DPDK is a library which allows the development of applications which can process data packets in user space. Those applications avoid the bottle neck created by having to switch from kernel-space to user-space.

OVS-DPDK is the application of those libraries to an OVS switch, enabling the acceleration of a data-plane that runs on top of the OVS-DPDK virtual switches.

OVS-DPDK deployments are dependent on configuration of both platforms: OpenStack and OpenShift.
On the OpenStack side, the user deploying the OVS-DPDK enabled OpenShift cluster needs to have OpenStack administrative privileges.

Goals

The goal of this epic is to provide support for the deployment of OpenShift workers with additional network cards that are connected to an OVS-DPDK switch in the worker node.

Deploying workers with nic cards attached to an OVS-DPDK switch allows telco users to develop their own applications or CNFs with access to low latency networks.

Non-goals

Accelerating the OpenShift control data path, which is the data-plane use to connect the workers to the controllers (masters) is outside of the scope of this epic.

Use cases cover:

• QE Feature/performance test

References:

• Red Hat OpenStack Platform NFV roadmap https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1FJ2koVoyruLO0LDVLa8cWYzqgpiG4Qc_9KHwruym_7k/
• OpenShift on OpenStack NFV Architecture https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KsvGs36Q3GQpmrUkPmzUEJICA0k5pxlSnrcIKbk7CPc