Force10 pitches Open Cloud Networking platform

Force10 Networks has released a platform designed to offer an open format for enterprise networks.

Open Cloud Networking provides a standards-based format which allows companies to build networks using multiple vendors and platforms.

Jeff Baher, senior director of product marketing at Force10, told V3.co.uk that the platform offers an open alternative to vendors such as Cisco and Juniper.

"Relatively speaking, networking has remained closed. There isn't as much choice and the rate of innovation is significantly less. What we are doing is breaking that block which seems to be boxing in customers," he said.

Open Cloud Networking is optimised to work with a large group of third-party vendors and services, rather than a select group of partners which have optimised for a proprietary platform.

To help push the platform, Force10 has unveiled new appliances for the core network and top-of-rack networking level. The Z-series provides switching at the core networking level, while the S7000 appliance offers better integration for custom applications on the network.

Additionally, Force10 has released a series of software tools which provide L2 Trill support as well as open source automation and virtualisation tools.

Baher said that the appliances and software are the first parts of the larger Open Cloud Networking platform and the company's philosophy that organisations are better served by an open networking platform and strong third-party support than by a proprietary system.

"We have a much more savvy customer base now, and in some cases they know a lot more about their network than any vendor does," he said. "There are a lot of forces out there that make open platforms more comforting than scary."