Is DMA possible on the X710? Alternatively is it possible to use DMA on the X722 when processing raw ethernet frames?

[CVinc4]

We currently have a data processing system that includes raw ethernet packets out of an fpga into an Intel X710 NIC. We are currently using recvfrom to acquire and store raw packets (no tcp/ip or other linklayer data, just MAC source and destination with type/length header), but as I understand it recvfrom makes calls to the CPU. As we will be collecting from 10+ sockets simultaneously we would like to use DMA to improve our throughput and reduce calls to the CPU. Is there a library that will allows us to use DMA with the X710?

Alternatively I have seen that the X722 utilises RDMA with iWARP. Is it possible to use the RDMA on the X722 without adding a TCP layer to our ethernet packets, and what libraries would we need to use?

Many thanks for any help.

[Crisselle_Intel]

Hello CVinc4,

Thank you for posting in Intel Ethernet Communities. 

Please provide the Part number of your Ethernet adapter for us to identify its exact model. You may refer to this link on how to Identify Your Intel® Network Adapter Model Using Serial Number

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000007022/network-and-i-o/ethernet-products.html

Looking forward to your reply.

Best regards,

Crisselle C

Intel Customer Support

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[CVinc4]

Unfortunately I don't have physical access to the device at the moment. I can tell you that we are an Intel X710-DA4 card, showing up as "Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation Ethernet Controller X710 for 10GbE SFP+ (rev 01)" in lspci on linux.

Thanks,

Charlie

[Crisselle_Intel]

Hello Charlie,

Thank you for providing the requested information.

Please allow us to check on your query. We will give you an update within 2-3 business days.

Hoping for your patience.

(We might post an additional questions on this thread that will help us in checking your request.)

Best regards,

Crisselle C

Intel Customer Support

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Mike_Intel]

Hello Charlie,

Thank you for patiently waiting for our update on this.

Please check our answers below:

1. Is there a library that will allows them to use DMA with the X710?

Answer: Upon checking, I am sorry to say that we don't have library to allow user's to use DMA with X710. You may post a feature request in the sourceforge site below:

https://sourceforge.net/p/e1000/feature-requests/

Let me also the datasheet of the controller below:

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/datasheets/xl710-10-40-controller-datasheet.pdf

2. Is it possible to use DMA on the X722 when processing raw Ethernet frames?

Answer: iWARP is RDMA over TCP so that it can be routable, so it is not supported on raw Ethernet.

If you have questions, please let us know.

Best regards,

Michael L.

Intel Customer Support

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Crisselle_Intel]

Hello Charlie,

We'd like to check if you were able to post a request on sourceforge? If you have additional questions and clarification on this matter, please do not hesitate to ask.

We look forward to your reply.

Best regards,

Crisselle C

Intel Customer Support

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Crisselle_Intel]

Hello Charlie,

Please be informed that we will now close this inquiry since we haven't receive any response on our previous follow up. If you have any other concern or further assistance needed, kindly post a new question.

Best regards,

Crisselle C

Intel Customer Support

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[CVinc4]

Hi Crisselle, Thank you for your help. As I understood it DMA was a hardware implementation so unless the X710 already supports it you wouldn't be able to add it with a driver update? Also I would like clarification with regards to the RDMA on the X722. Is the RDMA only possible with iWARP? There is no way to access the DMA capabilities of the X722 when processing raw ethernet frames? Many thanks, Charlie

[Crisselle_Intel]

Hello Charlie,

You are welcome.

Please allow us again to further check on your additional questions. We will get back you within 1-3 business days.

Hoping for your patience. 

Best regards,

Crisselle C

Intel Customer Support

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[Crisselle_Intel]

Hello Charlie,

Thank you for the patience on this matter.

Please be informed that we only support the iWARP protocol on the X722 and it requires the TCP layer. As alternative, you may consider looking into Linux rdma-core on the link below for possible solution.

https://github.com/linux-rdma

Let us know if you have additional questions and clarifications.

Best regards,

Crisselle C

Intel Customer Support

A Contingent Worker at Intel

[CVinc4]

Thank you Crisselle for pointing out this repo, I will have a look and see if it will serve our purposes.

Charlie

[Crisselle_Intel]

Hello Charlie,

You are welcome.

Hopefully the link above would be of help on your concern. Please be informed that we will close this inquiry again. Should you need further assistance or any other concern in the future, please do not hesitate to post a new question.

Have a lovely day!

Best regards,

Crisselle C

Intel Customer Support

A Contingent Worker at Intel