Smart NIC Logical Addressing Across Devices Without Payload Copies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data processing systems in datacenters face inefficiencies due to the need for copying payload data between host computer memory and network interface controllers (NICs), which consumes resources and slows down data message processing.
Innovation Solution
A smart NIC that translates logical memory addresses into physical or virtual addresses for multiple devices, allowing direct access and processing of payload data without the need for copying, by incorporating a configurable processor and translation capabilities to span memory across the NIC and connected devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If payload data is copied between host computer memory and NIC, then data message processing can be performed, but processing efficiency decreases and resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the payload data from the host computer memory and keeps it directly accessible to the NIC through a shared memory space. The NIC can directly read and process payload data without requiring copies to be made to or from the host computer, thereby eliminating the resource-consuming copy operations while maintaining processing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a shared memory space that acts as an intermediary between the host computer and the NIC. This shared memory allows both the host computer network stack and the NIC to access payload data simultaneously without requiring data copies, thus improving processing efficiency while reducing processor resource consumption.
2Speed
If payload data is copied between host computer memory and NIC, then data message processing can be performed, but processing speed slows down
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the time-consuming data copying step by extracting payload data into a shared memory space that is directly accessible to the NIC. The NIC can immediately access payload data from the shared memory without waiting for copy operations to complete, thereby increasing data transmission speed and eliminating copying time.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared memory space serves as an intermediary that enables direct access to payload data for both the host computer network stack and the NIC. This eliminates the sequential copy operations that previously slowed down processing, allowing simultaneous access and significantly reducing the time required for data transmission.
3Ease of operation
If logical memory address translation is implemented in smart NIC, then direct data access is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal address translation mechanism in the smart NIC that can translate logical memory addresses to physical addresses across multiple devices (host computer memory, NIC memory, and other connected devices). This multi-functional address translation capability enables direct data access from a single interface while the internal complexity is managed through a unified translation layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The smart NIC performs self-service by implementing its own logical memory address translation capability internally. Instead of requiring external translation services, the NIC autonomously translates logical addresses to physical addresses, enabling direct data access while managing its own complexity through integrated translation logic.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a method for sending data messages at a network interface controller (NIC) of a computer. From a network stack executing on the computer, the method receives (i) a header for a data message to send and (ii) a logical memory address of a payload for the data message. The method translates the logical memory address into a memory address for accessing a particular one of multiple devices connected to the computer. The method reads payload data from the memory address of the particular device. The method sends the data message with the header received from the network stack and the payload data read from the particular device.