On the stage of the recent Open Compute Project (OCP) Regional Summit in Prague 2023, a groundbreaking initiative was announced - the Open Enterprise Edge Gateway. Designed to address a range of pressing industry needs, this gateway promises to redefine the standards of the IT industry. This presentation spawned a lot of questions to me both from a technical perspective and from those that were interested. Let's delve into this project and discuss a bit about how you can contribute to its development.
Read the full story on AWS’s contribution here: https://www.opencompute.org/blog/open-compute-project-foundation-expands-open-edge-ecosystem
The Need for the Evolution of Enterprise Infrastructure
With the ever-growing dependency on data driven decision making and digital transformation in the enterprise, legacy infrastructure is struggling to keep pace in multiple dimensions, from performance through sustainability. The tonnage of data coming from an ever-increasing number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices like sensors, a demand jump of high-end workloads like real-time processing, and requirements for high-bandwidth connectivity necessitate a solution that is far more flexible and performant than traditional 1-4 Rack Unit (RU) servers and traditional networking switching stacks typically offer.
If you consider the uses, for example implementing Industry 4.0’s high levels of automation, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) based applications such as audio-visual recognition or connectivity based command and control, all within an environment of rapidly changing requirements, it’s easy to see than an ideal IT infrastructure requires a new level of modularity, high availability, performance and efficiency.
Enter the Open Enterprise Edge Gateway
At the most basic level, the OCP Open Enterprise Edge Gateway offers a solution designed to address these growing demands. Through integration and a modularity that adds some degrees of freedom to adapt at the field level, and an architecture to decentralize data processing, bringing it closer to the source, i.e., the 'edge' of the network, the Open Enterprise Gateway provides a platform to simultaneously standardize and tailor capabilities.
The 19 inch rack mountable, 1RU system, configurable for network switching, connectivity and processing options, and is designed for edge environments.
This design results in higher density compute, lower latency, improved data privacy, increased bandwidth, simplified maintenance and increased efficiency in data handling through the enterprise edge. The key and novel things introduced with this contribution include:
- A 100% open source hardware and software platform
- Flexibility through modularity for both Hardware and Software (supports multiple use cases and easy reconfiguration)
- Performance optimization for two of the most popular open source networking Operating Systems, Dent and SONiC
- Embedded design, so applications and virtualization run locally, providing multiple services simultaneously. Examples include: SD-WAN, SASE, etc.
- Includes multi-connectivity such as Wi-Fi 6e/7, LTE/5G, etc.
- Up to 48 x RJ45 MultiGb Ethernet + 4 x SFP 28 10/25G ports
- Security with Trusted Platform Manager (TPM), hardware management via Open Board Management Controller (BMC)
- IEEE 1588v2 synchronization support
Michael Lane of Amazon Web Services (AWS) presented this contribution on stage (watch it here at: https://youtu.be/7DV7LZk-9Bw) , and it was interesting to see the thinking that shaped it. One key point he made was that AWS was now able to standardize the capabilities at the edge for their applications. The problem space itself was a bit of a revelation, it was solved by considering the networking challenges from the far edge inwards instead of the hyperscale data center outward.
One interesting aspect of bringing a product like this to the market is private companies can build similar products, however they will only do so after they vet the risk with testing and proving of the market scale and after they make sure it fits within their business model, then they gather budget and begin. Alternatively the Open Enterprise Edge Gateway came to life when the OCP Community decided they wanted to solve the problem, gathered a like minded community of builders and then they leveraged the power of open-source development. This means a democratized development process that invites input from a wide range of developers worldwide, mostly focused on the problem and not the sales of the solution.
This contribution is within the Enterprise Connectivity Solutions initiative, and their goal is (See: https://www.opencompute.org/projects/enterprise-connectivity-solutions-ecs-incubation) to leverage hyperscale innovations and push the boundaries of traditional enterprise IT infrastructure design to create more versatile, scalable, and cost-effective solutions. If you are interested in building them, just go to the contribution and download it- that’s all there is to it.
Enterprise Edge Gateway 1.0 Contribution
How to Get Involved
Now that we understand why we view the Open Enterprise Edge Gateway as an exciting new frontier in the industry, there’s always the question of how to get involved. Here’s a quick overview on how you can get involved with OCP and projects like this.
1. Join the OCP Community: The first step is to become part of the OCP Community. By joining this vibrant network of industry leaders, developers and enthusiasts, you can stay updated on the latest developments and have a voice in shaping future initiatives. To begin, just join the project calls (https://www.opencompute.org/projects) and/or attend some of our events (https://www.opencompute.org/events/upcoming-events) - all are welcome. When you are ready to add your contributions, join as an OCP member. https://www.opencompute.org/membership
2. Participate in Working Groups: The OCP has a variety of projects that collaborate on different aspects of the IT Ecosystem. For example, the Open Enterprise Edge Gateway platform collaboration takes place in the Enterprise Connectivity Solutions (ECS) Project. See: https://www.opencompute.org/projects/enterprise-connectivity-solutions-ecs-incubation
There are other opportunities to get involved such as focusing on the networking through the Networking Project, (see https://www.opencompute.org/projects/networking), or improving the overall efficiency and compliance with forthcoming global Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards through the OCP Sustainability Project (see https://www.opencompute.org/projects/sustainability), development of software layers and so on. My recommendation is to begin with the ECS meetings and branch out from there based on your interests. By participating in OCP projects, you can collaborate directly with other professionals and leading companies, providing a unique opportunity to learn, share knowledge and influence the project's direction. See all the OCP Projects here: https://www.opencompute.org/projects.
3. Provide Feedback: As the Open Enterprise Edge Gateway continues to develop and evolve, user feedback will be crucial in identifying issues and areas for improvement. By testing and using the hardware and software, reporting bugs, or suggesting enhancements, you can play an integral role in refining the roadmap and solving the specific problems in your enterprise.
4. Spread the Word: Lastly, you can support the project by raising awareness. Share information about the Open Enterprise Edge Gateway through your networks, online communities and social media. The more people know about the project, the more support it will garner, contributing to its ultimate growth and success.
Significant Steps Forward
AI/ML and handling massive growth in data tonnage in a highly efficient manner is changing everything. The Open Enterprise Edge Gateway represents a significant step forward in the Open Compute Project's efforts to revolutionize the IT industry. There are a number of innovations and iterations under discussion as well as a number of manufacturers starting the process to build the Open Enterprise Edge Gateway. By getting involved, you not only contribute to this innovative initiative but also gain a unique opportunity to grow professionally, learn from industry leaders, be first to see the next innovations coming to the ecosystem, and shape the future to make a tangible difference in the IT landscape.
So why wait? Dive in and make your mark.