ONIE - Open Network Install Environment

The Open Network Install Environment (ONIE) is an open source initiative that defines an open "install environment" for modern networking hardware. ONIE enables an open networking hardware ecosystem where end users have a choice among different network operating systems.

Before the advent of ONIE, Ethernet switches were procured with pre-installed, captive operating systems, effectively creating networking appliances that locked end users into a vertical supply chain.

Modern network switches have a management subsystem, based on a variety of CPU architectures that typically include serial console, out-of-band Ethernet and mass storage. This subsystem can function independently from the switching ASIC(s) associated with the "front panel" Ethernet interfaces. ONIE defines an open source "install environment" that runs on this management subsystem utilizing facilities in a Linux kernel and BusyBox environment. This environment allows end users and channel partners to install the target NOS as part of data center provisioning, in the fashion that servers are provisioned.