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Napatech SmartNIC
for Virtualization Solutions

Built to support 1G to 100G data rates

Consolidate your network functions virtualization (NFV) performance with high-quality, production-ready hardware designed specifically for NFV. The Napatech SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions is a common hardware platform that supports multiple acceleration solutions for virtualized environments. The SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions is production-ready and can be reconfigured on-the-fly to support specific acceleration functionality.

The NT200B01 2-PORT 100G PCIe SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions is a versatile and flexible platform that can be used in multiple network locations. The programmability and re-configurability of FPGAs can be exploited to extend the lifetime of the SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions and server hardware by allowing capacity, features and capabilities to be extended in line with data growth and new industry standards and demands.

Specific acceleration solutions are delivered as FPGA images that can be downloaded to the SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions to support the given application.

Support multiple solutions on same hardware

Common SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions hardware based on programmable FPGA technology allows multiple solutions to be supported. A solution is specified in a FPGA image which can be remotely downloaded to the SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions on-the-fly.

Support multiple data rates at multiple network locations

The dual-port SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions is designed to support multiple data rates including 8x1Gbps, 4x10Gbps, 8×25 Gbps, 2×40 Gbps, 2×50 Gbps and 2×100 Gbps. Upgrading to a new data rate is made possible by the ability to download a new FPGA image with the correct data rate to the SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions. This allows the same NIC to be used in multiple locations in the network, reducing the variety of products and easing maintenance and operations.

Extend hardware lifetime and improve TCO

With proprietary appliances, adding new capacity, functionality and capabilities means upgrading to a new appliance with all the cost, resources and time that this involves. By leveraging a hardware platform that can be upgraded on-the-fly, it is possible to re-use existing hardware, procedures and trained resources. This extends the lifetime of your infrastructure, reducing capital expenditure needs and operational costs for a combined reduction in total cost of ownership.

Enable centralized automation and management

With a common hardware infrastructure that can support multiple virtual services, applications and functions, centralized automation and management is easier. It reduces the number of exceptions and dependencies that need to be taken into consideration. The remote programmability and re-configurability of FPGAs also enables centralized management and orchestration of supported functionality in the common hardware in support of different service chains.

NT200B01 2-PORT 100G SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions

The 2-PORT 100G SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions application

Napatech acceleration solutions are designed specifically for virtual environments.
Examples include:

Virtual Switch acceleration solution

To allow optimal flexibility, virtual switching in NFV environments is preferably performed in software. However, achieving acceptable performance with virtual switching solutions is a challenge. Alternative solutions improve performance by bypassing the virtual switch or fully off-loading the virtual switch to a hardware accelerated NIC. But this approach can compromise the virtual function mobility and flexibility, which ultimately affects the ability to optimize resources and thereby reduces the intended cost-efficiency.

Napatech provides a range of virtual switch acceleration solutions all designed to provide higher performance using fewer CPU cores. This ensures that expensive server resources are used for revenue generating virtual functions rather than data delivery.

To find out more see: Napatech SmartNIC Solutions Virtual Switch Acceleration.

Hardware Offload Solutions

Data processing, like encryption and compression, can be extremely intensive when performed in software and require a tremendous amount of CPU cores. By offloading these functions to accelerated NIC hardware it is possible to significantly increase performance and free CPU cores to support more virtual functions on the same server.

Napatech Hardware Offload Solutions utilize the programmability of the Napatech SmartNIC solution to allow dedicated encryption and compression solutions to be implemented in a co-processor model to several virtual functions. In this manner, the Napatech SmartNIC solution can be configured to a data input/output solution, a compression acceleration solution or an encryption acceleration solution depending on service needs or the data center architecture.

Tests have shown that hardware offload performance can be improved up to 40 times compared to execution in software resulting in significant cost-savings and greater efficiency.

To find out more see: Napatech Hardware Offload Solution.

VM-to-VM Monitoring Solution

Based on the Napatech Virtual Switch Acceleration Solution, the VM-to-VM Monitoring solution provides insight into both North-South and East-West data traffic in the server without consuming CPU cores.

Since the Napatech Virtual Switch Acceleration Solution sees all data, it is possible to replicate traffic in hardware and send the OVS mirror traffic to either a virtual appliance or an external analytics solution.

In contrast to alternative solutions based on virtual taps and OVS mirroring in software, no CPU cores or memory are consumed making the VM-to-VM Monitoring Solution a highly effective way of monitoring virtual traffic.

To find out more see: Napatech VM-to-VM Monitoring Solution.

CIOReview

Napatech has developed an NFV SmartNIC solution that helps accelerate virtualization performance and flexibility in a cost-effective manner. Read article here.

Ultimate tech specs.

TECH SPECS	NT200B01 Napatech SmartNIC Virtualization
Network Interfaces	• Standard: IEEE 802.3 100 Gbps Ethernet support • Physical interface: 2 × QSFP28 ports
Supported QSFP28 Modules	• 100GBASE-SR4 and 100GBASE-LR4
Performance	• Data rate: 2 × 100 Gbps • Typical CPU load: < 5%
Processing	• Full line-rate processing for all frames from 64 bytes to 10,000 bytes – keep or discard erroneous frames
Hardware Time Stamp	• Resolution: 1 ns
Time Formats	• PCAP-ns/-µs and UNIX 10 ns
Time Synchronization
Pluggable Options for Time Synchronization	• IEEE 1588-2008 PTP • PPS time synchronization
Host Interface and Memory	• Bus type: 16-lane 8 GT/s PCIe Gen3* • Onboard RAM: 5 GB DDR4 • Flash: Supports 2 boot images • Built-in thermal protection
Statistics
Environment for NT200B01	• Operating temperature: 0 °C to 45 °C (32 °F to 113 °F) • Operating humidity: 20% to 80%
Sensors	• Temperature • Power
OS Support	• Linux
Software	• Easy-to-integrate NT-API • libpcap support • SDK tools included in source code for debugging and prototyping and as application examples
Physical Dimensions	• ½-length and low-profile PCIe
Regulatory Approvals and Compliances	• Please contact Napatech for more information

* To enable the throughput of 16-lane PCIe Gen3, the COTS server must support PCIe bifurcation.

Resources and downloads

Download NT200B01 Data sheet

Articles:
http://www.lightreading.com/nfv/nfv-elements/is-nfv-in-the-doldrums/a/d-id/726016
http://www.datacenterjournal.com/100gbps-network-nfv-challenge/
https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/news/napatech-tries-fpga-approach-nfv-performance/2016/02/
http://virtualization.sys-con.com/node/3685383

Blogs:
https://www.napatech.com/blog-page/

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Napatech SmartNIC for Virtualization Solutions