Leading security, storage, and networking vendors are joining the DOCA and DPU community.
The DPU, or data processing unit, is a new class of programmable processors that specializes in moving data around the data center and now joins CPUs and GPUs as the third pillar of modern computing. NVIDIA DOCA is core to the NVIDIA Bluefield DPU offering because it provides ecosystem partners with an open platform to deliver the advanced networking, storage, and security services needed today.
DOCA unlocks data center innovation by enabling an open ecosystem and developer community to rapidly create applications and services on top of Bluefield DPUs, using industry-standard open APIs and frameworks.
Integral to our customers’ success, and our own, is the collaboration with our ecosystem partners. For more than 15 years, our ecosystem partners have harnessed the power of CUDA to develop the world’s most effective accelerated applications for a multitude of use cases.
The NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit provides everything that is needed to develop GPU-accelerated applications. Similarly, the NVIDIA DOCA Software Framework is an open SDK that enables you to rapidly create applications and services on top of Bluefield DPUs.
Where partners have achieved such success with NVIDIA GPUs and CUDA, we are emulating that formula with our DPU portfolio and DOCA. Moreover, we recognize that to deliver best-in-class solutions for customers, we need to partner with the world’s leading technology vendors. Proprietary applications have their place, but who better to provide world-class security, storage, and networking solutions, than the world’s leading vendors in those fields?
A meeting of the minds
During the last two years, our ecosystem partners have been delivering innovative solutions and services essential for digital transformation. The most turbulent period in recent history has forced us all to find new ways to collaborate and embrace technology at a rate never expected. Not only have we had to adapt as individuals, but organizations across the globe have been forced to re-think their day-to-day activities.
We work closely with our partners to define and create more DOCA libraries and services to address innovative use cases. More than ever, we’re witnessing a realignment between technology requirements in the data center and ever-changing business priorities. In turn, matching customers to ecosystem partners provides an opportunity to create customized technology solutions tuned to meet specific business objectives.
Today, NVIDIA is working with leading platform vendors and partners to integrate and expand DOCA support for commercial distributions on BlueField DPUs. Dozens of industry leaders, including VMWare, Red Hat, DDN, Aria Cybersecurity, and Juniper Networks, have started to integrate their solutions using the DPU/DOCA architecture. You’ll start to see more new applications in the coming year.
Earlier this year, Palo Alto Networks, a global cybersecurity leader developed the first next-generation firewall (NGFW) specifically designed to be accelerated by the BlueField DPU. This first-to-market, hardware-accelerated software NGFW is a prime example of how the BlueField DPU boosts performance and optimizes data center security coverage and efficiency.
Third-party developers can create and distribute DPU-accelerated applications with the DOCA SDK, which is fully integrated into the NGC catalog of containerized software. Such accelerated solutions will be wide-ranging, including advanced applications for infrastructure, storage, and security. It will be the key to unlocking data center innovation.
Try DOCA today
NVIDIA DOCA is the key to unlocking the potential of the NVIDIA BlueField DPU to offload, accelerate, and isolate data center workloads. With DOCA, you can program the data center infrastructure of tomorrow by creating software-defined, cloud-native, DPU-accelerated services with zero-trust protection to address the increasing performance and security demands of modern data centers.
To start developing on DOCA:
- Apply for the DOCA Early Access program.
- Take the free Introduction to DOCA for DPUs course.
- Find us on GitLab.