future:net 2017 - The Role of Hardware and IO Processors in the Ongoing Network Transformation
Speakers: Fazil Osman, Chief Architect at Broadcom
Dror Goldenberg, VP Software Architecture at Mellanox
Chris Moezzi, Vice President of Ethernet Server Adapter Group at Cavium,
Sujal Das, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Netronome
Full Session Abstract: As networking shifts steadily towards the edge with SDN and NFV solutions, the role of NICs (network interface cards) is changing. What once used to be a way to send packets in and out of a server is increasingly met with two challenges:
1) The continuous increase in bandwidth (1Gbps, 10Gbps, 25Gbps, 50, 100, etc.) creates complications in the server architecture – effecting the memory subsystem, internal buses as well as other ramifications.
2) The massive adoption of Network Virtualization and security/load balancing capabilities in the edge is consuming significant resources out of the x86 processors that should be dedicated to the applications.
In this panel, we will explore the paradigm where networking and infrastructure needs are shifted inside the smartNIC/IO processor, freeing up the main x86 CPU to focus on the application. The panelist will explore and discuss different hardware and software models, abstractions and capabilities needed in order to evolve the networking industry to the next phase.