How SONiC is Disrupting the Networking World: Breaking Vendor Lock-In At Scale

In 2016 Microsoft developed Software for Open Networking in the Cloud – better known by its acronym SONiC, for its Azure cloud data centers. In 2022, Microsoft ceded oversight of the project to the Linux Foundation, who will continue to work with the Open Compute Project for continued ecosystem and developer growth. Despite its increased profile since 2017, SONiC’s growth has mostly been focused among large hyperscalers and enterprises that have the resources to build their own automation and management tools – and according to Forbes has been the preserve of “Hardcore Networking Geeks”. So what is SONiC? What makes it unique? And how can businesses make the most of it to cut costs and improve efficiency?