OpenOnload is a high performance network stack for Linux, supporting TCP/UDP/IP networking with the BSD sockets API. It is unusual in that it performs network processing at user-level, bypassing the OS kernel entirely on the data path. Networking overheads are reduced considerably without sacrificing the security and resource management functionality that the kernel normally provides.
Google TechTalk
In February 2008 we gave a tech-talk at Google
all about the implementation of OpenOnload. Watch
here, and the
slides are here.
OpenOnload is compatible at the binary level with existing applications. It comprises a user-level shared library that implements the protocol stack, and a supporting kernel module. The stack addresses a number of the challenges posed to a general purpose user-level network stack including: intercepting network system calls, binary compatibility with existing applications, maintaining security, supporting the semantics of system calls such as fork() and exec(), passing sockets through Unix domain sockets and advancing the protocol when the application is not scheduled. OpenOnload also includes innovative techniques that reduce interrupt overheads and improve scalability.
OpenOnload is freely available for download, and is licenced under the GPLv2. It runs of Linux 2.6 kernels, and is compatible with the following Ethernet adapters:
Support for other network controllers which are capable of providing user-accessible (or virtualized) network interfaces is possible and interested parties are recommended to contact the OpenOnload developers.
Feedback, suggestions, bug reports are all welcome on the OpenOnload email address.
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