While processing the news today over at API.Report, I came across a story about Broadcom delivering an API for managing their latest network infrastructure. The intersection of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Application Programming Interface (API) is something I’m paying closer attention to lately. Hmmm. SDN + API = Brand New Bullshit Acronym? Meh. Onward, I just can’t slow down to care--{"packet keep moving"}.
At the networking level, I’m hearing Broadcom making a classic API infrastructure argument, "With the OpenNSL software platform, Broadcom is publishing APIs that map Broadcom's Software Development Kit (SDK) to an open north bound interface, enabling the integration of new applications and the ability to optimize switch hardware platforms.”, with examples of what you could build including "network monitoring, load balancing, service chaining, workload optimization and traffic engineering."
This new API driven approach to networking is available in the Broadcom Tomahawk and Trident II switches, looking to build up a developer community who can help deliver networking solutions, with Broadcom interested in giving, "users the freedom to control their technology, share their designs and boost application innovation.” Everything Broadcom is up to is in alignment with other valid Internet of Things (IoT) efforts I’m seeing across not just the networking arena, but almost any other physical object being connected to the Internet in 2015.
I think what Broadcom is doing, is very forward leaning effort, and providing native API support at the device level is definitely how you support “innovation” around your networking infrastructure. To keep in sync with the leading edge of the current API evolution as I'm seeing it, I would also recommend adding virtualized container support at the device level. As a developer I am thankful for the APIs that you are exposing, allowing me to develop custom solutions using your hardware, but I need you to take it one level further--I need to be able to deploy my own APIs using Docker, as well as working with your APIs, all running on your infrastructure.
I need your devices to support not just the web and mobile apps I will build around your around your hardware, and the API surface area you are providing with the new Tomahawk and Trident II switches, I need to also plugin my own microservice stack, and the microservices that vendors will be delivering to me. I need the next generation of switches to be API driven, but I also need to guarantee it is exactly the stack I need to achieve my networking objectives.
That concludes my intrusion into your road-map. I appreciate you even entertaining my ideas. I cannot share much more details on what I intend to do with your new SDN & API driven goodness, but if you work with me to let me innovate on your virtual and physical API stack—I feel that you will be surprised with what what the overall community around your hardware will deliver.
