Packet Pushers and Tech Field Day are excited to announce a Symposium on Applied OpenFlow – state of business.

When we published Show 40 – Openflow – Upending the Network Industry on 7th April, 2011 OpenFlow was almost unknown. Since then, OpenFlow has gathered strong momentum and much discussion. At Interop in Las Vegas, there was a interoperability lab showing all the different vendors working with controllers and platforms.

We think its time to take OpenFlow into the ‘open’ and discuss what OpenFlow is, what is does and how we can can use it.

Introduction

OpenFlow has made a big splash after some high profile funding announcements. As we move into the next phase of product development and even early delivery, it’s important to engage with a wider commercial audience to share the vision and the opportunity that OpenFlow presents.

OpenFlow is a standard for exchanging flow rules between a controller and network device and has the potential to impact networking in a big way. In a similar way that the TCP/IP protocol turned local area networks into the global Internet, OpenFlow has potential to change the control plane of modern networks in a whole new way that enables Software Defined Networking.

We’ve invited a wide range vendors and speakers to share their strategies, discuss the possible options and overview the current state of technology. In two sessions, we will cover the technology and the business opportunities of OpenFlow.

The Event Described

Packet Pushers will be hosting the event in two panel discussions. Greg Ferro, Ethan Banks and Ivan Pepelnjak will acting as hosts and moderators. The event will be held in San Jose and live streamed from the Tech Field Day site using the TechFieldDay professional video crew.

We are planning two panel discussions with one focussed on technology, and the second focussed on Business Applications and Design Scenarios.

Order of the Day

• 09:00-10:00 – Closed welcome session for panel participants
• 10:00-12:00 – First Panel – Technical Deep Dive
• 12:00-13:00 – Break/Lunch
• 13:00-15:00 – Second Panel – Business, Adoption and Market Approaches
• 15:00-15:30 – Wrap Up

Topics of Discussion

• OpenFlow vision
• How will you bring products to market.
• Will this threaten existing lines of business
• Will ONF be successful against Soft Switches ? Or OpenStack ?
• What is the monetisation process ?
• what benefits for your network architectures ?
• Are there changes to the silicon ?
• Will the industry change, welcome new entrants.

Vendors and

The following vendors have confirmed their attendance:

Vendors

Juniper
NEC America
Cisco
Brocade
Big Switch

Join Us!

Public Attendees

We are making a limited number of seats available to public. These will be free but ticketed so that we know the numbers in advance. We will announce more details in the near future.

Press and Analysts

If you are press or an analyst and you would like to attend, then please email greg.ferro@packetpushers.net to arrange a reservation.

About the Panel Organisers

Packet Pushers is a podcast and website focussed on data networking. The weekly podcast reaches a highly technical audience of 3500 network engineers and architects, and notably published a podcast on OpenFlow in April 2011 after realising it’s important to the future of networking. Packet Pushers will be publishing the video recording after the event as part of the podcast. You can subscribe to the Packet Pushers RSS.

Tech Field Day is a regular event that brings together vendors and independent thought leaders to share information and opinions in a presentation and discussion format. Independent bloggers, freelance writers, and podcasters have a public presence that has immense influence on the ways that products and companies are perceived and by the general public.