Solarflare
Server
Adapter
User
Guide
Introduction
Issue
20
©
Solarflare
Communications
2017
2
Ethernet
controllers,
is
the
only
way
to
provide
bare
‐
metal
I/O
performance
to
virtualized
guest
operating
systems
whilst
retaining
the
ability
to
live
migrate
virtual
machines.
•
OpenOnload
™
–
The
third
deployment
scenario
aims
to
leverage
the
host
CPU(s)
to
full
capacity,
minimizing
software
overheads
by
using
a
VNIC
per
application
to
provide
a
kernel
bypass
solution.
Solarflare
has
created
both
an
open
‐
source
and
Enterprise
class
high
‐
performance
application
accelerator
that
delivers
lower
and
more
predictable
latency
and
higher
message
rates
for
TCP
and
UDP
‐
based
applications,
all
with
no
need
to
modify
applications
or
change
the
network
infrastructure.
To
learn
more
about
the
open
source
OpenOnload
project
or
EnterpriseOnload,
download
the
Onload
user
guide
(SF
‐
104474
‐
CD)
or
contact
your
reseller.
Advanced
Features
and
Benefits
Virtual
NIC
support
The
core
of
Solarflare
technology.
Protected
VNIC
interfaces
can
be
instantiated
for
each
running
guest
operating
system
or
application,
giving
it
a
direct
pipeline
to
the
Ethernet
network.
This
architecture
provides
the
most
efficient
way
to
maximize
network
and
CPU
efficiency.
The
Solarflare
Ethernet
controller
supports
up
to
1024
vNIC
interfaces
per
port.
On
IBM
System
p
servers
equipped
with
Solarflare
adapters,
each
adapter
is
assigned
to
a
single
Logical
Partition
(LPAR)
where
all
VNICS
are
available
to
the
LPAR.
PCI
Express
Implements
PCI
Express
3.1.
High
Performance
Support
for
40G
Ethernet
interfaces
and
a
new
internal
datapath
micro
architecture.
Hardware
Switch
Fabric
Full
hardware
switch
fabric
in
silicon
capable
of
steering
any
flow
based
on
Layer
2,
Layer
3
or
application
level
protocols
between
physical
and
virtual
interfaces.
Supporting
an
open
software
defined
network
control
plane
with
full
PCI
‐
IOV
virtualization
acceleration
for
high
performance
guest
operating
systems
and
virtual
applications.
Improved
flow
processing
The
addition
of
dedicated
parsing,
filtering,
traffic
shaping
and
flow
steering
engines
which
are
capable
of
operating
flexibly
and
with
an
optimal
combination
of
a
full
hardware
data
plane
with
software
based
control
plane.