RtBrick, an expert in software routing technology, has successfully enabled Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation (CGNAT) to run on the same open switch with Broadband Network Gateway (BNG), a first in the field. This accomplishment has been achieved through network disaggregation. RtBrick's disaggregated routing software allows an operator to effectively deliver both CGNAT and BNG services on a single open switch to enhance efficiency and lower costs.
The prevailing web protocol, IPv4, initially offered around 4.3 billion unique addresses upon its launch. However, this quota rapidly diminished due to an unforeseen increase in connected devices and internet users. The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) allocated the final five blocks of IPv4 addresses on 3 February 2011, and on 15 November 2019, the regional Internet registry for Europe, RIPE NCC, designated the last twenty-two IPv4 addresses. This symbolised the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses.
Although the subsequent IPv6 protocol has sought to resolve this problem, only one-third of globally capable IPv6 requests were made over IPv6 in 2023, according to Cloudflare. Moreover, many devices still only support IPv4.
The scarcity of public IPv4 addresses and the increasing number of connected devices have drawn operators to the necessity of CGNAT. CGIANT enables the recycling of IPv4 addresses in a public address space and will continue to be dominant for the foreseeable future while IPv4 continues to prevail. RtBrick's recent development allows CGNAT to function on the same open switch as BNG and is a progressive solution in the face of IPv4 exhaustion.
Hannes Gredler, CTO and Founder of RtBrick, stated, "Disaggregation already brings carriers the flexibility and lower costs tied to open hardware. Deploying in-line CGNAT and other multiservice-edge routing functions on the same switches further reduces costs and brings power and space efficiencies, simplifying operations."
Network disaggregation involves the separation of hardware and software traditionally provided within closed, monolithic routing systems. This has led to decreasing costs and increasing operation efficiency, and it is a method that RtBrick has successfully employed before. In fact, RtBrick's pioneering software has been applied to Deutsche Telekom's production broadband network.
Founded in 2017, RtBrick provides innovative software solutions enabling network operators to build and manage large-scale IP/MPLS (Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching) networks using standard hardware components. With its focus on disaggregated routing, cloud-native architecture, scalability, and automation, RtBrick plays a significant role in the evolution of networking infrastructure.