The potential game-changing technology that surrounds software-defined networking (SDN) will be center stage at Interop next week with high-profile product introductions, technology demos and information sessions all set to roll.

Data center switch vendor Arista Networks next week will demonstrate how to build a software-defined cloud network using its switches, and controllers from partners VMware, Big Switch and Nebula.

We assessed performance using three sets of tests, covering forwarding rates with mixed HTTP content; rates with static HTTP content, and TCP connection behavior. Two pairs of Spirent Avalanche 3100 GT traffic generator/analyzers, each equipped with two 10G Ethernet interfaces, served as the primary test tool. We connected all devices using an Arista Networks 7124S 10-gigabit Ethernet top-of-rack switch.

Arista Networks this week rolled out an Ethernet switch designed to improve the performance of latency-sensitive applications like those found in financial trading and high performance computing environments.

We assessed the Arista DCS-7508 with tests of performance and power consumption. The performance tests used the Spirent TestCenter test instrument to measure layer-2 and layer-3 unicast throughput and latency; layer-2 and layer-3 multicast throughput and latency; OSPF equal cost multipath (ECMP); N+1 fabric failover; buffering capacity; OSPF routing capacity; and multi-chassis link aggregation (MLAG). All tests used version 4.8.4 of Arista's EOS software and Version 3.95 of Spirent TestCenter software.

Packing 384 10G Ethernet ports into an 11-rack-unit form factor is only the beginning for Arista Networks' DCS-7508 data center core switch.

Arista Networks this week has rolled out four switches and enhanced software designed to address the scalability, resilience and density requirements of cloud computing.

Technology performance vendor, Compuware, has made two senior appointments to its Sydney operation.