Xsight Labs, a leading fabless semiconductor company, today announced a groundbreaking, industry-first initiative to fully open the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) of its X-Series Ethernet Switches.
This revolutionary approach – branded as XISA– is poised to evolve the Ethernet switch industry, setting Xsight Labs apart in a market where proprietary and closed software architectures have been the norm. By providing open access to deep technical details, Xsight Labs is challenging the status quo and enabling unprecedented collaboration and innovation across the networking ecosystem.
“Consolidation and vertical integration in the switching market has hindered disaggregation and democratization, which historically drove cloud computing at hyperscale,” said Gal Malach, CTO and Co-Founder of Xsight Labs. “Our X-Switch architecture is built from the ground up with openness in mind to specifically address the evolving demands of next-generation networks with unmatched agility. Opening the Switch ISA unlocks the inherent flexibility of the X-Series, enabling customers to tackle everything from traditional applications to the most complex use cases with ease.”
As part of this initiative, the company will release comprehensive technical documentation and establish open working groups comprised of industry experts. This move aims to enhance network performance and development productivity by granting customers and partners full transparency into the behavior of switch chips – long regarded as “black boxes” that stifled innovation.
“We at Oxide believe in programmable networking silicon but have been frustrated by vendors’ insistence on keeping their instruction set architectures secret,” said Bryan Cantrill, Co-Founder and CTO, Oxide Computer Company. “When we selected the Xsight Labs X-Series as our next-generation switching silicon, it was in no small part due to the transparency around its architecture. We are elated that Xsight Labs is now opening their X-Switch ISA to the world. This is a big step toward enabling what their innovative chip deserves: a fully open-source stack that fosters a thriving ecosystem.”
A New Era in Ethernet Switch Design
The X-Switch architecture represents a paradigm shift in Ethernet switch design, combining fine-grained programmability with unparalleled flexibility and efficiency. Its advanced design positions it as a game-changer for emerging protocols and next-generation connectivity challenges, delivering both innovation and efficiency.
“Xsight Labs’ commitment to transparency is a key enabler of accelerated feature velocity, improved problem-solving, and greater efficiency across the networking industry,” said Alan Weckel, Founder and Technology Analyst, 650 Group. “Opening up switch architectures mirrors the profound shift Linux brought to CPU networking and will drive significant advancements, and programmable switches will outperform traditional switch ASICs in the AI era.”
“Xsight Labs’ open-sourcing of its full ISA marks a significant milestone for the industry, unlocking new possibilities for programmability and efficiency in networking,” said Andy Fingerhut, Chair of the P4 Consortium Technical Steering Team. “The P4 Consortium is eager to collaborate and explore the advancements that the X-Switch architecture will drive in the ecosystem. By open-sourcing its ISA, Xsight Labs is empowering developers and the broader industry to push the boundaries of networking innovation, enabling the development of a P4 compiler, and fostering industry-wide collaboration on the transformative potential of the X-Switch architecture.”
The X2 12.8T fully programmable switch is available now and delivers transformative benefits, including reduced latency, lower power consumption, and decreased TCO. Complementing the X2 Switch, Xsight Labs also offers the E1, a 5nm 800G DPU designed for open, Linux-based SDN environments.
By breaking away from proprietary norms, Xsight Labs is paving the way for a new era of openness, collaboration, and innovation in Ethernet switching — rearchitecting the foundation of cloud and AI infrastructure. Contact us to learn more.
About Xsight Labs
Xsight Labs is a fabless semiconductor company that enables end-to-end connectivity for AI factories and traditional hyperscale and Enterprise data centers. Xsight Labs’ technology delivers exponential bandwidth growth and unmatched versatility while lowering power and total cost of ownership. Founded in 2017, Xsight Labs is headquartered in Kiryat Gat, Israel, with additional offices in Tel-Aviv and Haifa, and international offices in Yerevan, Armenia, as well as in Boston, Raleigh, and San Jose in the United States. For additional information, visit www.xsightlabs.com.
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