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Gartner identifies SONiC as leading technology in 2023 Hype Cycle

November 12, 2025

Recent analysis indicates that SONiC has transitioned from a niche interest to a focal point in enterprise networking, prompting Gartner to shorten the maturity timeline for this technology from 5–10 years to 2–5. This update is significant for IT leaders considering open networking solutions.

Context

Gartner's 2023 Enterprise Networking Hype Cycle has identified SONiC as a leading technology, replacing the broader term “Open Networking.” The updated maturity timeline suggests increased client interest and real-world adoption, highlighting SONiC's effects on enterprise strategies.

Aviz Networks, involved with SONiC, anticipated this change and outlined a five-point analysis explaining the shift and its implications for the future.

Aviz Networks' Five-Point Analysis

  • “Open networking” became a cliché

    Many initial expectations surrounding open networking, which promised flexibility and reduced total costs, were only partially met. Most available products closely resembled proprietary offerings rather than achieving broader openness, leading to disillusionment.

  • Incumbents and public cloud outpaced “open networking”

    Major vendors dominate the market and have progressed faster than many open networking startups focused narrowly on specific technologies like Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), thus compromising broader goals such as cloud adaptability.

  • Disaggregated Network Optimization Suite (NOS) still introduced lock-in

    While some components of disaggregated systems incorporated open source, customers often found themselves locked into proprietary NOS vendors, which retained control over critical systems.

  • Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) dropped—OpEx didn't

    Despite decreased hardware costs, operational expenditures remained high due to ongoing licensing and support costs. Greater efficiency in both CAPEX and Operational Expenditure (OpEx) is crucial for realizing total cost savings.

  • SONiC completes the open-networking vision

    SONiC's model offers a fully open-source NOS, enabling broader vendor support and community engagement. This framework allows customers greater flexibility in choice, control, and potential cost savings without vendor lock-in.

    • Choice: Compatible with any vendor hardware.
    • Control: Avoids single-vendor dependence for network operations.
    • Savings: Only cost for enterprise-level support is incurred.

Gartner’s Shift Aligns with Customer Goals

Common objectives among enterprise networking teams now include the need for advanced features in next-gen workloads, minimizing dependency on single vendors, and achieving predictable improvements in Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

Aviz Networks collaborates with customers and partners to facilitate SONiC's deployment, ensuring the support structure and methodologies necessary for successful integration across various environments.

Conclusion

This blog analyzes the evolving role of SONiC within the enterprise networking landscape and reflects the growing adoption of open-source solutions aligned with customer demands. Decision Insights readers can derive valuable information on SONiC’s integration potential and operational efficiencies emerging from this shift.

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