ConnectX6-DX hardware vDPA offloading through OVS-Kernel

[bk-2]

Hi, I’m trying to use ConnectX6-DX hardware vDPA offloading with ovs-kernel following the provided document: https://docs.nvidia.com/networking/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=39279792#OVSOffloadUsingASAP²Direct-hwvdpa

In the steps, it requires installing DPDK even though I would like to follow ovs-kernel. Is it a necessary step? If so, please explain the role of DPDK.

Thanks.

[ssimcoejr]

Hi bk-2,

Thank you for posting your inquiry to the NVIDIA Developer Forums.

The application in the User Guide is a part of DPDK, and the underlying mechanism to access this functionality is also part of DPDK. You will need to install DPDK in order to use vDPA.

Please refer to the following RedHat and DPDK documentation for additional information.

RedHat vDPA documentation:
https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/introduction-vdpa-kernel-framework
DPDK vDPA testing and configuration:
https://doc.dpdk.org/guides/sample_app_ug/vdpa.html

Thanks, and best regards,
NVIDIA Enterprise Experience

[bk-2]

Thank you for your detailed answer!

[bk-2]

Hi ssimcoejr,

I am still wondering why the DPDK is necessary.

According to Redhat reference you provide, there is also kernel-based vDPA framework that does not involve DPDK to overcome DPDK’s limitations.

However, the ASAP H/W vDPA offloading documentation addresses not kernel-based vDPA but only DPDK-based vDPA.
Is it a future work? or Is it theoretically impossible to offload vDPA without DPDK to NIC?

Please correct me if I misunderstood.

Thanks.