Running Neural Networks on the NIC

Authors: Giuseppe Siracusano, Salvator Galea, Davide Sanvito, Mohammad Malekzadeh, Hamed Haddadi, Gianni Antichi, Roberto Bifulco

Results of the summarizing process for the arXiv paper: 2009.02353v1

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In their paper titled "Running Neural Networks on the NIC," Giuseppe Siracusano, Salvator Galea, Davide Sanvito, Mohammad Malekzadeh, Hamed Haddadi, Gianni Antichi, and Roberto Bifulco explore the potential of using commodity programmable Network Interface Cards (NICs) to perform neural network inference tasks for packet monitoring applications. They highlight the significance of this approach as data transfer costs to host systems and dedicated machine learning accelerators like GPUs can often exceed the processing task itself. The authors present their system called N3IC, which they design and implement on two different NICs. They demonstrate that N3IC can effectively support three distinct network monitoring use cases that require machine learning inference as a first-class primitive. The system showcases impressive performance by performing inference for millions of network flows per second while maintaining a traffic forwarding rate of 40Gb/s. Comparing N3IC to an equivalent solution implemented on a general-purpose CPU, the authors find that N3IC offers several advantages. It provides a significant reduction in processing latency by up to 100 times and increases throughput by 1.5 times. Overall, this research highlights the potential of leveraging NICs for running neural network inference tasks in packet monitoring applications. By minimizing data transfer costs and achieving high-performance results, N3IC demonstrates its ability to enhance network monitoring capabilities efficiently and cost-effectively.
AI-generated keywords: N3IC NICs Neural Networks Packet Monitoring Inference

AI-generated Key Points

  • Using commodity programmable Network Interface Cards (NICs) for neural network inference tasks in packet monitoring applications
  • Data transfer costs to host systems and dedicated machine learning accelerators can exceed processing task costs
  • System called N3IC designed and implemented on two different NICs
  • N3IC supports three distinct network monitoring use cases requiring machine learning inference
  • N3IC performs inference for millions of network flows per second while maintaining a traffic forwarding rate of 40Gb/s
  • N3IC offers advantages over equivalent CPU solution: significant reduction in processing latency (up to 100 times) and increased throughput (1.5 times)
  • Leveraging NICs for neural network inference tasks enhances network monitoring capabilities efficiently and cost-effectively
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Abstract: In this paper we show that the data plane of commodity programmable (Network Interface Cards) NICs can run neural network inference tasks required by packet monitoring applications, with low overhead. This is particularly important as the data transfer costs to the host system and dedicated machine learning accelerators, e.g., GPUs, can be more expensive than the processing task itself. We design and implement our system -- N3IC -- on two different NICs and we show that it can greatly benefit three different network monitoring use cases that require machine learning inference as first-class-primitive. N3IC can perform inference for millions of network flows per second, while forwarding traffic at 40Gb/s. Compared to an equivalent solution implemented on a general purpose CPU, N3IC can provide 100x lower processing latency, with 1.5x increase in throughput.

Submitted to arXiv on 04 Sep. 2020

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