Open Networking Foundation
A nonprofit, operator-led networking consortium that advanced software-defined networking, OpenFlow, open-source networking platforms, and disaggregated telecommunications infrastructure.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Open Networking Foundation (ONF) was a nonprofit, operator-led consortium focused on changing how communications and computing networks were designed, built, and operated. Its central premise was that networking infrastructure should become more programmable, modular, and open, particularly as cloud computing blurred the traditional boundary between computers, data centers, telecommunications networks, and wireless systems. ONF became best known for promoting software-defined networking (SDN) and the OpenFlow protocol. SDN separates network control functions from the underlying forwarding hardware, allowing operators to manage infrastructure through software and common interfaces rather than relying exclusively on vertically integrated, vendor-specific systems. ONF used an open-source business and development model to encourage innovation, interoperability, and adoption across telecommunications, cloud, enterprise, wireless, and data-center environments. The organization operated as a membership consortium bringing together network operators, equipment manufacturers, semiconductor companies, software firms, telecommunications providers, hyperscale data-center companies, and enterprise users. Its work extended beyond protocol advocacy into open-source software, reference implementations, technical specifications, certification, and deployable reference designs. ONF also collaborated with related open-hardware and open-source communities, including the Open Compute Project and P4.org. A major phase of ONF's development followed its 2017 merger with the Open Networking Lab (ON.Lab), after which the combined organization retained the ONF name. The organization subsequently established a Technical Leadership Team and broadened its scope from SDN and OpenFlow to broadband access, mobile cores, radio access networks, edge and hybrid clouds, programmable data planes, and private 5G. Its projects included SEBA, Trellis, ODTN, OMEC, Aether, SD Core, SD Fabric, and SD RAN. In 2019, ONF became the host for P4.org activities and working groups associated with the P4 programming language. ONF's later work emphasized practical, open, and disaggregated network architectures. Aether was positioned as an open-source platform for private 5G, LTE, and edge services delivered through cloud-style infrastructure. SD Core addressed open-source 4G and 5G mobile-core software, while SD RAN targeted open-source radio-access-network components. The organization also launched the SMaRT project in 2023 to investigate machine-learning-driven energy savings for mobile networks. In December 2023, ONF announced a merger with the Linux Foundation. Three major ONF projects—LF Broadband, Aether, and P4—were transferred to the Linux Foundation under a new governance structure. ONF also transferred $5 million to support staff and the continued operation of those projects. The merger marked the end of ONF as an independent organization while preserving several of its technical communities and open-source initiatives within the Linux Foundation ecosystem.
History
The Open Networking Foundation emerged from the idea that networking should become as programmable and software-driven as modern computing. Its formation reflected growing recognition that cloud computing was dissolving the separation between servers, data centers, telecommunications systems, and networks. Rather than treating network equipment as isolated, proprietary appliances, ONF promoted architectures in which control logic could be implemented in software and deployed across more interchangeable hardware. The organization became closely associated with software-defined networking and the OpenFlow protocol. OpenFlow provided a way for software controllers to communicate with network switches and influence packet forwarding, supporting centralized or logically centralized network control. ONF's role was not limited to publishing technical concepts: it sought to build an ecosystem involving network operators, vendors, software developers, researchers, and users. The organization promoted open-source implementations, interoperability, technical communities, and certification programs for telecommunications and networking products. Public attention around OpenFlow increased as large technology companies demonstrated interest in applying programmable networking to hyperscale infrastructure. In 2012, Google executive Urs Hölzle discussed Google's adoption of OpenFlow at a trade event promoting the technology. Hölzle served as chairman of the ONF board, alongside representatives of founding board members, NTT Communications, and Goldman Sachs. Stanford professor Nick McKeown and University of California, Berkeley professor Scott Shenker also served as founding directors representing themselves. ONF expanded its activities through collaboration with adjacent open-technology organizations. It established a continuous certification program for telecommunications and networking products and worked with the Open Compute Project to encourage the use of recognized open hardware in ONF-oriented solutions. In 2017, ONF completed a merger with the Open Networking Lab, or ON.Lab, retaining the ONF name. The combination strengthened ONF's emphasis on software development and practical open networking deployments. In 2018, ONF created a Technical Leadership Team to coordinate technical priorities. The following year it released three reference designs—SEBA, Trellis, and ODTN—to show how open and disaggregated networking components could be assembled into deployable systems. SEBA focused on software-enabled broadband access, Trellis on open data-center networking, and ODTN on optical transport. In 2019, ONF also announced that it had combined with P4.org and would host the activities and working groups supporting the P4 programming language, which is used to describe packet-processing behavior in programmable network devices. The organization's portfolio broadened significantly in the 2020s. OMEC provided an open-source mobile evolved packet core, and T-Mobile Poland announced a production rollout in 2020. ONF also released Aether, described as an open-source platform for private 5G, LTE, and edge services delivered as cloud services. By June 2020, the organization reported more than 200 member companies spanning equipment, semiconductor, computing, software, telecommunications, hyperscale data-center, and enterprise sectors. In 2021, ONF introduced SD Core for an open-source, disaggregated 4G and 5G mobile core, and SD Fabric for hybrid- and edge-cloud networking. It also spun out Ananki as a for-profit sister organization intended to commercialize Aether for private 5G and Industry 4.0 transformation. In 2022, ONF announced that SD RAN and Aether had been fully released as open-source projects. SD RAN addressed open software and disaggregation in radio access networks, while Aether provided a broader private-network platform. In 2023, ONF launched the Sustainable Mobile and RAN Transformation project, known as SMaRT. The initiative focused on machine-learning-based methods for reducing energy consumption in mobile and radio networks. Initial collaborators included Intel, META/TIP, Rimedo Labs, and Rutgers WINLAB. ONF's independent organizational existence ended through a merger announced in December 2023 with the Linux Foundation. LF Broadband, Aether, and P4 moved into the Linux Foundation under a new governance structure. ONF transferred $5 million to support project staff and operations. The transaction preserved important ONF communities and codebases within the Linux Foundation while closing the chapter on ONF as a standalone consortium.
- 2023
SMaRT project launched
[1]ONF launched a project focused on machine-learning-driven energy efficiency in mobile and radio-access networks.
- 2023
Merger with Linux Foundation announced
[1]ONF announced the transfer of LF Broadband, Aether, and P4 to Linux Foundation governance and committed $5 million for project support.
- 2022
SD RAN and Aether fully open sourced
[1]ONF announced full open-source releases for the SD RAN and Aether projects.
- 2021
SD Core and SD Fabric launched
[1]ONF announced projects addressing open mobile-core infrastructure and hybrid or edge-cloud networking.
- 2020
Aether announced
[1]ONF introduced Aether as an open-source platform for private 5G, LTE, and edge services.
- 2019
Reference designs released
[1]ONF publicly released SEBA, Trellis, and ODTN reference designs.
- 2019
P4.org activities brought under ONF
[1]ONF became the host for activities and working groups associated with the P4 programming language.
- 2018
Technical Leadership Team established
[1]ONF created a Technical Leadership Team to guide technical coordination across its projects.
- 2017
Merger with Open Networking Lab
[1]ONF completed its merger with ON.Lab and retained the Open Networking Foundation name.
- 2012
OpenFlow gains visibility among large-scale network operators
[1]Urs Hölzle publicly discussed Google's adoption of OpenFlow at a trade event, highlighting the protocol's relevance to hyperscale networking.
Products and positioning
An open-source and operator-led alternative to vertically integrated networking infrastructure, focused on programmability, disaggregation, interoperability, and practical deployment of cloud-native telecommunications and data-center technologies.
Software-defined networking protocol
OpenFlow
OpenFlow is the protocol most closely associated with ONF's early mission. It enables a software controller to communicate with network switches and influence forwarding behavior, separating network control from the hardware that moves packets. ONF promoted OpenFlow as a foundation for more programmable, centrally managed, and interoperable networks.
Broadband access reference design · 2019
SEBA
SEBA was one of ONF's open reference designs for software-enabled broadband access. It demonstrated how operators could combine open hardware, open software, and disaggregated access components rather than depending on a single vertically integrated platform.
Data-center networking reference design · 2019
Trellis
Trellis was an ONF reference design for open data-center networking. It represented the organization's effort to provide practical architectures for deploying programmable and disaggregated switching infrastructure in cloud and data-center environments.
Optical transport reference design · 2019
ODTN
ODTN was an open disaggregated optical-networking reference design. It addressed the use of interoperable software and hardware components in optical transport systems, supporting ONF's broader goal of reducing dependence on closed, single-vendor network architectures.
Mobile evolved packet core
OMEC
OMEC was an ONF open-source mobile evolved packet core. It provided core-network functionality for mobile services and was associated with a production rollout announced by T-Mobile Poland in 2020.
Private 5G and edge platform · 2020
Aether
Aether was ONF's open-source platform for private 5G, LTE, and edge services delivered through cloud-style operations. It was designed for organizations seeking programmable private mobile networks and was later connected to Ananki, a for-profit sister organization created to commercialize the platform for Industry 4.0 use cases.
Open-source 4G and 5G mobile core · 2021
SD Core
SD Core was an ONF project aimed at building a disaggregated, open-source mobile core for 4G and 5G networks. It extended ONF's work from SDN concepts into carrier-grade mobile-network infrastructure.
Hybrid and edge-cloud networking · 2021
SD Fabric
SD Fabric addressed networking requirements across hybrid-cloud and edge-cloud environments. The project reflected ONF's focus on applying software-defined and disaggregated principles to distributed computing infrastructure.
Open-source radio access network · 2022
SD RAN
SD RAN was ONF's open-source project for software-defined and disaggregated radio access networks. It sought to make mobile-network radio infrastructure more modular and programmable, consistent with ONF's broader open-networking strategy.
Programmable packet-processing language
P4
P4 is a programming language for describing how network devices process packets. ONF hosted P4.org activities and working groups from 2019, helping coordinate development and community work around programmable data planes.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023SMaRT energy-efficiency initiative
Mobile networks · Radio access networks
The Sustainable Mobile and RAN Transformation project brought together industry and research participants to develop and open source machine-learning-driven approaches to reducing mobile-network energy use.
Outcome. The project began with collaborators including Intel, META/TIP, Rimedo Labs, and Rutgers WINLAB; broader participation was invited.
- 2020Open private 5G and edge platform initiative
Private 5G · LTE · Edge computing · Industry 4.0
ONF launched Aether to provide an open-source platform for private mobile networks and edge services managed through cloud-oriented operating models.
Outcome. Aether became one of the projects transferred to the Linux Foundation during ONF's 2023 merger.
- 2019Open reference-design program
Broadband · Data centers · Optical transport
ONF used the SEBA, Trellis, and ODTN reference designs to demonstrate practical implementations of open and disaggregated networking.
Outcome. The program broadened ONF's role from standards and advocacy into deployable architectures and implementation guidance.
- 2012OpenFlow promotion
Global networking technology · Cloud computing · Data centers · Telecommunications
ONF promoted OpenFlow and software-defined networking as ways to make network infrastructure more programmable and less dependent on vertically integrated vendor systems.
Outcome. The initiative helped establish OpenFlow and SDN as prominent themes in networking research, product development, and operator experimentation.
Brand decisions
2023
Merge with the Linux FoundationM&ABackground
ONF decided to place key open-source networking projects within a larger foundation ecosystem and establish a new governance structure for their continued development.
Action taken
ONF announced its merger with the Linux Foundation. LF Broadband, Aether, and P4 were transferred to the Linux Foundation, and ONF provided $5 million to support project staff and operations.
Aftermath
ONF ceased operating as an independent organization while its principal projects and communities continued under Linux Foundation stewardship.
Funding transferred for project staff and operations. $5 million (December 2023 merger announcement)
2021
Spin out Ananki to commercialize AetherStrategyBackground
ONF wanted to pursue commercial deployment of Aether while maintaining the nonprofit organization's open-source mission.
Action taken
ONF created Ananki as a for-profit sister organization focused on private 5G services and Industry 4.0 transformation.
Aftermath
Aether continued as an ONF open-source project and was later transferred to the Linux Foundation as part of the 2023 merger.
2019
Host P4.orgStrategyBackground
Programmable packet processing was becoming an important part of open networking and data-plane innovation.
Action taken
ONF announced that it would host P4.org activities and working groups related to development of the P4 language.
Aftermath
P4 became part of ONF's broader open-source and programmable-networking portfolio until the later transfer to Linux Foundation governance.
2017
Combine with Open Networking LabM&ABackground
ONF sought to strengthen its software development and open-networking implementation capabilities by combining with ON.Lab.
Action taken
The merger was completed and the resulting organization continued under the Open Networking Foundation name.
Aftermath
ONF expanded its project portfolio and moved further toward practical reference designs and open-source network platforms.
Recent events
- 2023
ONF launches SMaRT 5G project[1]
Product launch
The Sustainable Mobile and RAN Transformation project began work on machine-learning-driven energy savings for mobile networks.
- 2023
ONF announces merger with the Linux Foundation[1]
M&A
ONF announced that it would merge with the Linux Foundation, transferring LF Broadband, Aether, and P4 to Linux Foundation governance and providing $5 million to support project staff and operations.
- 2022
ONF releases SD RAN and Aether as open source[1]
Product launch
ONF announced full open-source releases for its SD RAN and Aether projects.
- 2021
ONF announces SD Core and SD Fabric projects[1]
Product launch
The organization introduced projects for open-source disaggregated mobile cores and networking across hybrid and edge clouds.
- 2021
Ananki is spun out to commercialize Aether[1]
Other
ONF spun out Ananki as a for-profit sister organization intended to commercialize Aether for private 5G and Industry 4.0 applications.
- 2020
T-Mobile Poland reports production deployment of OMEC[1]
Product launch
T-Mobile Poland and ONF announced a production rollout of OMEC, an open-source mobile evolved packet core.
- 2020
ONF releases Aether open-source private 5G platform[1]
Product launch
ONF announced Aether as an open-source platform for 5G, LTE, and edge services operated through cloud-style infrastructure.
- 2019
ONF releases SEBA, Trellis, and ODTN reference designs[1]
Product launch
ONF publicly released three reference designs intended to demonstrate deployable open networking architectures.
- 2019
ONF becomes host for P4.org activities[1]
Other
ONF announced that it would host activities and working groups related to development of the P4 programming language.
- 2018
ONF establishes a Technical Leadership Team[1]
Leadership change
The organization created a Technical Leadership Team to coordinate technical direction across its expanding project portfolio.
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