Assembly the wants of each buyer within the AI period
Because the calls for of AI and machine studying (AI/ML) proceed to surge, organizations of each measurement—together with enterprises, service suppliers, neoclouds, and hyperscalers—are reimagining their information middle networks. The period of conventional high-performance computing (HPC) networks is giving solution to a brand new technology of architectures designed to ship seamless scalability, excessive efficiency, and the flexibleness required by fashionable AI/ML workloads.
Scaling for AI/ML is now not nearly including extra capability; it requires essentially new approaches that prioritize open, sustainable, and vendor-agnostic options.
Disaggregated architectures are on the forefront of this evolution, enabling organizations to decouple {hardware} and software program parts. This method permits for impartial scaling, extra granular management over assets, and the power to combine and match best-of-breed applied sciences. By leveraging disaggregated architectures, organizations achieve the agility to adapt shortly, leverage open-source applied sciences to keep away from lock-in, and guarantee environment friendly useful resource utilization throughout more and more advanced environments.
Cisco 8000 Collection and SONiC: Tailor-made for contemporary calls for
Cisco is main the AI networking transformation, embracing disaggregated architectures and assembly prospects wherever they’re within the digital transformation journey. For patrons searching for alternative and openness of their community working techniques, Cisco gives strong assist for Software program for Open Networking within the Cloud (SONiC) on Cisco 8000 Collection switches powered by Silicon One. This resolution empowers organizations to pick the community working system that most closely fits their operational wants, together with open supply, whereas taking full benefit of Cisco industry-leading {hardware} capabilities.
A key enabler of this flexibility is the Swap Abstraction Interface (SAI), a core element of SONiC. SAI supplies ASIC and {hardware} abstraction, permitting for seamless portability of community working techniques throughout various {hardware} platforms (Determine 1). This abstraction layer allows distributors to ship constant programming interfaces to their ASICs, whereas additionally enabling the event of extremely differentiated {hardware} options.
Determine 1: Constructing versatile, scalable, and sustainable community infrastructures
Cisco 8000 Collection switches, powered by Silicon One, ship a variety of speeds—from 100G to 400G, 800G, and shortly 1.6T—making them excellent for each general-purpose information facilities and probably the most demanding AI/ML clusters. By combining the excessive efficiency of Cisco Silicon One, the superior switching capabilities of Cisco 8000 Collection switches, and the SONiC open, modular structure, organizations can confidently construct versatile, scalable, and sustainable community infrastructures. This resolution allows seamless provisioning and operations throughout a number of distributors and all kinds of use instances, empowering prospects to modernize and develop their information facilities to satisfy the challenges and alternatives of the AI period.
Determine 2: Cisco 8000 Collection SONiC Portfolio
Supporting various architectures for a number of use instances
Supporting various architectures is essential for AI/ML environments as a result of it allows organizations to effectively tackle a variety of efficiency, scalability, and workload necessities, guaranteeing optimum community agility and useful resource utilization as calls for evolve.
Cisco 8000 Collection platforms with SONiC empower three important information middle architectures:
- IP/BGP cloth:
Essentially the most extensively deployed cloth structure, IP/BGP helps each two-tier and three-tier Clos designs. It gives simplicity, scalability, and a mature function set for each IPv4 and IPv6, making it excellent for organizations searching for a confirmed and resilient front-end community. - VXLAN EVPN cloth:
Superior, multitenant networks are powered by options like EVPN multi-homing, host mobility, and seamless workload migration. This mannequin is right for service suppliers and enterprises modernizing their front-end environments. - AI/ML backend cloth:
Objective-built for probably the most demanding AI/ML functions, this resolution encompasses a lossless, non-blocking design and helps a variety of AI community architectures—together with fat-tree and rail-optimized designs. Superior options reminiscent of QPID hashing and adaptive routing and switching (ARS) with flowlet load balancing and packet spraying optimize visitors distribution. Enhanced congestion administration—together with assist for Distant Direct Reminiscence Entry over Converged Ethernet v2 (RoCEv2), Precedence Circulate Management (PFC), and Express Congestion Notification (ECN)—ensures excessive throughput and low latency, even at scale. Moreover, built-in AI observability instruments present deep visibility into community operations, making this resolution excellent for supporting large-scale AI/ML clusters throughout various topologies.
Versatile SONiC consumption fashions on Cisco 8000 Collection switches
For SONiC consumption on Cisco 8000 Collection platforms, Cisco gives versatile choices to go well with various buyer wants, together with:
- Deep integration and customization:
Supply code sharing for hyperscale prospects allows tailor-made SONiC deployments. - Prepared-to-deploy options:
Absolutely compiled SONiC photos can be found for instant, dependable deployment. - Construct-your-own flexibility:
SDK, SAI, and platform code binaries are supplied for patrons who need to compile their very own SONiC resolution on Cisco {hardware}.
Our versatile SONiC consumption fashions on high-performance Cisco 8000 Collection switches empower each group to undertake SONiC in a method that aligns with their operational and enterprise targets. With wealthy function assist, enhanced programmability, open APIs, automation, and complete observability via deep {hardware} and software program telemetry, prospects can future-proof their investments, streamline operations, and speed up innovation—whereas sustaining the liberty to decide on options that greatest match their wants.
Empowering the SONiC Ecosystem: Cisco management, funding, and neighborhood engagement
Cisco isn’t just adapting to the AI period—we’re main it.
We’re among the many high 5 contributors to the SONiC neighborhood, actively taking part in key working teams and constantly investing in new options, integrations, and enhancements. This deep neighborhood engagement ensures that our prospects profit from the most recent improvements and {industry} greatest practices, driving a extra strong and interoperable open networking ecosystem.
Determine 3: High contributors to the SONiC Basis
See innovation in motion on the 2025 OCP International Summit!
Be a part of us on the 2025 OCP International Summit to expertise Cisco management firsthand. Uncover how Cisco 8000 Collection switches and SONiC might help you construct a contemporary, open, and scalable AI-ready information middle—optimizing efficiency for each use case, from front-end multitenant environments to high-performance AI/ML backends (Determine 4).
Determine 4: SONiC on Cisco 8000 Collection switches
Go to the Cisco sales space at OCP to see our options dwell in motion and embrace the chance to revolutionize your information middle infrastructure for the AI period.
