Networx

NetworX is a modular, open-source network operating system and software platform designed to manage and automate large-scale networks across data centers, campuses, and edge locations. It provides a programmable network fabric abstraction and supports multi-vendor environments through device adapters and drivers.

The project began as an international collaboration among researchers, operators, and vendors, with its first public release in 2016. Development is coordinated by the NetworX Foundation, which oversees governance, licensing, and ecosystem participation.

NetworX includes components such as the NetworX Orchestrator (control plane), Network Fabric Modules (data plane integration), a Policy Engine for intent-based rules, and Telemetry and Analytics for monitoring. It offers a northbound API for external controllers and a southbound layer with adapters for devices and standards including NETCONF, gNMI, and OpenFlow-like flows. The system supports containerized microservices and a modular plugin ecosystem.

Key features include intent-based networking, automated provisioning workflows, real-time telemetry, fault isolation, and security measures such as role-based access control and mutual TLS. It is designed to be vendor-neutral and to work with standard protocols.

Adoption has been strongest in research networks, universities, and some enterprise pilot deployments. A community edition is available alongside an enterprise edition with commercial support. Critics cite the learning curve and interoperability considerations when integrating devices from multiple vendors.

NetworX is released under an open-source license (Apache 2.0) and maintains public repositories and documentation to support users and contributors.