OPX is an innovative operating system for network systems (NOS). It uses an unmodified Linux kernel and standard distribution to take advantage of rich ecosystem, and also provide flexibility in customizing your system according to your network needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is OPX?
How do I build an ONIE installer image?
Answer
The build process is fully automated (see OpenSwitch ONIE installer and opx-build for complete information).
Which hardware platforms are you running OPX on?
Answer
The current release of OPX supports Dell EMC S3048-ON, S4048-ON/S4048T, S4128F-ON/S4128T-ON, S4148F-ON/S4148FE-ON, S4148T-ON, S4248FB-ON/S4248FBL-ON, S5148F-ON, S5212F-ON, S5224F-ON, S6010-ON, Z9100-ON, and Edgecore 7512-32X devices only. Future implementations will support various devices, platforms, and ASIC vendors.
Which ASIC vendors are you working with for future development?
Answer
We have worked with Broadcom, Barefoot Networks, Cavium, and Innovium just to name a few.
Do you recommend using the Linux standard drivers and interfaces in the SDI layer or are they vendor-provided?
Answer
We do recommend using the vendor drivers that currently exist in Linux today, but we don’t recommend system vendors or ODM platforms to provide kernel-level modules or kernel modifications.
How can I contribute to OPX?
Answer
OPX welcomes collaboration with the community in many different capacities. See Contribute to OPX, onboarding, and Report bugs for complete information.
Is OPX a Linux distribution?
How do I build an OPX image?
Answer
See OPX build system for complete information on how to produce an OPX image.
Why are certain SAI implementations only distributed in binary form?
Answer
SAI defines the common API supported by multiple ASIC vendors. The SAI implementation depends on each individual vendor’s SDK, which may not be open-sourced itself. Depending on the vendor’s license model, OPX may or may not be allowed to open source the SAI implementation.
What is your testing strategy for multiple ASIC vendors to check in code?
Answer
We have an initial test framework which is based on Ansible test suites. ASIC vendors have the ability to use OpenSwitch itself, run it on their platforms, and run the test suite that we’re building. We’re currently working on testing and qualification labs for future releases.
How can I port OPX to a new device?
Answer
See the OPX porting guide for complete information.
Does OPX support ToR as well as modular switches?
Answer
OPX supports both ToR and modular switches using the CPS layer. The CPS layer allows you to configure a group of switches together, and then talk to them all through the CPS layer (as if they were local). Although the ON-Series platform supports it, OPX does not currently support fabric in this release.