Open Union, a specialist in open networking based in Sydney, has formed a strategic alliance with L2X Networks. This partnership is designed to deliver advanced network system integration and open networking solutions throughout Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Asia. The collaboration aims to enhance network performance, boost flexibility, and lower costs by leveraging open networking models. Together, the companies will provide enterprise and government clients with access to cutting-edge hardware, software and services.
Punyalok Das, Director and Chief Experience Officer at L2X Networks, stated, "L2X offers network design, build, management, and consulting expertise, collaborating closely with internal network teams, or as an outsourcing business partner on new or existing networks". Das also emphasised that L2X has been a long-time advocate of open networking, promoting its benefits and championing cutting-edge cloud and AI native technologies.
Open Union will supply L2X Networks with premium open networking software, hardware, and services from top vendors, including Edgecore. This encompasses the latest hardware designs for customer premise equipment routers, data center switches, and open software solutions like SONiC and Optics.
Elizabeth Aris, Director of Open Union, said, "Open Union recognises that while most technology hardware is manufactured in Asia Pacific, much of the value is captured by branded equipment providers outside the region, who lock clients into proprietary networks at premium prices". Aris added that Open Union offers a marketplace of industry-proven technology, matching the quality of branded equipment sourced directly from suppliers. This approach promotes affordability and flexibility, allowing enterprises to manage the exponential growth in data effectively.
Open networking is increasingly gaining traction in Asia Pacific and the Americas, driven by hyperscalers capitalising on new hardware and software innovations. Traditional telecommunications providers, in contrast, continue to rely on legacy equipment, which locks customers into costly hardware refresh cycles. This limits their ability to upgrade or change functionalities until the hardware needs to be replaced.
Open networking offers several advantages, including the ability for organizations to separate network hardware from software and manage them independently on a large scale. By using low-cost white box hardware with open-source software, organizations can update and upgrade individual network components without depending on a single vendor for parts. This approach lowers costs while enhancing network capacity and security. For example, clients can integrate AI or 5G capabilities according to their own schedules, rather than waiting for traditional vendors to introduce these features.