Vyatta

Vyatta was a networking software brand and platform associated with open-source, software-defined routing and security. Originating in 2005, it addressed the market for network functions that could run on standard x86 servers, virtual machines, and cloud infrastructure rather than on proprietary networking appliances. Its software was designed for IPv4 and IPv6 routing, stateful firewalling, virtual private networking, and related network services. The platform was built as a specialized Debian-based Linux distribution and incorporated networking technologies including Quagga for routing and OpenVPN and IPsec for secure connectivity. Vyatta presented configuration through several interfaces: a standardized network-management console modeled conceptually on the command-line environments of established router vendors, conventional Linux commands, a web interface in subscription editions, and remote access through mechanisms such as SSH, Telnet, serial console, and KVM. This combination aimed to give network administrators familiar operational workflows while retaining the flexibility of commodity computing. Vyatta could be deployed directly on x86-64 servers or packaged as a virtual machine for environments including VMware, Xen, KVM, and cloud platforms. The platform was also made available through cloud-service channels, including Amazon EC2 and Amazon Marketplace, where it could provide virtual routing, firewalling, VPN, cloud bridging, and related functions. Its intended competitive territory included enterprise routers and security appliances such as Cisco's Integrated Services Router and Adaptive Security Appliance families. The commercial offering supplemented the freely downloadable community software with subscription features and services. These included a graphical management interface, REST APIs, technical support, software updates, configuration synchronization, system-image cloning, TACACS+, training, and professional services. The commercial model therefore combined open-source distribution with paid support and enterprise-management capabilities. Vyatta's ownership and product identity changed several times. Brocade Communications Systems acquired Vyatta in 2012 and subsequently renamed the subscription product Brocade Vyatta 5400 vRouter in 2013. Brocade later sold the Vyatta Software Technology business and related assets to AT&T Communications in 2017. In 2021, Ciena announced an agreement to acquire Vyatta talent and assets from AT&T. Separately, the open-source community continued the original Vyatta Core codebase through the VyOS project, while AT&T released another open-source networking project, DANOS, in 2018, based on the proprietary Brocade-era version. Because the brand has passed between owners and the reference material does not establish a current standalone operating company, Vyatta's present corporate status is best treated as unclear.

Vyatta emerged in 2005 amid growing interest in replacing dedicated networking appliances with software running on general-purpose computing hardware. Its central proposition was a network operating system that combined familiar router and firewall functions with the economics and flexibility of Linux. Rather than requiring a proprietary hardware platform, the system could operate on standard x86-64 servers and in multiple virtualization environments. The software was distributed in a community form known as Vyatta Core. A free download became available in March 2006. Vyatta Core provided IPv4 and IPv6 routing, stateful firewalling, and secure connectivity through IPsec-based VPN and SSL-based OpenVPN capabilities. The underlying system was a specialized Debian-based Linux distribution that integrated routing and security applications, including Quagga. Administrators could manage deployments through a structured command-line console, ordinary Linux commands, remote sessions, and, in commercial editions, a web-based interface. Vyatta expanded the platform beyond physical servers by supporting virtual-machine formats and infrastructure associated with Xen, VMware, KVM, Rackspace, SoftLayer, and Amazon EC2. This made the product relevant to service providers, enterprises, laboratories, and cloud users seeking virtual routers, virtual firewalls, VPN gateways, and cloud-bridging functions. By October 2012, the product was also available through Amazon Marketplace as a service for AWS users. The company developed a subscription edition around the open-source core. The paid version offered enterprise-oriented capabilities such as a graphical interface, RESTful APIs, serial support, TACACS+, configuration synchronization, system-image cloning, software updates, technical support, training, and professional consulting. Vyatta also offered certification and professional-services engagements, indicating an effort to build an ecosystem around deployment and operational expertise rather than relying solely on software downloads. The product was positioned against established proprietary platforms, including Cisco's Integrated Services Router and Adaptive Security Appliance lines. Its differentiation rested on open-source roots, deployment choice, use of commodity hardware, and compatibility with virtualization platforms. This positioning placed Vyatta within the broader movement toward network functions virtualization and software-defined networking. Corporate ownership then reshaped the brand. Brocade Communications Systems acquired Vyatta in 2012. In April 2013, Brocade renamed the commercial subscription product Brocade Vyatta 5400 vRouter. The later commercial Brocade product was distinct from the freely available community software and was no longer open-source in its latest form. In June 2017, Brocade sold Vyatta Software Technology to AT&T Communications. The community lineage continued independently. In October 2013, an independent group began the VyOS project as a fork of Vyatta Core. In March 2018, AT&T released DANOS, a new open-source project based on the proprietary Brocade version of Vyatta. These projects illustrate the divergence between the original community code, commercial Brocade-era software, and later open-source efforts inspired by the platform. In September 2021, Ciena announced an agreement to acquire Vyatta talent and assets. The successive transactions mean that Vyatta should be understood both as a historical networking-software brand and as a body of technology and expertise whose ownership changed over time. The available reference material does not establish whether a standalone Vyatta-branded business remains active today.

• 2021

  Ciena announced an agreement involving Vyatta assets

  [1]Vyattaen.wikipedia.org

  Ciena announced an agreement to acquire Vyatta talent and assets from AT&T.

• 2018

  AT&T released DANOS

  [1]Vyattaen.wikipedia.org

  AT&T released DANOS, an open-source networking project based on the proprietary Brocade version of Vyatta.

• 2017

  AT&T acquired Vyatta Software Technology

  [1]Vyattaen.wikipedia.org

  Brocade sold Vyatta Software Technology to AT&T Communications.

• 2013

  The commercial product became Brocade Vyatta 5400 vRouter

  [1]Vyattaen.wikipedia.org

  Brocade renamed Vyatta Subscription Edition and separated the commercial product identity from the community edition.

• 2013

  VyOS forked Vyatta Core

  [1]Vyattaen.wikipedia.org

  An independent community group began VyOS as a fork of Vyatta Core in October 2013.

• 2012

  Brocade acquired Vyatta

  [1]Vyattaen.wikipedia.org

  Brocade Communications Systems acquired Vyatta and incorporated its virtual-networking technology into Brocade's portfolio.

• 2006

  Vyatta Core became available as a free download

  [1]Vyattaen.wikipedia.org

  The community edition of the software became available for free distribution in March 2006.

• 2005

  Vyatta was founded

  [1]Vyattaen.wikipedia.org

  Vyatta originated as a networking software company focused on virtual routing, firewalling, and VPN functions.

Software-defined networking platform positioned as a flexible and lower-cost alternative to proprietary routing and security appliances, using open-source software on commodity x86 hardware, virtual machines, and cloud infrastructure.

• Open-source network operating system · 2006

  Vyatta Core

  Vyatta Core was the freely downloadable community edition of the Vyatta platform. It provided IPv4 and IPv6 routing, stateful firewalling, IPsec VPN functionality, and OpenVPN-based secure communications. Built on Debian Linux and designed for x86 hardware and virtual environments, it offered a software-based alternative to dedicated routing and security appliances.

• Commercial virtual networking software

  Vyatta Subscription Edition

  The subscription edition extended the community software with commercial support and enterprise-management capabilities. Its feature set included a graphical interface, REST APIs, software updates, 24x7 phone and email support, training, serial support, TACACS+, configuration synchronization, and system-image cloning. It was later renamed by Brocade.

• Virtual router · 2013

  Brocade Vyatta 5400 vRouter

  Introduced as the Brocade-era commercial successor to Vyatta Subscription Edition, the Vyatta 5400 vRouter provided routing and related network functions as software rather than as a dedicated appliance. It was intended for commodity servers, virtual machines, and cloud deployments, and its later commercial release was no longer open-source.

• 2021

  Ciena agreed to acquire Vyatta talent and assetsM&A

  Background

  AT&T owned Vyatta-related technology and expertise after the 2017 transaction.

  Action taken

  Ciena announced an agreement in September 2021 to acquire Vyatta talent and assets from AT&T.

  Aftermath

  The announcement indicated another transfer of Vyatta-related assets and personnel, although the available reference does not provide further completion details.

  Source

• 2018

  AT&T released DANOS as an open-source networking projectProduct launch

  Background

  AT&T held Vyatta technology after acquiring it from Brocade and pursued an open-source networking project based on the proprietary Brocade version.

  Action taken

  AT&T released DANOS in March 2018.

  Aftermath

  DANOS became a separate open-source continuation related to the Brocade-era technology rather than a simple restoration of the original Vyatta Core project.

  Source

• 2017

  Brocade sold Vyatta Software Technology to AT&TM&A

  Background

  Following Brocade's ownership of the technology, Vyatta Software Technology was transferred as part of a sale to AT&T Communications.

  Action taken

  Brocade sold the Vyatta Software Technology business and related technology to AT&T.

  Aftermath

  Vyatta technology and expertise became part of AT&T's networking activities, and AT&T later released the DANOS open-source project.

  Source

• 2013

  Brocade renamed the commercial Vyatta productStrategy

  Background

  After acquiring Vyatta, Brocade needed to integrate the technology into its own networking portfolio while maintaining a distinction between community software and the commercial offering.

  Action taken

  Brocade changed the name Vyatta Subscription Edition to Brocade Vyatta 5400 vRouter.

  Aftermath

  The product continued under the Brocade brand, while the open-source community lineage continued through projects such as VyOS.

  Source

• Unconfirmed

  Reported2021.09.12

  Ciena agrees to acquire Vyatta technology from AT&T[2]Ciena 同意收购 AT&T 的 Vyatta 技术itwire.com

  Ciena entered into a definitive agreement with AT&T to acquire its Vyatta virtual routing and switching technology. The acquisition was expected to close by the end of the calendar year; financial terms were not disclosed.

Read more

1. 1Vyattaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Ciena 同意收购 AT&T 的 Vyatta 技术itwire.com