Intel has announced that it is to open up parts of its
own technology
to optimise the networking performance of servers.
Last year the company released I/OAT: Input/Output Acceleration
Technology,
included in its Xeon 5100 and 5300 systems. But now, engineers will
be
able to utilise QuickData, a component within I/OAT that boosts
networking
performance.
QuickData includes a Direct Memory Access (DMA) engine, which
optimises the
way in which CPUs extract data from memory. It does this, Intel
claims, by
significantly reducing CPU overheads, freeing resources for more
critical tasks.
I/OAT also uses the server's processors more efficiently by
leveraging
architectural improvements within the CPU, chipset, network
controller and
firmware to minimise what Intel believes are "performance-limiting
bottlenecks”.
The technology accelerates TCP/IP processing, delivers
data-movement efficiencies across the
entire server platform and minimises system overheads, Intel
believes. It also provides
network acceleration that scales seamlessly across multiple
Gigabit Ethernet ports.
I/OAT is, Intel believes, a "safe and flexible choice" because
of its integration into
popular operating systems, avoiding the support risks associated
with relying on third-party
hardware suppliers for network stack updates. I/OAT also
preserves critical network
configurations such as teaming and failover by maintaining
control of the network stack
processing within the CPU, hence reduced support risks for IT
departments.
By enabling products from other suppliers to use the data
acceleration engine,
"QuickData will help the industry benefit from increased speed,
scalability
and server reliability," said Kirk Scaugen, vice-president and
server products
group general manager at Intel.
A number of heavyweights including IBM, Broadcom, Mellanox,
Microsoft and VMware
are understood to be planning to support the technology.