April 6, 2015, Seoul, Korea – Freescale Semiconductor (www.freescale.co.kr, CEO Yeonho Hwang) announced that it will support the OpenDataPlane (ODP) standard, a common programming model for Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) developed to promote broad portability of data plane software across various hardware platforms.

As network operators show increasing interest in Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV), data plane software designed to extend the programming capabilities of global networks requires a common API for interoperability between processing architectures. In response to this need, Freescale announced that both ARM® and Power Architecture™ versions of its QorIQ multicore processors will support the OpenDataPlane (ODP) API. The ODP API provides a common abstraction interface for hardware-based acceleration functions such as IPSEC and traffic management, which is implemented in Freescale QorIQ multiprocessors and designed to support optimal network performance and security.

"As a founding member of the Linaro network group, Freescale welcomes the announcement of OpenDataPlane (ODP) version 1.0," said Nikolay Guenov, Product Management Manager for Freescale Digital Networking Group. "Freescale and the QorIQ platform fully support ODP, the optimal open interconnection system standard for meeting customer performance and efficiency requirements."

Linaro and OpenDataPlane (ODP) projects

Freescale is actively participating in the OpenDataPlane (ODP) organized by the Linaro Networking Group (LNG). Linaro is a non-profit organization that integrates and optimizes open-source Linux software for its member companies. The OpenDataPlane project was formed within Linaro to develop a set of open-source, cross-platform APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for use in networking data planes. The ODP provides interoperability with minimal overhead by supporting and extending existing proprietary vendor-specific hardware blocks and software libraries. Individuals and companies interested in promoting a standard set of APIs usable across the full range of available network processor architectures are free to participate in this project. Further details can be found at http://www.opendataplane.org.