Scalable Networking

The Microsoft Scalable Networking initiative seeks to deliver innovative networking technology solutions for the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems focused on eliminating potential operating system bottlenecks associated with network packet processing. Through the introduction of new architectural innovations like TCP Chimney Offload and NetDMA, the Scalable Networking initiative seeks to deliver support for the latest network acceleration and hardware-based offload technologies without requiring changes to existing applications or network management practices.

The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack is the first delivery of this initiative. It enables Windows Server 2003 administrators to cost-effectively scale their network-based applications while optimizing server performance and maximizing network throughput.

Introductory Overviews

• Introduction to the Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack
  This white paper describes the networking enhancements delivered in the Scalable Networking Pack for Windows Server 2003 to enable greater scalability and performance. The architectural innovations include TCP Chimney Offload, Receive-side Scaling, and NetDMA.
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack Overview
  This Cable Guy article describes how the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack and new network acceleration and hardware-based offload technologies can help you scale your network-based applications and services.
• Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack Datasheet
  Learn more how the Scalable Networking Pack for Windows Server 2003 can help you cost-effectively scale your network-based applications to meet growing demands, achieve higher server performance, and maximize network throughput all on your existing and future Windows Server 2003 infrastructure investments.
• Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack: Frequently Asked Questions
  Find quick answers to common questions asked about the Scalable Networking Pack for Windows Server 2003.
• Introduction to Intel I/O Acceleration Technology and the Scalable Networking Pack
  This white paper describes how Intel I/O Acceleration Technology (Intel I/OAT), which uses features of the Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack, moves network data more efficiently through Intel Xeon processor-based servers for fast, scalable, and reliable networking. (PDF)
• Enabling Greater Scalability and Improved File Server Performance with the Scalable Networking Pack and Alacritech Dynamic TCP Offload
  Learn more about the improved file server performance and scalability benefits made possible by the Scalable Networking Pack in combination with Alacritech Scalable Network Accelerators. This white paper highlights performance testing results and offers insights on how Microsoft's TCP Chimney Offload and Alacritech's TCP offload technology can help cost effectively scale Windows Server 2003-based file servers to meet the demanding needs of today's high speed networks. (PDF)

Partners

• Scalable Networking Partners
  Learn more about the rich partner ecosystem providing support for Microsoft Scalable Networking initiatives.

Additional Resources

• Windows Scalable Networking Initiative
  This paper provides information about the Scalable Networking initiative for the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems. Specific technologies covered include Receive-side Scaling, TCP Chimney, RDMA Chimney, and IPsec Chimney.
• Scalable Networking: Network Protocol Offload – Introducing TCP Chimney
  This paper provides information about new network protocol offload capabilities for the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems. It provides an overview for independent hardware vendors that details the new Chimney architecture for full TCP offload.
• Scalable Networking with Receive-side Scaling
  This paper is for the technical community that wants to have a deeper insight into how Receive-side Scaling operates. This innovative architecture makes it possible to improve multiprocessor computer performance by dynamically load-balancing received (inbound) traffic across multiple processors.

Downloads

• Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack
  The Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Scalable Networking Pack delivers support for the next generation of networking hardware to provide scalability and performance enhancements to Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 or later. The architectural innovations provided in the Scalable Networking Pack include TCP Chimney Offload, Receive-side Scaling, and NetDMA