Aviz Networks holds SONiC PlugFest to evaluate network capabilities and total cost benefits

Aviz Networks hosted the 2025 SONiC PlugFest at its ONE Center in San Jose, California, bringing together 48 companies to evaluate the open networking software SONiC for various network applications, including data centers, edge computing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) networks.

The event highlighted SONiC's applicability beyond hyperscale environments, with demonstrations of PoE-enabled whitebox switches and enterprise-grade Layer 2 networking support. This expansion aims to address operational and infrastructure requirements in diverse network deployments.

SONiC supports several network architectures such as VxLAN/EVPN virtualized networking, Remote Direct Memory Access (DMA) (RDMA) over Converged Ethernet for AI workload fabrics, L3 IP Clos designs for scalable data center structures, Layer 2 leaf-spine topologies, and Power over Ethernet capabilities. These features were tested to assess interoperability and performance in multi-vendor scenarios.

The PlugFest included large-scale automated traffic testing using Keysight's validation tools, enabling participants to stress-test SONiC's performance limits. The effort demonstrated SONiC's readiness for both hyperscale and broader network environments, providing empirical results on cost and operational efficiency.

Vishal Shukla, CEO of Aviz Networks, said, “With a strong vendor-neutral community, we’re proving that SONiC delivers real-world performance, scale, and interoperability, making it the go-to choice for modern AI-driven data centers while significantly lowering TCO.” Manodipto Ghose, Senior Product Manager at Keysight, said, “PlugFest showcases the power of automated, large-scale traffic testing in an open networking environment.” Justin van Schaik, Technical Solutions Architect at WWT, said, “For enterprises evaluating SONiC, the PlugFest is a game-changer. It’s one thing to hear about SONiC’s capabilities, but another to see it perform at scale. This event gives organizations the confidence they need to deploy an open, vendor-agnostic solution in their networks.” Alan Weckel, Founding Analyst at 650 Group, said, “The momentum for SONiC is undeniable, as enterprises and cloud providers seek open, scalable solutions for AI-driven networks. PlugFest 2025 reinforces the fact that SONiC is a mature, production-ready NOS that enterprises can deploy with confidence, thanks to a robust vendor ecosystem and proven interoperability.”

Analysis presented during the event indicated SONiC can offer up to 40% lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by reducing hardware costs, eliminating Network Optimization Suite (NOS) licensing fees, lowering support subscription expenses, and providing scalability for future requirements.