Accton Technology Corporation and the Center for Open Intelligent Connectivity at Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University are collaborating to bring open, programmable, virtualized networks and AI capabilities to innovative applications in the 5G and IoT space. Leveraging our vast experience in open network technology and with a clear vision for its future development, we are working with academia to promote innovation and develop top software talent in Taiwan focused on networking.

This joint program promotes using P4 Integrated Network Stack (PINS) open-source software in education, expanding students’ skills in the academic and commercial fields. For the programmable network section, the Center for Open Intelligent Connectivity has a P4 R&D and testing platform designed and built by Accton, crucial equipment to develop innovative 5G- and IoT-related applications. The program includes a series of courses that not only introduce the basic concepts and theory but also allow students to gain experience in real-world applications through hands-on practice. In the future, the scope will expand to invite partners interested in open-source software such as P4 and SONiC to join the OSF (Open Source Forum), where certified members get rewarded after passing the evaluation in hopes of encouraging and nurturing outstanding software talent.

The P4 Workshop in Taiwan (2021 P4 Workshop), co-organized by the Center for Open Intelligent Connectivity of Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, Intel®, and Accton, invited P4 solution architects from home and abroad to share applications, designs, and implementations, promoting exchange between academia and industry partners. PINS (P4 Integrated Network Stack) is a collaborative project that integrates SDN’s and P4’s programmability into traditional networks that rely on built-in control protocols. Additionally, it uses P4 to provide external programmability in the SAI (Switch Abstraction Interface) pipeline to create a more flexible data center network, application, and design control.

Professor I-Ping Lin, Director of the Center for Open Intelligent Connectivity at National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University and Chair Professor of the Min Wu School of Computing at National Cheng Kung University said, “This year, we invited experts and scholars with rich experience in P4 development/research to share the latest in international P4 technology development, P4 deployment cases, and academic research. Courses co-designed with industry partners give students access to different topics and real-world applications, broadening their understanding of the market and bringing huge benefits to the industry-academia cooperation.”

We thank the Open Source Network Research Center of Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University for promoting the OSF and creating a platform where open source software developers of P4, SONiC, and others can communicate with one another. We look forward to expanding the collaboration to plant seeds of open network innovation and nurture more advanced software talent related to network innovation in Taiwan.