Big Switch Networks

About Big Switch Networks

Big Switch Networks emerged in 2010 from Stanford University's pioneering research in software-defined networking (SDN). Founded by Guido Appenzeller and Kyle Forster, the company was established to commercialize SDN technology, aiming to centralize and simplify data center network management. The founders' journey began with the concept of treating a group of physical switches as one logical "big switch" controlled by a single software plane, a concept born from their academic work. The company faced significant challenges early on, including increased competition and the departure of co-founder and CEO Appenzeller, leading to a pivotal reorganization. Douglas Murray took over as CEO in 2013, steering the company through this transition.

The firm's business model centers on providing cloud and data center networking solutions through software that operates on industry-standard, open networking hardware from partners like Dell EMC and HPE. This disaggregated hardware-software approach aims to offer clients greater flexibility and reduced costs compared to traditional proprietary systems. Big Switch serves enterprises and service providers managing on-premises, public, and hybrid cloud environments. Revenue is generated by selling its software, which helps organizations enhance operational efficiency and business agility.

Big Switch's core offerings were the Big Cloud Fabric and the Big Monitoring Fabric. The Big Cloud Fabric is a leaf-spine data center switching fabric designed for private cloud and virtualized environments, automating network operations to match the speed of virtual machines and containers. The Big Monitoring Fabric provides a comprehensive visibility and security solution, enabling network-wide monitoring of traffic across both data centers and cloud deployments. After its acquisition by Arista Networks in February 2020, these products were integrated into Arista's portfolio, with Big Cloud Fabric being rebranded as Converged Cloud Fabric (CCF). The acquisition was a strategic move by Arista to bolster its network monitoring and observability suite, specifically enhancing its CloudVision and DANZ platforms.