to improvement has led to FTAS evolving based on customer insights and the integration of new features into the latest SONiC releases.

    In our progressive journey, we are thrilled to announce the launch of FTAS 2.2. This version brings forth a range of enhancements aimed at further optimizing SONiC assessment and streamlining pre-deployment testing.

    Let’s delve into the key enhancements introduced in FTAS 2.2:

    • Improved Test Cases: FTAS 2.2 boasts refined test cases tailored to comprehensively evaluate SONiC’s functionalities, ensuring a more robust assessment process.
    • Enhanced Performance Metrics: We’ve implemented enhanced performance metrics in FTAS 2.2 to provide more detailed insights into SONiC’s performance, facilitating better decision-making during deployment.
    • Expanded Compatibility Testing: FTAS 2.2 extends its compatibility testing suite to encompass a wider range of network configurations, ensuring SONiC’s readiness across diverse environments.
    • User-Centric Interface Updates: With a focus on user experience, FTAS 2.2 introduces interface updates, making it more intuitive and user-friendly for seamless test execution and analysis.
    • Day-2 NetOps Functionality Testing Support: Enhancing tools for post-deployment network operation tests.
    • Dual Stack & Graceful Restart Scalability Testing Support: Tools to test scalability for IPv4/IPv6 coexistence and network device restart.
    • ECMP Scalability Testing Support: Focus on testing Equal-Cost Multi-Path routing efficiency.‍
    • Improved Root Cause Analysis: Streamlined troubleshooting for identifying and resolving rare network issues faster.

    What are the new features and improvements that FTAS offers?

    Use Cases Covered 

    Based upon the customer deployments, the FTAS latest release is packed with new test cases to enhance the existing coverage.

    Layer 3

    BGP NetOps

    BGP is often used for node and link drain during NetOps operations, as it provides a mechanism for the controlled removal of routes from a network. When a node or link is being drained, BGP can be used to gradually decrease the amount of traffic flowing through that node or link, while ensuring that the remaining traffic is still able to reach its destination. This is accomplished by updating BGP routing tables to reflect the new topology of the network.

    The latest addition to FTAS is coverage of Day-2 NetOps operations like link drain and node drain using route maps. This coverage has been added based upon the existing customer use cases and will be expanded with future releases. 

    Test ScenarioDescription
    BGP NetopseBGP multi-AS config, adjacency, route convergence and data path using routed interface
    eBGP multi-AS route convergence and data path testing using loopback
    Node drain/restore by applying deny/permit route-maps
    Link drain/restore by applying deny/permit route-maps
    Node drain with IPv6 traffic
    Link drain with IPv6 traffic
    Node drain using prefix-lists
    Link drain using prefix-lists
    Node drain/restore using AS path prepend
    Link drain using AS path prepend

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    Sample topology used for BGP NetOps use cases
    Fig.2.Sample topology used for BGP NetOps use cases

    ‍

    The test cases perform various operations on this topology like node drain & restore using route maps, prefix lists and AS path prepend. 

    Similarly we have link drain/restore operations using route maps, prefix lists and AS path prepend. 

    Dual Stack & BGP Graceful Restart

    FTAS 2.2 also adds dual stack scalability and BGP Graceful Restart coverage. The dual stack coverage involves testing prefix,host and LPM routes to different scale limits. The BGP Graceful Restart involves testing the BGP graceful restart functionality under various failure conditions.

    Test ScenarioDescription
    Dual StackBGP dual stack scale for 4K prefix routes
    BGP dual stack scale for 16K prefix routes
    BGP dual stack scale for 32K prefix routes
    BGP dual stack scale for 64K prefix routes
    BGP dual stack scale for 128K prefix routes
    BGP dual stack scale for 32K host routes
    BGP dual stack scale for 32K LPM routes
    BGP dual stack scale for 32K prefix routes with subnet mask
    Graceful RestartBGP graceful restart with dual stack scale to 32K prefix routes
    Enable/disable BGP graceful restart with dual stack scale to 32K prefix routes
    BGP graceful restart with dual stack scale to 32K prefix routes and docker restart
    BGP graceful restart with dual stack scale to 32K prefix routes and kill BGP process

    ECMP Scalability

    In the latest FTAS release, we have also added validating the device functionality with various ECMP path and route scalability combinations. Here are various scenarios covered in FTAS 2.2:

    Test ScenarioDescription
    ECMP Scale16 ECMP paths and 32K routes
    32 ECMP paths and 64K routes
    64 ECMP paths and 128K routes
    Scalability to the “device ports” ECMP paths and 1K routes per path

    Besides the feature and scalability enhancements, the latest release has also added the coverage of Dynamic Port Breakout feature. Dynamic Port Breakout in SONiC enables the administrator to change the breakout mode of the port without having to change the HWSKU/Profile of the device which requires device reboot. This FTAS release has basic coverage of Dynamic Port Breakout testing. This coverage is going to increase in future releases. 

    In previous FTAS releases, SONiC resilience was tested with port-channel configurations on DUT links. Thanks to valuable customer feedback, these tests can now be conducted without the need for port-channel configurations as well

    Enhanced Failure Analysis

    We pay close attention to the inputs from FTAS users. These users feed us data about how easy or difficult it is to operate FTAS UI and the changes they would like to see to make their experience better.  FTAS 2.2 introduces significant enhancements aimed at elevating the user’s debugging experience to new levels of efficiency and effectiveness.

    Recognizing the significance of tech support data in pinpointing elusive failures, our latest release introduces a mechanism to automatically collect tech support dumps for all devices whenever a test case encounters a failure. Access the tech support dump within the test report folder for the corresponding run.

    Similar to tech support, collection of syslogs also helps in the root-cause analysis of the failures. Our latest release collects the syslogs for all DUTs for each test case. Like tech support dumps, the syslogs are also saved in the test report folder. 

    Likewise FTAS 2.2 has another useful enhancement to display DOM information to debug port issues. This data is captured in the test log whenever we encounter port issues e.g. if the port fails to activate in a test case. In some corner cases, these port issues may not be easily reproducible. Hence it is important to capture as much data as possible as and when the failure occurs during the run. The DOM data along with Syslog and Tech Support dump comes handy in narrowing down the underlying cause. This helps us release the SONiC image without corner case issues.

    FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About FTAs 2.2

    How does FTAS 2.2 differ from the previous versions?

    • Coverage of BGP Netops
    • Increased dual stack scalability coverage
    • Increased ECMP scalability coverage
    • Auto collection of information to assist in debugging – techsupport bundle, syslog, DOM output

    How does it help you achieve your goals and meet your expectations?

    • Support for testing Day-2 NetOps functionality
    • Support for testing Dual Stack & Graceful Restart scalability
    • Support for testing ECMP scalability
    • Easier and faster root cause analysis of the corner cases

    Conclusion:

    At Aviz, we’re dedicated to continually improving FTAS to empower your SONiC deployment process. Stay tuned for more updates on our journey to enhance SONiC assessment and deployment readiness.

    We actively gather inputs and feedback from our customers regarding the extended coverage, incorporating this information into our approach to enhance product usability and debug capabilities

    Schedule a call with our team to delve into FTAS. For comprehensive information before the scheduled call, visit our FTAS product page.

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    ONES 2.0: SONiC Networks support with Integrated Slack and Zendesk

    ONES 2.0: SONiC Networks support with Integrated Slack and Zendesk

    Introducing ONES 2.0: Advanced Alerting Integrated with Slack & Zendesk

    In the ever-evolving landscape of network operations (NetOps), staying ahead of potential issues and ensuring seamless functionality is imperative. We’re thrilled to unveil a groundbreaking enhancement to our NetOps product ONES – an intelligent alerting and notification system that seamlessly integrates with Slack and Zendesk. This new feature harnesses the power of an Advanced Rule Engine to deliver proactive alerts and streamline incident management, revolutionizing the way teams handle network complexities.

    How Does ONES Intelligent Integration Simplify Network Infrastructure Management?

    NetOps professionals are consistently challenged with the task of monitoring and managing intricate network infrastructures. The integration of an Intelligent Rule Engine within our platform marks a significant leap forward in simplifying this process. By leveraging sophisticated algorithms and machine learning capabilities, this enhancement enables the automated detection of anomalies and potential issues within the network.

    ONES-based intelligent rule engine goes beyond simple threshold-based alerting to analyze vast amounts of network data and identify patterns that indicate potential issues. This intelligent approach to alerting helps reduce noise and ensures that network administrators are only notified about the most critical events, freeing up their time to focus on resolving issues rather than sorting through a barrage of irrelevant alerts.

    ONES allows users to provide webhooks to integrate Slack Messaging and Zendesk Ticketing for Rule Engine

    ‍

    Slack Channel Name and URL
    Slack Channel Name and URL
    Zendesk Ticketing URL and API Token
    Zendesk Ticketing URL and API Token

    ‍

    What Makes Proactive Alerting Essential for Swift Action?

    The key highlight of this integration is its ability to generate real-time alerts based on predefined conditions and thresholds. Whether it’s a sudden surge in network traffic, a device experiencing performance degradation, platform health, resource utilization, link changes or any other critical event, the system can instantly identify, categorize, and trigger alerts.

    These alerts are not merely generic notifications; they’re intelligently crafted to provide actionable insights. This means that your team receives specific and contextual information regarding the nature of the issue, its severity, and recommended actions, empowering them to take swift, informed measures.

    How can Slack and Zendesk integration enhance incident management?

    The integration extends beyond generating alerts; it seamlessly connects with popular collaboration tools like Slack and ticketing systems like Zendesk. Through these integrations, alerts are directly pushed to designated channels or individuals on Slack, ensuring immediate visibility across relevant teams.

    Moreover, the seamless linkage with Zendesk facilitates automatic ticket creation or updates when an alert is triggered. This streamlines incident management workflows, allowing teams to initiate prompt responses and maintain a comprehensive log of network-related incidents within their existing ticketing system.

    ‍

    Rules: Creating a New Rule
    Rules: Creating a New Rule

    ‍

    As part of supportability functions. ONES also offers users with ease to 

    • generate tech support dumps and syslogs for endpoints
    • access to switch via Console and SSH

    ‍

    Login Credentials and Syslogs Count
    Login Credentials and Syslogs Count
    Login Prompt
    Login Prompt

    Key Benefits of Integrating ONES Rule Engine with Slack and Zendesk

    Not every situation can be addressed with a single solution. Recognizing this, our intelligent alerting system offers extensive customization options. Users can define and fine-tune rules according to their network’s specific requirements, adjusting thresholds, conditions, and notification channels as needed. This scalability ensures that the system adapts and grows with your network infrastructure.

    Key Benefits:

    • Reduced alert fatigue: By intelligently filtering out irrelevant alerts, you can minimize alert fatigue and ensure that network administrators are only notified about critical events.
    • Faster response times: With critical alerts delivered directly to Slack and Zendesk, your team can respond to network issues more quickly and efficiently.
    • Improved collaboration: Seamless integration with collaboration platforms fosters better communication and collaboration among team members, ensuring that everyone is kept informed and can contribute to resolving issues effectively.
    • Weekly Digest: Weekly digest gives an apparent summary of all the logs generated by Rule Engine, it provides summarized details including Metric Name, the type of the threshold, Device information with MAC Address and the device IPs, so the NetOps team can easily get a clear idea what actually triggered throughout the week 

    The Power of Innovative Integration: Enhancing Efficiency and Reliability in NetOps

    With this innovative integration, NetOps teams can bid farewell to reactive firefighting and embrace a proactive approach to network management. The intelligent rule engine significantly reduces the mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to respond (MTTR), enhancing operational efficiency and bolstering network reliability.

    Conclusion

    In an era where network stability drives business success, our intelligent alerting system, ONES 2.0, represents a paradigm shift in NetOps. The integration of an advanced rule engine with Slack and Zendesk empowers proactive network management, ensuring smooth operations and swift incident resolution.

    Step into the future of NetOps with our enhanced ONES 2.0, unlocking elevated efficiency and reliability in network infrastructure management. Stay ahead, act decisively, and elevate your network operations with our intelligent alerting integration.

    Our alert and notification system extends beyond Slack and Zendesk, applicable to any messaging app or ticketing system, ensuring you stay on top of priorities.

    To witness how ONES 2.0 can revolutionize your NetOps, schedule a demo or Contact us today for a firsthand experience!

    ONES 2.0: SONiC Networks support with Integrated Slack and Zendesk

    ONES 2.0: SONiC Networks support with Integrated Slack and Zendesk

    Introducing ONES 2.0: Advanced Alerting Integrated with Slack & Zendesk In the ever-evolving landscape of network operations (NetOps), staying ahead of potential issues and ensuring seamless functionality is imperative. We’re thrilled to unveil a groundbreaking enhancement to our NetOps product ONES – an intelligent alerting and notification system that seamlessly integrates with Slack and Zendesk. […]