Programmability and Performance Without Compromise with Barefoot Networks

Barefoot Networks is a 5-year-old company that’s trying to fundamentally change the way that networks are built by bringing the power of software to the data plane. Their open source, domain-specific programming language called P4 (P4.org) is built expressly for the purpose of bossing around their proprietary silicon in their Protocol Independent Switch Architecture (PISA) “Tofino” devices.

P4 is easy to learn and intuitive, enabling software engineers to define forwarding plane functionality in minutes. This allows the creation of network “applications” that perform functions such as the ones seen to the right in the below graphic.

In the above video, ActualTech Media partner David Davis interviews VP of Product, Business, & Strategy at Barefoot Networks, Ed Doe. They discuss P4, Tofino, and why and how Barefoot created the solution that they’re helping customers with today.