At minimum, we should have open source hardware/software for network infrastructure. None of this closed source Cisco gear where they keep leaving embedded root passwords. I would love to see a proven sel4 microkernel used for more network appliances. C/C++ seem like obvious mistakes at this point given the industry's inability to write secure code. Rust/Ada or any GC language would be appropriate.
You're not wrong about the security issues. But competitive pressures make open-source hardware impossible in the high-end networking market. There are only a few remaining competitors, and since they consider their proprietary hardware designs to be a competitive advantage, they will never release them. Open-source hardware and software can potentially be a viable option in the low-end market, but it won't have the same efficiency or maximum performance.
High end is going to remain state-of-the-art designs, but for 95%+ of consumers, they would be fully satisfied with a one gigabyte router/switch.
I just did a search for 2013 routers (ie 10 year old designs) and gigabyte routers were already available then. While there might be more efficient implementations today, it seems like this level of hardware should be possible to create in an open way today.
Today it could be consumer 1G routers. Tomorrow that could encroach on the 10G market or 50 port switches.
Comments
At minimum, we should have open source hardware/software for network infrastructure. None of this closed source Cisco gear where they keep leaving embedded root passwords. I would love to see a proven sel4 microkernel used for more network appliances. C/C++ seem like obvious mistakes at this point given the industry's inability to write secure code. Rust/Ada or any GC language would be appropriate.
You're not wrong about the security issues. But competitive pressures make open-source hardware impossible in the high-end networking market. There are only a few remaining competitors, and since they consider their proprietary hardware designs to be a competitive advantage, they will never release them. Open-source hardware and software can potentially be a viable option in the low-end market, but it won't have the same efficiency or maximum performance.
High end is going to remain state-of-the-art designs, but for 95%+ of consumers, they would be fully satisfied with a one gigabyte router/switch.
I just did a search for 2013 routers (ie 10 year old designs) and gigabyte routers were already available then. While there might be more efficient implementations today, it seems like this level of hardware should be possible to create in an open way today.
Today it could be consumer 1G routers. Tomorrow that could encroach on the 10G market or 50 port switches.