Federal agencies face a critical challenge: modernizing their data centers to keep pace with evolving mission demands. This means embracing new technologies like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and big data. Nokia Community Software for Open Networking in the Cloud (SONiC®) offers a powerful solution: an open-source network operating system that delivers the flexibility, scalability, and resilience needed for today's federal IT landscape. By leveraging Nokia's deep networking expertise and commitment to open innovation, agencies can create high-performance data centers that are reliable and adaptable to future challenges.

Driving U.S. federal innovation with open-source networking

Nokia Community SONiC is built on a foundation of open-source innovation. SONiC®, initially developed by Microsoft for Azure data centers, has grown into a vital open-source Network Operating System (NOS) under the Linux Foundation’s SONiC Foundation.

Nokia, a key contributor to the SONiC community, has worked closely with Microsoft to evolve this technology into a powerful networking solution. By integrating SONiC with Nokia’s high-performance data center switches, advanced automation, and expert support, Nokia Community SONiC is delivering a game-changing approach to federal data center modernization.

By using Nokia’s advanced networking technology, including our 7250 IXR-10e, 7215 IXS-A1, and 7220 IXR-H models, federal agencies can create flexible, scalable networks that connect different parts of their data centers effortlessly. These solutions ensure fast and reliable communication, helping agencies handle a wide range of tasks smoothly and efficiently.

Why U.S. federal agencies need Nokia Community SONiC

Federal agencies require networking solutions that can adapt to evolving mission requirements, enhance automation, and ensure security and compliance. Nokia Community SONiC addresses the critical needs of federal agencies, offering a solution that is:

1.        True open-source flexibility for federal missions

Community SONiC is an open-source project maintained by the broader open-source community. This open-source approach offers flexibility and control, allowing agencies to customize the solution to meet their specific mission needs. In contrast, Enterprise SONiC refers to commercial distributions of SONiC offered by vendors such as Broadcom, Dell, and EdgeCore. While Community SONiC ensures that all functionality remains within the open-source ecosystem, Enterprise SONiC includes vendor-specific enhancements and extensions that are not publicly available as open-source code.

Nokia fully embraces the SONiC open-source community model, actively contributing to its growth and innovation. As a key member of the SONiC ecosystem, Nokia ensures that all software feature enhancements and bug fixes are shared back with the community, reinforcing its commitment to open collaboration.

2.        Nokia’s leadership in developing Community SONIC

Nokia is an active participant in the SONiC community, making significant contributions such as chassis-based SONiC, ARM processor support, and small-footprint optimizations. Nokia's commitment to open-source innovation is further demonstrated by our expanded multi-year agreement to supply Microsoft Azure data center networks.

3.        Scalable and reliable performance

Nokia's platforms offer multi-terabit-scale interconnectivity, enabling agencies to confidently support high-performance computing, data analytics, and cloud applications. The production-hardened SONiC software ensures operational resilience even in the most demanding environments.

4.        Advanced automation for operational efficiency

Nokia's Event-Driven Automation (EDA) platform streamlines operations by automating tasks and reducing the need for manual work. This integration with SONiC environments makes networks smarter and more reliable, saving agencies time and costs while ensuring smooth network performance.

5.        Security and compliance assurance

 Protecting sensitive data and national security interests is paramount for federal agencies. Nokia Community SONiC's open-source architecture, combined with Nokia's expertise, provides the security and control needed to safeguard the network while offering full secure visibility.

6.        Cost-effective, future-proof networking

 Federal agencies need cost-effective, high-performance solutions. The open-source nature of SONiC, coupled with Nokia's hardware and support, reduces total cost of ownership while ensuring future scalability and innovation-readiness.

Powering the next generation of federal data centers

 Nokia Community SONiC is the perfect choice for modernizing federal data centers, bringing together the power of open-source innovation, scalability, and advanced automation. As federal agencies increasingly embrace cloud, AI, and big data applications, Nokia's networking solutions will be key in delivering secure, efficient, and mission-ready infrastructure for the digital age.

Nokia is already a trusted partner for some of the world’s largest cloud providers, including Microsoft Azure, delivering top-tier data center networking technology. Now, U.S. federal agencies can leverage the same innovative solutions to transform their digital environments and meet the challenges of tomorrow.