Bare Metal Networking and White Box Switches

This whitepaper discusses the concept of bare metal networking and the implications of leveraging white box switches within the tech industry. It outlines how the commoditization of switches is influencing cost structures and functionality. The paper describes the historical context of white box terminology and its application in networking, particularly how it diverges from traditional OEM approaches. It emphasizes the significance of an open networking model and the role of various stakeholders, including original device manufacturers (ODMs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Additionally, the document explains key components necessary for the compatibility of network operating systems with bare metal switches, such as the CPU Board Support Package, U-Boot, and ASIC APIs. The whitepaper also addresses the Open Compute Project's initiatives to promote open networking standards and discusses tools like Open Network Install Environment (ONIE) and Open Network Linux (ONL) that facilitate this transition.