ONOS

ONOS
Name	ONOS
Developer	Open Networking Foundation
Released	2014
Programming language	Java
Operating system	Linux
License	Apache License 2.0

ONOS is an open-source, carrier-grade network operating system designed for building scalable, high-availability software-defined networking (SDN) solutions. It provides a platform for network control plane applications, enabling programmable control over forwarding elements and integration with orchestration systems. ONOS targets service providers, cloud operators, and research institutions seeking distributed control, fault tolerance, and performance for large networks.

Overview

ONOS positions itself among network controller projects alongside OpenDaylight, Ryu (software), Floodlight (software), NOX (network operating system), and Beacon (software), emphasizing clustering and scalability for service-provider environments. It interacts with protocols and technologies such as OpenFlow, NETCONF, RESTful API, gRPC, and BGP to manage forwarding state on devices from vendors like Cisco Systems, Juniper Networks, Arista Networks, and Pica8. The platform is implemented in Java (programming language) and is commonly deployed on Ubuntu, CentOS, and other Linux distributions within production environments operated by entities like Deutsche Telekom, NTT Communications, and research networks such as GENI testbeds.

History and Development

ONOS originated from research initiatives and industry collaboration initiated in the early 2010s, driven by organizations including the Open Networking Laboratory and the Open Networking Foundation. Early development aligned with programs at Stanford University and UC Berkeley that explored SDN architectures exemplified by projects such as Ethane and OpenFlow. The initial public release in 2014 followed contributions from corporations like Telefonica, AT&T, Huawei, and Ericsson and academic partners including Princeton University and University of California, Los Angeles. Milestones include integration with OpenStack, participation in interoperability events like Open Networking Summit, and adoption in carrier trials alongside initiatives from European Telecommunications Standards Institute and IETF working groups.

Architecture and Components

ONOS implements a distributed, clustered control plane composed of multiple controller instances that provide consensus, state distribution, and southbound device control. Core components include the cluster management and consensus layer influenced by algorithms such as Raft (computer science), the network information base informed by models like YANG (data modeling language), and the intent framework for high-level policy similar to abstractions used in OpenDaylight projects. Southbound plugins support OpenFlow protocol versions, NETCONF, and driver integrations for vendor platforms including Brocade, Dell EMC, and Ciena. Northbound interfaces expose REST (representational state transfer), gRPC, and application APIs that enable orchestration with systems like Kubernetes, OpenStack, and Ansible (software). Application and module frameworks support Java-based bundles leveraging OSGi modularity and tools familiar to developers from ecosystems like Apache Karaf and Maven.

Features and Functionality

Key features include distributed clustering for fault tolerance and linear scalability, state synchronization across controller nodes, and transactional device programming to reduce inconsistencies during updates. ONOS provides services for topology discovery using protocols and mechanisms such as LLDP, flow rule lifecycle management compatible with OpenFlow 1.3, and path computation algorithms informed by classical graph theories and systems like OSPF and IS-IS routing principles. Other capabilities include intent-based policy placement, traffic engineering primitives integrating with Segment Routing, high-availability failover, metrics collection compatible with Prometheus, and telemetry support aligning with OpenConfig and streaming technologies used by Kafka (software).

Use Cases and Deployments

ONOS has been applied in a range of scenarios including service provider backbone control, metro aggregation networks, data center fabric orchestration, and research experiments. Operators have used ONOS to prototype virtual network functions and service chaining in conjunction with NFV (network functions virtualization) platforms and OpenStack for cloud-native deployments. Academic testbeds such as GENI and collaboration environments at ETH Zurich and Tsinghua University have leveraged ONOS for experimentation in emerging network architectures. Commercial trials have seen ONOS integrated within wholesale aggregation projects alongside vendors like ADVA Optical Networking and system integrators such as Accenture and Capgemini.

Community and Governance

The project is governed within the ecosystem of the Open Networking Foundation, with governance models that engage carrier, vendor, academic, and open-source contributors including companies like Cisco Systems, Intel, Google, and Microsoft through code contributions, testing, and interoperability events. The community operates through mailing lists, open-design meetings at gatherings such as Open Networking Summit and IETF workshops, and contribution processes that follow practices seen in Apache Software Foundation projects. Training, documentation, and commercial support are provided by an ecosystem of vendors and service providers including Verizon Business and specialist consultancies active in SDN and Network Functions Virtualization deployments.

Category:Software defined networking