Abstract: A fabric control protocol (FCP) and packet forwarding mechanisms are described that maximize utilization of bandwidth within massive, large-scale data centers having multi-stage data center switch fabric topologies, such as topologies that include a third switching layer formed by super spine switches. Automatic generation of data plane forwarding information referred to as FCP path information enumerates, for each data processing unit (DPU), the available FCP paths. The FCP path information may be based on unique combinations of peak points of the switch fabric for a given DPU with FCP colors assigned to network links that are used to multi-home the DPU to the switch fabric.

Abstract: A fabric control protocol (FCP) is a data transmission protocol that enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across a data center from an ingress interface of the source data processing unit (DPU) across a plurality of parallel data paths of a logical tunnel in the network fabric to the egress interface of the destination DPU. The FCP has congestion control mechanisms used to determine a degree of congestion at the egress interface of the destination DPU and to modify a send window size at the source DPU based on the degree of congestion. Reliable FCP (rFCP) extensions provide reliability enhancements and improved failure resilience within the data center. The rFCP extensions provide an unsolicited mode for low latency operation with enhanced reliability mechanisms. The rFCP extensions provide failure resilience mechanisms to identify and avoid failed paths among multiple parallel data paths within the logical tunnel.

Abstract: A fabric control protocol is described for use within a data center in which a switch fabric provides full mesh interconnectivity such that any of the servers may communicate packet data for a given packet flow to any other of the servers using any of a number of parallel data paths within the data center switch fabric. The fabric control protocol enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across some or all of the multiple parallel data paths in the data center switch fabric and, optionally, reordering of the packets for delivery to the destination. The fabric control protocol may provide end-to-end bandwidth scaling and flow fairness within a single tunnel based on endpoint-controlled requests and grants for flows. In some examples, the fabric control protocol packet structure is carried over an underlying protocol, such as the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

Abstract: A fabric control protocol is described for use within a data center in which a switch fabric provides full mesh interconnectivity such that any of the servers may communicate packet data for a given packet flow to any other of the servers using any of a number of parallel data paths within the data center switch fabric. The fabric control protocol enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across some or all of the multiple parallel data paths in the data center switch fabric and, optionally, reordering of the packets for delivery to the destination. The fabric control protocol may provide end-to-end bandwidth scaling and flow fairness within a single tunnel based on endpoint-controlled requests and grants for flows. In some examples, the fabric control protocol packet structure is carried over an underlying protocol, such as the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

Abstract: A fabric control protocol (FCP) is a data transmission protocol that enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across a data center from an ingress interface of the source data processing unit (DPU) across a plurality of parallel data paths of a logical tunnel in the network fabric to the egress interface of the destination DPU. The FCP has congestion control mechanisms used to determine a degree of congestion at the egress interface of the destination DPU and to modify a send window size at the source DPU based on the degree of congestion. Reliable FCP (rFCP) extensions provide reliability enhancements and improved failure resilience within the data center. The rFCP extensions provide an unsolicited mode for low latency operation with enhanced reliability mechanisms. The rFCP extensions provide failure resilience mechanisms to identify and avoid failed paths among multiple parallel data paths within the logical tunnel.

Abstract: Techniques for detecting path failures and reducing packet loss as a result of such failures are described for use within a data center or other environment. For example, a source and/or destination access node may create and/or maintain information about health and/or connectivity for a plurality of ports or paths between the source and destination device and core switches. The source access node may spray packets over a number of paths between the source access node and the destination access node. The source access node may use the information about connectivity for the paths between the source or destination access nodes and the core switches to limit the paths over which packets are sprayed. The source access node may spray packets over paths between the source access node and the destination access node that are identified as healthy, while avoiding paths that have been identified as failed.

Abstract: A network system for a data center is described in which an access node sprays a data flow of packets over a logical tunnel to another access node. In one example, a method comprises establishing, by a plurality of access nodes, a logical tunnel over a plurality of data paths across a switch fabric between a source access node and a destination access node included within the plurality of access nodes, wherein the source access node is coupled to a source network device; and spraying, by the source access node, a data flow of packets over the logical tunnel to the destination access node, wherein the source access node receives the data flow of packets from the source network device, and wherein spraying the data flow of packets includes directing each of the packets within the data flow to a least loaded data path.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques that include implementing network-efficient data durability or data reliability coding on a network. In one example, this disclosure describes a method that includes generating a plurality of data fragments from data to enable reconstruction of the data from a subset of the plurality of data fragments; storing, across a plurality of nodes in a network, the plurality of data fragments, wherein storing the plurality of data fragments includes storing the first fragment at a first node and the second fragment at a second node; and generating, by the first node, a plurality of secondary fragments derived from the first fragment to enable reconstruction of the first fragment from a subset of the plurality of secondary fragments; and storing the plurality of secondary fragments from the first fragment across a plurality of storage devices included within the first node.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for providing early acknowledgments to a source device performing a data write operation within a data center or across a geographically-distributed data center. In one example, this disclosure describes a method that includes receiving, by a gateway device and from a source device within a local data center, data to be stored at a remote destination device that is located within a remote data center; storing, by the gateway device, the data to high-speed memory included within the gateway device; transmitting, by the gateway device, the data over a connection to the remote data center; after transmitting the data and before the data is stored at the remote destination device, outputting, by the gateway device to the source device, a local acknowledgment, wherein the local acknowledgment indicates to the source device that the data can be assumed to have been stored at the remote destination device.

Abstract: A network system for a data center. In one example, a method comprises establishing, by a plurality of access nodes, a logical tunnel over a plurality of data paths across a switch fabric between a source access node and a destination access node included within the plurality of access nodes, wherein the source access node is coupled to a source network device; and spraying, by the source access node, a data flow of packets over the logical tunnel to the destination access node, wherein the source access node receives the data flow of packets from the source network device, and wherein spraying the data flow of packets includes directing each of the packets within the data flow to one of the data paths based on an amount of data previously transmitted on each of the plurality of data paths.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for performing communications between devices using various aspects of Ethernet standards. As further described herein, a protocol is disclosed that may be used for communications between devices, where the communications take place over a physical connection complying with Ethernet standards. Such a protocol may enable reliable and in-order delivery of frames between devices, while following Ethernet physical layer rules, Ethernet symbol encoding, Ethernet lane alignment, and/or Ethernet frame formats.

Abstract: In one embodiment, edge devices can be configured to be coupled to a multi-stage switch fabric and peripheral processing devices. The edge devices and the multi-stage switch fabric can collectively define a single logical entity. A first edge device from the edge devices can be configured to be coupled to a first peripheral processing device from the peripheral processing devices. The second edge device from the edge devices can be configured to be coupled to a second peripheral processing device from the peripheral processing devices. The first edge device can be configured such that virtual resources including a first virtual resource can be defined at the first peripheral processing device. A network management module coupled to the edge devices and configured to provision the virtual resources such that the first virtual resource can be migrated from the first peripheral processing device to the second peripheral processing device.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques that include implementing network-efficient data durability or data reliability coding on a network. In one example, this disclosure describes a method that includes generating a plurality of data fragments from data to enable reconstruction of the data from a subset of the plurality of data fragments; storing, across a plurality of nodes in a network, the plurality of data fragments, wherein storing the plurality of data fragments includes storing the first fragment at a first node and the second fragment at a second node; and generating, by the first node, a plurality of secondary fragments derived from the first fragment to enable reconstruction of the first fragment from a subset of the plurality of secondary fragments; and storing the plurality of secondary fragments from the first fragment across a plurality of storage devices included within the first node.

Abstract: A fabric control protocol is described for use within a data center in which a switch fabric provides full mesh interconnectivity such that any of the servers may communicate packet data for a given packet flow to any other of the servers using any of a number of parallel data paths within the data center switch fabric. The fabric control protocol enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across some or all of the multiple parallel data paths in the data center switch fabric and, optionally, reordering of the packets for delivery to the destination. The fabric control protocol may provide end-to-end bandwidth scaling and flow fairness within a single tunnel based on endpoint-controlled requests and grants for flows. In some examples, the fabric control protocol packet structure is carried over an underlying protocol, such as the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

Abstract: A new processing architecture is described that utilizes a data processing unit (DPU). Unlike conventional compute models that are centered around a central processing unit (CPU), the DPU that is designed for a data-centric computing model in which the data processing tasks are centered around the DPU. The DPU may be viewed as a highly programmable, high-performance I/O and data-processing hub designed to aggregate and process network and storage I/O to and from other devices. The DPU comprises a network interface to connect to a network, one or more host interfaces to connect to one or more application processors or storage devices, and a multi-core processor with two or more processing cores executing a run-to-completion data plane operating system and one or more processing cores executing a multi-tasking control plane operating system. The data plane operating system is configured to support software functions for performing the data processing tasks.

Abstract: A new processing architecture is described that utilizes a data processing unit (DPU). Unlike conventional compute models that are centered around a central processing unit (CPU), the DPU that is designed for a data-centric computing model in which the data processing tasks are centered around the DPU. The DPU may be viewed as a highly programmable, high-performance I/O and data-processing hub designed to aggregate and process network and storage I/O to and from other devices. The DPU comprises a network interface to connect to a network, one or more host interfaces to connect to one or more application processors or storage devices, and a multi-core processor with two or more processing cores executing a run-to-completion data plane operating system and one or more processing cores executing a multi-tasking control plane operating system. The data plane operating system is configured to support software functions for performing the data processing tasks.

Abstract: A network system for a data center is described in which an access node sprays a data flow of packets over a logical tunnel to another access node. In one example, a method comprises establishing, by a plurality of access nodes, a logical tunnel over a plurality of data paths across a switch fabric between a source access node and a destination access node included within the plurality of access nodes, wherein the source access node is coupled to a source network device; and spraying, by the source access node, a data flow of packets over the logical tunnel to the destination access node, wherein the source access node receives the data flow of packets from the source network device, and wherein spraying the data flow of packets includes directing each of the packets within the data flow to a least loaded data path.

Abstract: A new processing architecture is described in which a data processing unit (DPU) is utilized within a device. Unlike conventional compute models that are centered around a central processing unit (CPU), example implementations described herein leverage a DPU that is specially designed and optimized for a data-centric computing model in which the data processing tasks are centered around, and the primary responsibility of, the DPU. For example, various data processing tasks, such as networking, security, and storage, as well as related work acceleration, distribution and scheduling, and other such tasks are the domain of the DPU. The DPU may be viewed as a highly programmable, high-performance input/output (I/O) and data-processing hub designed to aggregate and process network and storage I/O to and from multiple other components and/or devices. This frees resources of the CPU, if present, for computing-intensive tasks.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for memory management are described. In one example, this disclosure describes a method that includes executing, by a first processing unit, first work unit operations specified by a first work unit message, wherein execution of the first work unit operations includes accessing data from shared memory included within the computing system, modifying the data, and storing the modified data in a first cache associated with the first processing unit; identifying, by the computing system, a second work unit message that specifies second work unit operations that access the shared memory; updating, by the computing system, the shared memory by storing the modified data in the shared memory; receiving, by the computing system, an indication that updating the shared memory with the modified data is complete; and enabling the second processing unit to execute the second work unit operations.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for performing communications between devices using various aspects of Ethernet standards. As further described herein, a protocol is disclosed that may be used for communications between devices, where the communications take place over a physical connection complying with Ethernet standards. Such a protocol may enable reliable and in-order delivery of frames between devices, while following Ethernet physical layer rules, Ethernet symbol encoding, Ethernet lane alignment, and/or Ethernet frame formats.