Exclusive: VyOS Networks CRO on why networks are becoming software

Where businesses are under pressure to scale quickly and securely, VyOS Networks is making the case for tearing up traditional networking playbooks.

Santiago Blanquet, Chief Revenue Officer at VyOS Networks, says open-source networking is reshaping modern IT strategies because it offers freedom, transparency, and quality without restrictive licensing. He says enterprises no longer want to be dictated by proprietary roadmaps or artificial feature limitations. Rather, they want full control over their infrastructure.

"Modern data centres are evolving to match the speed of software-defined orchestration and the elasticity of cloud infrastructure, especially with the growing demand that AI is bringing," says Blanquet. "With software-based solutions like VyOS, deployments are automated through CI/CD, scaling happens instantly across virtual and physical infrastructure, and integrations with monitoring and orchestration systems become seamless. This makes it easier to support AI workloads and deliver faster upgrades."

Freedom reigns as the main advantage of open-sourced networking. Blanquet says there are no feature paywalls - with capabilities like Border Gateway Protocol, OSPF, VPN, and file transfer included. There are no licensing tiers, yet the same service is provided on reduced hardware, extending the lifespan of network systems. VyOS Networks says this reduces overhead and increases agility.

One of the most immediate benefits is the freedom and consistency it offers. "The same operating system can run across x86 servers, virtual machines, containers, and cloud instances. That means uniform management, automation and security everywhere," says Blanquet. Still, the transition to open-source networking is not without its hurdles. He notes that fragmentation in legacy systems and operational silos can cause specific issues. 

"Many organisations have accumulated a mix of different appliances, routers, firewalls, VPNs, and concentrators, each with its own interface and licensing model. So this leads to inconsistent policies and slow response times."

The other challenge is an organisational mindset - moving to a software-defined open model requires teams to adopt an automation-first approach. VyOS Networks is enhancing the transition through a single-channel network, all on a single platform.

"My advice is to start with a strategic pilot environment, so choose a non-critical environment, maybe a lab edge deployment cloud region, and validate how open source can deliver the same performance and reliability, but with more flexibility."

VyOS Networks is making it easier for organisations to transition through system migrations without the hurdles. "The goal is not a sudden replacement. It's more of a controlled evolution towards a model that gives you control, visibility and long-term independence," says Blanquet.

"Ultimately, networking is becoming software. So the sooner organisation embrace that mindset, the faster they'll unlock innovation and resilience."

According to the company, over 1,000 clients have made the switch. Vitec Memorix in the Netherlands replaced aging Juniper MX80 routers with VyOS running on Supermicro servers. Blanquet says, "they now handle millions of BGP routes. IMS IX reduced complexity by unifying routing and firewalling, and even contributed code upstream."

PayLink, a regulated financial processor based in the Balkans, deployed the system on AWS to power IPsec VPNs for routing PCI-compliant workloads, replacing Cisco appliances with VyOS Networks. This approach gained cloud-native agility and complete visibility.

Through its open-source, disaggregated model, VyOS Networks aims to simplify network management at an enterprise level. 

"Our mission is simple: empower IT teams to build networks that adapt as fast as their businesses do. With VyOS, enterprises gain the agility to scale, the resilience to thrive, and the freedom to innovate without compromise"