Abstract: A network switch includes multiple data crossbars and multiple header planes for controlling the data crossbars. In an example implementation, a device includes: a plurality of header planes, each of the header planes including an input queue, an output queue, a request crossbar connected to the input queue and the output queue, and a grant crossbar connected to the input queue and the output queue; a receiver; and a header plane selector. The header plane selector is configured to: receive a transfer request for a packet from the receiver; select a header plane of the header planes based on a header of the packet; and queue the transfer request at the input queue of the header plane.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a modular switch system that comprises disaggregated components, plugins, and managers that enable flexibility to adjust the dynamic configuration of a switch system. This can create modularity and customizability at different times of the lifecycle of the currently configured switch system.

Abstract: A network switch has a packet pulling architecture, and also supports packet pushing. In an example implementation, a device includes: an output buffer; a data crossbar connected to the output buffer; an input buffer connected to the data crossbar; an input queue; a request crossbar connected to the input queue; and an output queue. The input queue is configured to transfer a packet from the input buffer to the output buffer over the data crossbar in response to the packet being eligible for packet pushing, and to send a push request in parallel with transferring the packet to the output buffer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for validating an identifier using a dynamic matching scheme, including software-defined-matching or hardware-validated-matching. Software-defined-matching may determine whether two identifiers are logically the same when they are both generated by a software application and match each other, and hardware-validated-matching may determine whether the identifier provided by a message stamping process generated by a hardware component of the device matches a second identifier. The flexible validation process can allow the origin of the device to be trusted when the device is sending communications in the network, while detaching the trust from the user that is operating the trusted device or installing software (e.g., an operating system) on the device for temporary use. By disassociating the trust and independently verifying the device separate from the user operating the device, the communications sent and received by the system can be further trusted or distrusted accordingly.

Abstract: Example implementations relate to performance analysis of jobs in computing clusters. In some examples, a processor detects a trigger event in a computing cluster, and identifies a computing job associated with the trigger event. The processor determines a time window associated with trigger event, and determines compute nodes executing the computing job during the time window. The processor determines database attributes associated with the compute nodes, and obtains data values for the determined database attributes in the determined time window. The processor determines whether the data values are correlated to the trigger event base according to a diagnostic rule. In response to a determination that the data values are correlated to the trigger event base according to the diagnostic rule, the processor determines provides an indication of a degraded performance for the computing job.

Abstract: A network interface controller (NIC) capable of efficient packet forwarding is provided. The NIC can be equipped with a host interface, a packet generation logic block, and a forwarding logic block. During operation, the packet generation logic block can obtain, via the host interface, a message from the host device and for a remote device. The packet generation logic block may generate a plurality of packets for the remote device from the message. The forwarding logic block can then send a first subset of packets of the plurality of packets based on ordered delivery. If a first condition is met, the forwarding logic block can send a second subset of packets of the plurality of packets based on unordered delivery. Furthermore, if a second condition is met, the forwarding logic block can send a third subset of packets of the plurality of packets based on ordered delivery.

Abstract: Systems and methods of routing a data communication across a network having a plurality switches are provided by monitoring the operation of the plurality of global links to determine which of the plurality of global links provide working paths. A routing table indicative of a status for the plurality of links is maintained, where the routing table provides weighting for each of the working paths. When routing, a link using a weighted pseudo-random selection from the choices available in the routing table is selected. Routing along one of the working paths commensurate with the selected link is performed, and the weighting is updated based upon the operation of the plurality of links.

Abstract: A network interface controller (NIC) capable of efficient event management is provided. The NIC can be equipped with a host interface, a first memory device, and an event management module. During operation, the host interface can couple the NIC to a host device. The event management module can identify an event associated with an event queue stored in a second memory device of the host device. The event management module can insert, into a buffer, an event notification associated with the event. The buffer can be associated with the event queue and stored in the first memory device. If the buffer has met a release criterion, the event management module can insert, via the host interface, the aggregated event notifications into the event queue.

Abstract: Systems and methods of routing a data communication across a network having a plurality switches are provided by monitoring the operation of the plurality of global links to determine which of the plurality of global links provide working paths. A routing table indicative of a status for the plurality of links is maintained, where the routing table provides weighting for each of the working paths. When routing, a link using a weighted pseudo-random selection from the choices available in the routing table is selected. Routing along one of the working paths commensurate with the selected link is performed, and the weighting is updated based upon the operation of the plurality of links.

Abstract: In some examples, a system stores, in a first database having a first schema, metrics received from a network comprising communication nodes, the metrics relating to operations of the communication nodes, and the first database associating the metrics with metadata corresponding to hierarchical components in a topology of the network. In response to an alert relating to an issue in the network, the system computes a health measure based on the metrics, the health measure indicating a health status of a first component, performs a dynamic runtime mapping of the metadata associated with the metrics in the first database having the first schema with corresponding metadata in a second database having a second schema different from the first schema, where the second database contains information of a topology of the network, and initiates a management action to address the health status based on the health measure and the dynamic runtime mapping.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing encryption of data-in-motion and/or otherwise stored data using a key server and a secure enclave of a Network Interface Card (NIC). The NIC acts as a passthrough between the client device and the shared infrastructure of the supercomputer system to help ensure data security in a massively scaled and distributed system. For example, in response to an enrollment process that stores a decrypted key in the secure enclave of a NIC, the NIC can receive a data packet from a client device. The NIC can transmit a key request to a key server that includes an encrypted key corresponding to the decrypted key. The key server can look up the previously stored private/public key pair to authenticate the NIC. The key server can provide private/public key pair to the NIC to allow the NIC to later encrypt data-in-motion.

Abstract: A method for conducting a network performance analysis, the method comprising measuring latencies of a plurality of packets communicated over a network includes determining latency representations for a plurality of levels of the network, for a plurality of communication routes, and/or for a plurality of communication types. The latency representations comprise the latency measurements, statistical representations of the latency measurements, and/or latency metrics derived from the latency measurements. The method includes comparing the determined latency representations to expected latency representations, the expected latency representations comprising expected latencies, expected statistical representation of latencies, and/or expected latency metrics.

Abstract: A network interface controller (NIC) capable of efficient event management is provided. The NIC can be equipped with a host interface, a first memory device, and an event management module. During operation, the host interface can couple the NIC to a host device. The event management module can identify an event associated with an event queue stored in a second memory device of the host device. The event management module can insert, into a buffer, an event notification associated with the event. The buffer can be associated with the event queue and stored in the first memory device. If the buffer has met a release criterion, the event management module can insert, via the host interface, the aggregated event notifications into the event queue.

Abstract: A network interface controller (NIC) capable of efficient command management is provided. The NIC can be equipped with a host interface, an arbitration logic block, and a command management logic block. During operation, the host interface can couple the NIC to a host device. The arbitration logic block can select a command queue of the host device for obtaining a command. The command management logic block can determine whether an internal buffer associated with the command queue includes a command. If the internal buffer includes the command, the command management logic block can obtain the command from the internal buffer. On the other hand, if the internal buffer is empty, the command management logic block can obtain the command from the command queue via the host interface.

Abstract: A network interface card (NIC) receives a stream of commands, a respective command comprising memory-operation requests, each request associated with a destination NIC. The NIC buffers asynchronously the requests into queues based on the destination NIC, each queue specific to a corresponding destination NIC. When first queue requests reach a threshold, the NIC aggregates the first queue requests into a first packet and sends the first packet to the destination NIC. The NIC receives a plurality of packets, a second packet comprising memory-operation requests, each request associated with a same destination NIC and a destination core. The NIC buffers asynchronously the requests of the second packet into queues based on the destination core, each queue specific to a corresponding destination core. When second queue requests reach the threshold, the NIC aggregates the second queue requests into a third packet and sends the third packet to the destination core.

Abstract: A method for conducting a network performance analysis, the method comprising measuring latencies of a plurality of packets communicated over a network includes determining latency representations for a plurality of levels of the network, for a plurality of communication routes, and/or for a plurality of communication types. The latency representations comprise the latency measurements, statistical representations of the latency measurements, and/or latency metrics derived from the latency measurements. The method includes comparing the determined latency representations to expected latency representations, the expected latency representations comprising expected latencies, expected statistical representation of latencies, and/or expected latency metrics.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for providing per traffic class routing of data within a network. A network switch has the capability to classify traffic data based on High Performance Computing (HPC) related characteristics. Traffic classes are defined based on aspects of HPC, such as routing, ordering, redirection, quiesce, HPC protocol configuration, and telemetry. A switch can receive packets at an ingress port of a switch fabric, and determine traffic classifications for the packets. The traffic classification is selected from a group of defined traffic classes. Then, the switch can generate a fabric specific flag for the at least one packet that indicates the determined traffic classification, where the fabric specific flag is used for routing packets based on their assigned traffic classification. Examples of traffic classes include: low latency class; dedicated access class; bulk data class; best efforts class; and scavenger class.

Abstract: A network interface controller (NIC) capable of facilitating fine-grain flow control (FGFC) is provided. The NIC can be equipped with a network interface, an FGFC logic block, and a traffic management logic block. During operation, the network interface can determine that a control frame from a switch is associated with FGFC. The network interface can then identify a data flow indicated in the control frame for applying the FGFC. The FGFC logic block can insert information from the control frame into an entry of a data structure stored in the NIC. The traffic management logic block can identify the entry in the data structure based on one or more fields of a packet belonging to the flow. Subsequently, the traffic management logic block can determine whether the packet is allowed to be forwarded based on the information in the entry.

Abstract: A network interface controller (NIC) capable of efficient operation management for host accelerators is provided. The NIC can be equipped with a host interface and triggering logic block. During operation, the host interface can couple the NIC to a host device. The triggering logic block can obtain, via the host interface from the host device, an operation associated with an accelerator of the host device. The triggering logic block can determine whether a triggering condition has been satisfied for the operation based on an indicator received from the accelerator. If the triggering condition has been satisfied, the triggering logic block can obtain a piece of data generated from the accelerator from a memory location and execute the operation using the piece of data.

Abstract: An apparatus facilitating efficient key refresh in a node is provided. During operation, the apparatus can determine a collective operation initiated by the node. The node can include a processor and can be in a distributed system comprising a plurality of nodes. The collective operation can be performed by a subset of the plurality of nodes in conjunction with each other. The apparatus can generate a new key based on a previous key maintained at the apparatus. Here, a respective key can be used for encrypting an inter-node packet in the distributed system. The apparatus can maintain the new and previous keys for the duration of the collective operation. Either of the new and previous keys can be used for decrypting messages received at the apparatus from other nodes of the distributed system. Upon determining a threshold point of the collective operation, the apparatus can discard the previous key.