Data path-acceleration-techniques-in-a-nfv-world
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The document discusses data path acceleration techniques in a Network Function Virtualization (NFV) context, highlighting its flexibility and scalability advantages over physical network functions. It details various methods, including device emulation, para-virtualization, and PCI pass-through, aimed at improving performance for virtual network functions. Key techniques like Virtual Machine Device Queues (VMDQ) and Single-Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) are presented as solutions to enhance packet throughput and reduce processing overhead in virtualized environments.
Data path-acceleration-techniques-in-a-nfv-world
- 1. Data Path acceleration techniques in a NFV world ©Happiest Minds Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All RightsReserved Mohanraj Venkatachalam, Purnendu Ghosh
- 2. Abstract NFV is a revolutionary approach offering greater flexibility and scalability in the deployment of virtual network functions. It provides significant advantages over the current vendor-locking infrastructure using physical network functions. The NFV architecturehas three buildingblocks a) Infrastructure b)VirtualNetwork Functions c)Orchestrator. Telcoshave stringentSLA towards latency,throughput, packets-per-sec, bits-per-seconds to meet both QOE, QOS and guaranteed bandwidth per user subscription. Therefore, an NFV system has to match the data path capabilitiesat parwith actual Physical Network Functions. Alot ofresearch is ongoinginthe development ofdata path acceleration techniques for a virtualized infrastructure by using hypervisors (e.g.:Xen, KVM, VMware, Hyper-V) inthe following possible ways: (a) Device Emulation(b) Para-Virtualization (c) PCIPass-through. Let us walkthroughwith some of the standard HW andSW techniques availableto achievea comparable performance of VNF (Virtual Network Function) runningin a virtualized environ- ment as compared to PNF (Physical Network Function) used in legacy network architecture. The criticalaspect inall ofthese approachesis to: •Increase packetthroughput fromphysical NICto virtual NICs •Reduce the number of copiesdonebefore it is processed bythe application residing in theVM •Reduce the numberof CPU interruptsbefore a packetis delivered to a VM ©Happiest Minds TechnologiesPvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved
- 3. VMDq (Virtual Machine DeviceQueues) These are specializednetwork controllers capableof sorting data packets into multiple queues. Adistinct queue->vNIC->CPU_Core mappingensures independent parallel I/Ostreams for each VMworkload. This solution offloads the overhead of data packet sorting from hypervisor switch to network siliconand improves the network I/Othroughput over 100 as compared with a traditional solution. AVMDq solution consists (this is Intel specific) improvements to Hypervisor Switch (e.g.:VMware ESX). This arrangement ensures that Rxinterruptsare directlyaddressed to CPU coreofthe VM thereby reducing the number ofcopiesrequired However, with VMDq there is a performance penalty due to the number of interrupts for VM directed data-planetraffic. AnSR-IOV based solution brings considerable improvement inthis aspect as described in thenext section. SR-IOV SR-IOV or Single-Root IO Virtualization is a specificationwhich allows a single PCIe device configured as multiple virtual devicesandthey appearas independent network functions to the VMs runningin a hypervisor. These devices consist of VFs (named as Virtual Functions) acting as light-weightPCIe unitsthat are capableofbeingconfigured for data traffic move- ment. There are also PFs (Physical Functions) which contain full PCIe functions and can be used to configure SR-IOV enableddevices. Figure 1:Single Root I/OVirtualizationand Sharing(SR-IOV) Seen as PCI Express * Device Ethernet Controllerin OS “Virtual Function Driver” Seen as PCI Express * Device Ethernet Controllerin OS“ Physical FunctionDriver” Hardware resources areavailableforSR-IOV defined VirtualFunctions utilizing a HardwareVEB VMVM Operati ngSyste m VirtualSwitch VM Intel’VT-d PCIExpress PFDriver PF Driver Name Name Space Space Hardware Virtual Ethernet Bridge(VEB) Intel”Ethernet withSR-IOV unctionF Virtual 1 unctionF Virtual 2 unctionF Virtual n Physical Function LAN Traffic ©Happiest Minds TechnologiesPvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved
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- #5: https://www.happiestminds.com/casestudies/Self-Knowledge-Assembly-Platform-Transforms-Customer-Service.pdf