Cisco Systems’ hint that it may introduce software-defined networking (SDN) technology that would not be based on the OpenFlow protocol prompted complaints from competing networking vendors and the OpenFlow community that Cisco was making another vendor lock-in play by offering proprietary technology, rather than standards-based products. Industry analysts say it’s to be expected that Cisco would go the proprietary route as a way to preserve its industry-leading market share, and rival vendors are pushing open standards because that’s the only way they can eat into Cisco’s share.
Network Computing