Improving NIC Performance with RDMA Technology
Updated at Nov 4th 20241 min read
RDMA, short for Remote Direct Memory Access, is a network communication protocol that was initially applied in the field of high-performance computing and has gradually gained popularity in data centers.
Boost NIC Performance with RDMA
Originally used in high-performance computing, RDMA has steadily gained popularity in data centers. To tackle the persistent challenge of server data processing latency, RDMA Network Interface Cards (NICs) have been developed to provide an effective solution.
Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) enables direct memory access from one host's memory (storage or compute) to another host's memory, bypassing the remote Operating System and CPU. This enhances network and host performance by reducing latency, decreasing CPU usage, and increasing bandwidth. This technology enables high-throughput, low-latency networking, which is essential for performance-sensitive applications such as Machine Learning (ML/AI), Storage, and High-Performance Computing (HPC).
By using RDMA, applications can achieve reduced CPU workload because data can be transferred directly between memory buffers over the network, facilitated by network adapters that handle the data movement in hardware. This offloading of packet processing and memory access contributes to higher bandwidth and lower latency. RDMA can be implemented over various network infrastructures, such as InfiniBand, RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet), and iWARP, each offering different benefits and trade-offs to suit various requirements and environments.
These attributes of RDMA make it particularly beneficial for applications that demand rapid data processing and real-time data transfers.

Since the network adapter (NIC) must know the specific memory location to place data, a network protocol that explicitly supports RDMA is required.
Protocols Supporting RDMA
InfiniBand was the first protocol to gain widespread adoption for this purpose, as it was designed with RDMA in mind from the outset. The techniques originally developed for InfiniBand were later adapted for Ethernet networks through new RDMA protocols, starting with iWARP and followed by RoCE.
InfiniBand
As the first network protocol designed for RDMA, InfiniBand offers ultra-high transfer speeds and extremely low latency. It is suitable for data centers and high-performance computing environments that require the highest performance. FS's NVIDIA® InfiniBand Adapters are fully compatible with InfiniBand, providing excellent throughput and reliability in data-intensive applications.
RoCE
RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) enables RDMA to be implemented over Ethernet, offering low latency and high throughput over local and wide area networks. FS's NVIDIA® Ethernet Adapters and Broadcom® Ethernet Adapters and several Intel®/Intel Based Ethernet Adapters support the RoCE protocol, making them particularly suited for cloud computing and virtualization environments. They ensure efficient and reliable data transmission.
iWARP
This protocol was developed to implement RDMA over Ethernet equipment, enabling data transmission over standard TCP/IP networks. It is ideal for distributed computing and storage environments. FS provides NVIDIA® Ethernet Adapters, Broadcom® Ethernet Adapters and Intel®/Intel Based Ethernet Adapters, allowing customers to achieve efficient RDMA functionality without needing to replace their existing network infrastructure.
RDMA NICs, with outstanding performance and low-latency features, offer significant advantages across various applications such as data centers, storage systems, and high-performance computing. By offering network cards for these three protocols, FS helps customers achieve optimal RDMA performance across various network environments.
Summary
The rise in RDMA efficiency has moved the bottleneck to the network infrastructure of data centers, where achieving low latency and lossless transmission has become crucial. FS is at the forefront of this transition, offering expert network solutions, and a range of network adapters that address today’s demands and support future expansion. In the meantime, FS provides advanced solution support, which helps businesses not only meet their performance targets but also surpass them, reinforcing their investment in a more efficient, dependable, and high-performing networking future.