Craft your Next-Gen, Open, and AI-Ready Data Center with SONiC and Cisco 8000

[ad_1] Assembly the wants of each buyer within the AI period Because the calls for of AI and machine studying (AI/ML) proceed to surge, organizations of each measurement—together with enterprises, service suppliers, neoclouds, and hyperscalers—are reimagining their information middle networks. The period of conventional high-performance computing (HPC) networks is giving solution to a brand new technology of architectures designed to ship seamless scalability, excessive efficiency, and the flexibleness required by trendy AI/ML workloads.

Scaling for AI/ML is now not nearly including extra capability; it requires basically new approaches that prioritize open, sustainable, and vendor-agnostic options.

Disaggregated architectures are on the forefront of this evolution, enabling organizations to decouple {hardware} and software program parts. This method permits for unbiased scaling, extra granular management over assets, and the power to combine and match best-of-breed applied sciences. By leveraging disaggregated architectures, organizations acquire the agility to adapt shortly, leverage open-source applied sciences to keep away from lock-in, and guarantee environment friendly useful resource utilization throughout more and more advanced environments.

Cisco 8000 Sequence and SONiC: Tailor-made for contemporary calls for Cisco is main the AI networking transformation, embracing disaggregated architectures and assembly prospects wherever they're within the digital transformation journey. For purchasers searching for alternative and openness of their community working programs, Cisco gives sturdy help for Software program for Open Networking within the Cloud (SONiC) on Cisco 8000 Sequence switches powered by Silicon One. This resolution empowers organizations to pick the community working system that most closely fits their operational wants, together with open supply, whereas taking full benefit of Cisco industry-leading {hardware} capabilities.

A key enabler of this flexibility is the Change Abstraction Interface (SAI), a core part of SONiC. SAI gives ASIC and {hardware} abstraction, permitting for seamless portability of community working programs throughout various {hardware} platforms (Determine 1). This abstraction layer allows distributors to ship constant programming interfaces to their ASICs, whereas additionally enabling the event of extremely differentiated {hardware} options.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-478824 size-medium_large" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-1-768x602.png" alt="Graphic showing the overlap of Cisco 8000 Series, Cisco Silicon One and SONiC." width="768" height="602" srcset="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-1-300x235.png 300w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-1-1024x802.png 1024w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-1-768x602.png 768w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-1-1536x1203.png 1536w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-1.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px"/>Determine 1: Constructing versatile, scalable, and sustainable community infrastructures

Cisco 8000 Sequence switches, powered by Silicon One, ship a variety of speeds—from 100G to 400G, 800G, and shortly 1.6T—making them superb for each general-purpose information facilities and probably the most demanding AI/ML clusters. By combining the excessive efficiency of Cisco Silicon One, the superior switching capabilities of Cisco 8000 Sequence switches, and the SONiC open, modular structure, organizations can confidently construct versatile, scalable, and sustainable community infrastructures. This resolution allows seamless provisioning and operations throughout a number of distributors and all kinds of use circumstances, empowering prospects to modernize and increase their information facilities to fulfill the challenges and alternatives of the AI period.

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="lazy lazy-hidden aligncenter wp-image-478823 size-large" data-lazy-type="image" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-2-1024x560.png" alt="Cisco 8000 SONiC Portfolio diagram, illustrating the Cisco SONiC System architecture with Bootable Image, SONiC, INFRA SW, and Cisco 8000. It details various hardware configurations for 100G/400G (e.g., 32x400G, 64x100G, 28x400G + 1.6T DPU), 400G/800G (e.g., 64x800G QDD, 64x800G OSFP), and modular options (8808 - 8 Slot Chassis with line cards). The diagram also outlines Cisco support offerings, including SONiC versions, quarterly release cadence, software updates and upgrades, 24x7 software support, 24x7 hardware support, and HW advanced replacement. The Cisco 8000 SONiC Portfolio is community compliant, Cisco validated, and customer deployable." width="1024" height="560" srcset="" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-478823 size-large" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-2-1024x560.png" alt="Cisco 8000 SONiC Portfolio diagram, illustrating the Cisco SONiC System architecture with Bootable Image, SONiC, INFRA SW, and Cisco 8000. It details various hardware configurations for 100G/400G (e.g., 32x400G, 64x100G, 28x400G + 1.6T DPU), 400G/800G (e.g., 64x800G QDD, 64x800G OSFP), and modular options (8808 - 8 Slot Chassis with line cards). The diagram also outlines Cisco support offerings, including SONiC versions, quarterly release cadence, software updates and upgrades, 24x7 software support, 24x7 hardware support, and HW advanced replacement. The Cisco 8000 SONiC Portfolio is community compliant, Cisco validated, and customer deployable." width="1024" height="560" srcset="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-2-300x164.png 300w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-2-1024x560.png 1024w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-2-768x420.png 768w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-2-1536x840.png 1536w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-2.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/>Determine 2: Cisco 8000 Sequence SONiC Portfolio

Supporting various architectures for a number of use circumstances Supporting various architectures is essential for AI/ML environments as a result of it allows organizations to effectively tackle a variety of efficiency, scalability, and workload necessities, guaranteeing optimum community agility and useful resource utilization as calls for evolve.

Cisco 8000 Sequence platforms with SONiC empower three important information middle architectures:

IP/BGP material:Essentially the most broadly deployed material structure, IP/BGP helps each two-tier and three-tier Clos designs. It gives simplicity, scalability, and a mature characteristic set for each IPv4 and IPv6, making it superb for organizations searching for a confirmed and resilient front-end community. VXLAN EVPN material:Superior, multitenant networks are powered by options like EVPN multi-homing, host mobility, and seamless workload migration. This mannequin is right for service suppliers and enterprises modernizing their front-end environments. AI/ML backend material:Function-built for probably the most demanding AI/ML functions, this resolution contains a lossless, non-blocking design and helps a variety of AI community architectures—together with fat-tree and rail-optimized designs. Superior options similar to QPID hashing and adaptive routing and switching (ARS) with flowlet load balancing and packet spraying optimize site visitors distribution. Enhanced congestion administration—together with help for Distant Direct Reminiscence Entry over Converged Ethernet v2 (RoCEv2), Precedence Circulate Management (PFC), and Express Congestion Notification (ECN)—ensures excessive throughput and low latency, even at scale. Moreover, built-in AI observability instruments present deep visibility into community operations, making this resolution superb for supporting large-scale AI/ML clusters throughout various topologies.

Versatile SONiC consumption fashions on Cisco 8000 Sequence switches For SONiC consumption on Cisco 8000 Sequence platforms, Cisco gives versatile choices to swimsuit diverse buyer wants, together with:

Deep integration and customization: Supply code sharing for hyperscale prospects allows tailor-made SONiC deployments. Prepared-to-deploy options: Totally compiled SONiC pictures can be found for instant, dependable deployment. Construct-your-own flexibility: SDK, SAI, and platform code binaries are supplied for patrons who wish to compile their very own SONiC resolution on Cisco {hardware}.

Our versatile SONiC consumption fashions on high-performance Cisco 8000 Sequence switches empower each group to undertake SONiC in a manner that aligns with their operational and enterprise objectives. With wealthy characteristic help, enhanced programmability, open APIs, automation, and complete observability by deep {hardware} and software program telemetry, prospects can future-proof their investments, streamline operations, and speed up innovation—whereas sustaining the liberty to decide on options that greatest match their wants.

Empowering the SONiC Ecosystem: Cisco management, funding, and group engagement Cisco isn't just adapting to the AI period—we’re main it.

We're among the many high 5 contributors to the SONiC group, actively collaborating in key working teams and constantly investing in new options, integrations, and enhancements. This deep group engagement ensures that our prospects profit from the most recent improvements and {industry} greatest practices, driving a extra sturdy and interoperable open networking ecosystem.

Determine 3: Prime contributors to the SONiC Basis

See innovation in motion on the 2025 OCP International Summit! Be a part of us on the 2025 OCP International Summit to expertise Cisco management firsthand. Uncover how Cisco 8000 Sequence switches and SONiC may also help you construct a contemporary, open, and scalable AI-ready information middle—optimizing efficiency for each use case, from front-end multitenant environments to high-performance AI/ML backends (Determine 4).

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="lazy lazy-hidden aligncenter wp-image-478827 size-large" data-lazy-type="image" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-4-1024x641.png" alt="SONiC on Cisco 8000 supports diverse architectures: IP/BGP fabrics, multitenant EVPN, and back-end AI/ML. Key features include high-performance switches and optics (100G, 400G, 800G), highly scalable and flexible fabric architectures, high-bandwidth fabrics with reduced footprint and energy savings, optimized AI/ML network buildouts (back-end, front-end, storage), enhanced programmability and open APIs for automation, and observability, deep visibility with hardware and software telemetry. The SONiC on Cisco 8000 deployment footprint is 160,000+ units." width="1024" height="641" srcset="" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-478827 size-large" src="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-4-1024x641.png" alt="SONiC on Cisco 8000 supports diverse architectures: IP/BGP fabrics, multitenant EVPN, and back-end AI/ML. Key features include high-performance switches and optics (100G, 400G, 800G), highly scalable and flexible fabric architectures, high-bandwidth fabrics with reduced footprint and energy savings, optimized AI/ML network buildouts (back-end, front-end, storage), enhanced programmability and open APIs for automation, and observability, deep visibility with hardware and software telemetry. The SONiC on Cisco 8000 deployment footprint is 160,000+ units." width="1024" height="641" srcset="https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-4-300x188.png 300w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-4-1024x641.png 1024w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-4-768x481.png 768w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-4-1536x962.png 1536w, https://blogs.cisco.com/gcs/ciscoblogs/1/2025/09/SONiC-on-Cisco-8000_figure-4.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/>Determine 4: SONiC on Cisco 8000 Sequence switches

Go to the Cisco sales space at OCP to see our options dwell in motion and embrace the chance to revolutionize your information middle infrastructure for the AI period.