Cisco opening up IOS - Network World

Skip Links

DNSstuff.com
Get information about your IP
IP Information
50+ On-demand DNS and network tools

LANs & WANs

Videos

rssRss Feed
Get instant email notification when white papers, webcasts, executive guides are added to our library.  Stay informed and up-to-date with the latest on IT Technologies with Network World's Resource Alerts.
Audio

Microsoft posts preview versions of server bundles; $150 million funding for BlackBerry start-ups. Listen now!

Network World 360

HP to buy EDS; VMware tackles management, disaster recovery . Listen now!

Network World 360

Additional Resources

RSS

FEATURED REPORTS

Executive Guide: Storage Heats Up HP

Get the latest on storage technologies that allow IT professionals to better cope with new IT demands. Learn how storage technologies can help you successfully tackle e-Discover, regulatory compliance, green data center initiatives and the data explosion. Get all the details now.

RSS

FEATURED WEBCASTS

Reduce the Complexity and Cost of Windows Server Consolidation in Six Modules Novell

Watch this webcast to learn in six modules how to more cost effectively consolidate your Windows servers with virtualization. This unique program allows you to pick and choose which of the six modules you would like to view or watch the entire webcast at once. Topics covered: Performance, Use Cases, Enterprise-level Support, Managing Windows Workloads, Setup and Configuration and The Future. Find out how you can simplify server consolidation within your organization today. Register below to learn more and be entered to win an Archos 605 Portable Media Player.

IT Buyer's Guides

View All Buyer's Guides

Free Newsletters

Sign up and receive the latest news, reviews and trends on your favorite technology topics

Save The Date!
What They Are Saying

Nope, because I don't get viruses...I use linux. Spam I can live with. Freedom of choice all the way!- Anon e mouse

Join the Discussion

Partner Content

Cure Poor Application Performance

Nets often take the blame for slow performance when the culprit is poor running apps. Learn how to find the source of the problem.

Download whitepaper now

Improve your Network View

Better manage IT projects, solve network problems and support IT initiatives with integrated network analysis solutions.

Read Whitepaper Now

Rogue Wireless Access Points

Understand the methods of how to keep your wireless network secure.

Learn More Now

Cisco opening up IOS

Looks to make software third-party friendly
Network World , 12/12/2007
  • Social Web 
  • Email 
  • Feedback 
  • Close

SAN JOSE – Cisco's plan to open up its venerable IOS routing software to customers and third-party developers is a bold move designed to further the company's push to make the network the epicenter of the virtual data center.

Since its debut more than 20 years ago, IOS has largely been a closed, proprietary, tightly guarded jewel in Cisco's lockbox. But the company's ambitions to make the network the platform for all IT operations and become a software force are in turn forcing Cisco to give up a little in return – like making IOS more than just a platform for Cisco-developed services.

"It's a significant step forward for us," said Don Proctor, senior vice president of Cisco's newly formed Software Group, at last week's C-Scape 2007 analyst conference. "Software turns out to be a key way that we can do what [we've] been talking about for some time, which is link business architecture to technology architecture in a meaningful way."

Cisco plans to "componentize" IOS – developing only one implementation of a specific function instead of several, depending on the image – dynamically link IOS services and move the software onto a Unix-based kernel. Cisco then plans to open up interfaces on IOS to allow third-party and customer-developed applications to access IOS services.

However, no timeframe for doing so was provided.

Analysts say the plan is key to Cisco's heightened ambitions in the data center and software.

"I think it's a smart – and necessary – move to create APIs so that infrastructure can speak to IOS-enabled devices," says Rob Whiteley of Forrester Research. "If you think about it, the network is one of the least programmable pieces of the infrastructure. The automation and orchestration market is far more oriented towards servers, storage and desktop environments. The ability to dynamically change the network is a missing component. However, the recent push for virtualization is now shining a bright spotlight on just how statically configured most enterprise networks are. But now that the network is a bottleneck for virtualization, companies are eager to rethink that environment."

1 | 2 | 3 |  Next >
Comments (9)
Login
Forgot your account info?

Disagree!!! In my field (HDBy Anonymous on December 20, 2007, 10:16 amDisagree!!! In my field (HD Video/VOIP), the router cannot be thought of as a commodity. There are simply too many subtle differences in how each vendor architects...

Reply | Read entire comment

Not about Cisco vs. Juniper, but Cisco vs. MicrosoftBy Cisconet on December 18, 2007, 8:15 pmCisco Subnet blogger Joe Panettieri says the move isn't about countering Juniper's move, but is all about beating Microsoft to the unified communications punch....

Reply | Read entire comment

"a Unix-based kernel"?By Anonymous on December 15, 2007, 8:47 pmWhy can't they just give FreeBSD a few seconds in the sun? Obscuring it like this is at the very least sloppy if not a bit absurd.

Reply | Read entire comment

ScepticBy Anonymous on December 14, 2007, 8:12 amI find it more than reasonable to be sceptical to such suggestions from Cisco. Ex: It was once promised that IOS version 10.0 would be modular so that customers...

Reply | Read entire comment

How much of IOS is Cisco going to open up via APIs?By Cisconet on December 13, 2007, 11:55 amCisco Subnet blogger Michael Morris has also posted his take on this story. To read his comments, go here: Morris: How much of IOS is Cisco going to open up...

Reply | Read entire comment

View all comments

Add comment
Anonymous comments subject to moderator approval. Register here for member benefits.
Have a NetworkWorld account? Log in here. Register now for a free account.
First Name
Last Name
E-mail
Zip Code