ExtremeXOS

ExtremeXOS® Network Operating System

Extreme Networks has changed the industry by creating ExtremeXOS–a highly available and extensible software foundation for converged networks. ExtremeXOS raises the bar for availability, which is critical when offering carrier-grade voice and video services over IP and for supporting mission-critical business applications such as CRM. A more available network can also lower operational costs by drastically reducing emergency maintenance. ExtremeXOS allows you to extend the capabilities of your network via dynamic loading of applications, XML APIs and CLI scripting. It allows you to integrate specialized application appliances such as security and VoIP monitoring devices into your network via XML, as well automatically configuring edge ports for security and VoIP using its Universal Port event based activation of scripts.

ExtremeXOS has a rich set of Layer 2 and Layer 3 control protocols, provides flexibility on the design of highly resilient networks and has been designed from the ground up to support the next-generation Internet Protocol, IPv6. Even when not planning to use IPv6, ExtremeXOS can help secure the network using IPv6 Access Control Lists and help provide investment protection for your network. Security capabilities provide network access control integrated with end point integrity checking, and network control and management plane protection. ExtremeXOS has been deployed in production networks since 2003.

Benefits & Features

ExtremeXOS high availability architecture and EAPS protocol helps reduce network downtime for business continuity and access to mission critical applications such as CRM, data warehouses and VoIP for carrier and voice grade networks. Its extensibility functionality integrates best-of-breed security and VoIP monitoring appliances to your network with an open, yet secure XML-based Application Programming Interface (API), providing Insight and Control. Via its dynamic application loading capability, it is capable of integrating Extreme Networks and third party-developed software applications such as the Avaya Converged Network Analyzer VoIP monitoring agent. Its scripting capability helps facilitate automating regular management tasks and applying these to multiple switches.

ExtremeXOS guards access to the network through authentication, host integrity checking and dynamic user/time/location based security policies. It hardens the network infrastructure with Denial of Service (DoS) protection and IP Security to help protect the infrastructure, network services, applications and client devices/computers from man-in-the-middle attacks and eaves dropping. It also provides a full suite of secure management protocols using authentication and encryption, ensuring continued control over your infrastructure. Its sFlow standards-based data monitoring supports provides Layer 2-7 visibility into the network, including statistics on which applications are running over your network and the biggest talkers. Its IEEE standards based discovery protocol support provides vendor independent switch discovery as well as tight integration with VoIP infrastructure and phones, including E911 ECS location, inventory information and fine grain PoE budget requirements, automatically and securely configuring ports for VoIP on phone discovery.

  • Carrier and voice grade network resiliency and business continuity with EAPS protocol and high availability operating system architecture
  • Tight integration with security solutions such as Sentriant® for Insight and Control
  • Secures access to your network, protects the network and business infrastructure
  • User, time and location based dynamic security policies
  • Secure, automatic VoIP configuration of switch ports and phones
  • Advanced data and VoIP monitoring capabilities

Technical Specs

ExtremeXOS high availability modular architecture provides process monitoring and restart, memory protection, hitless failover/hitless upgrade on dual management module systems and module level software upgrade on all ExtremeXOS-enabled switches. The SummitStack™ feature in ExtremeXOS provides hitless failover in ExtremeXOS-enabled stackable switches. The modular and memory protected design prevents system corruption and avoids system reboots using self-healing process recovery. It also adds extensibility for VoIP and Security application integration dynamic application loading and scripting. ExtremeXOS embraces a Hardware Abstraction Layer model, providing a consistent and feature rich interface to platform specific capabilities such as ACLs, QoS, counters and diagnostics.

Management is secured through SNMPv3, SSL, SCP, SSH, RADIUS per command authentication and TACACS+. Access to your network is controlled with Network Login's 802.1x/MAC/Web-based methods, allowing you to turn on network access authentication on every port, integrated with host integrity checking. The ExtremeXOS network operating system provides enterprise and metro Layer 2 and IPv4/IPv6 Layer 3 resiliency and control protocols including OSPF, PIM, BGP, STP, VRRP, EAPS, ESRP and ELSM unidirectional link detection. Traffic scaling capabilities include IGMP/MLD Snooping and Multicast VLAN Registration (MVR). Network monitoring capabilities include LLDP, LLDP-MED, RMON and sFlow.

  • Memory protection, process monitoring and restart, hitless failover and upgrade, DoS Protection
  • SNMPv1/v2/v3, Telnet/TFTP, SSH2/SCP, HTTP, HTTPS/SSL, RADIUS, TACACS+
  • Network Login with 802.1x, web- and MAC-based, integrated with host integrity solutions
  • IP Security to protect DHCP and ARP abuse
  • EAPS, STP 802.1D/w/s/PVST+, VRRP, ESRP, LACP, ELSM Layer 2+ resiliency protocols
  • OSPFv2/v3, RIPv1/v2/ng, BGP4, MBGP, PIM-DM/SM/SSM, IGMPv1/v2/v3, MLDv1/v2
  • LLDP, LLDP-MED, sFlow, RMON, XML

For further details, please see the ExtremeXOS Data Sheet

Network Diagram

ExtremeXOS enables a highly available network for voice services and other mission-critical business applications. True preemptive multitasking and protected memory allow each of the many processes-such as resiliency or device management protocols-to run as separate Operating System (OS) processes that are protected from each other. With process monitoring and restart, ExtremeXOS dramatically increases network availability. Each independent OS process is monitored in real time. If a process becomes unresponsive, it can be automatically restarted.

Hitless failover to the redundant management module is available on BlackDiamond® 10808, BlackDiamond 12804 and BlackDiamond 8800 series switch, as well as on Summit® stack-enabled switches. In addition, BlackDiamond 10808 and BlackDiamond 12804 are capable of hitless upgrade of the OS. ExtremeXOS also provides the capability of upgrading individual parts of the OS (modules). As an example, upgrading the Telnet application will not impact data forwarding.

  • Reduce network downtime using hitless failover/upgrade and module level software upgrade
  • Prevent system corruption using memory-protection for processes
  • Avoid system reboots using self-healing process recovery
  • Add / replace software application modules via graceful stop/start dynamic loading

    • ExtremeXOS Diagram

Support & Warranty

Software Warranty

For ninety days, the software (“Software”) shall substantially conform with the Documentation. Extreme Networks does not warrant that (i) the Software is error free, (ii) that Customer will be able to operate the Software without problems or interruptions and (iii) that the Software will be free of vulnerability to intrusion or attack. Except for the limited warranty set forth in this section, the Software is provided “AS IS”.

For the complete text of the license, please visit: http://www.extremenetworks.com/services/
SoftwareLicensing.aspx

For warranty assistance go to: http://www.extremenetworks.com/services/warranty.aspx