Performing crypto algorithms at 100 gbps bandwidth

Abstract

Data centers increasingly offload compute-intensive tasks to SmartNICs to optimize server resources for diverse applications. These SmartNICs, equipped with FPGA boards, are programmed to process data, substituting server functions and enhancing efficiency. Despite the availability of development frameworks for these SmartNICs, a gap exists in explicit support for networking tasks. This report focuses on bridging this gap by engineering a SmartNIC integrated with a network stack, capable of handling TCP/UDP data transfers at 100 Gbps. This platform is meticulously designed to support any high-speed computation task while ensuring accurate results. The report delves into the role of SmartNICs in modern data centers and telecom applications, addressing the necessity for high throughput and low latency in these environments. The core task involves developing a SmartNIC that not only meets the demands of billions of requests per second and hundreds of nanoseconds of latency but also manages per-server traffic demands at the scale of hundreds of Gbps. The focus extends to integrating the EasyNet architecture on the U-55C SmartNIC and benchmarking this platform to test its efficiency. Further exploration will include running various cryptography algorithms on this platform to analyze their performance in detail. Through an examination of the SN-1000 SmartNIC architecture, the Open NIC Shell structure, and the EasyNet repositories, the report aims to provide a holistic understanding of the technical aspects and challenges in designing a SmartNIC for high-bandwidth applications. The integration of these components, forms the crux of this project, highlighting the innovative approach to enhancing data center and telecom application performance through SmartNIC technology.