Virtual Interface Architecture: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:52, 19 January 2007

Revision as of 20:07, 26 February 2007

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The [[Virtual Interface Architecture]] (VIA) is an abstract model of a user-level zero-copy [[computer network | network]], and is the basis for [[InfiniBand]] and [[iWARP]]. Created by [[Microsoft]], [[Intel]], and [[Compaq]], the original VIA sought to standardize the interface for high-performance network technologies known as System Area Networks (SANs), regretably it is the same acronym as [[storageStorage areaArea networkNetwork]]s (SANs).

Networks are a shared resource. In traditional networks such as [[Ethernet]], the network is protected by the [[kernel (computer science) | kernel]], which presents a tremendous performance bottleneck when [[lag | latency]] is an issue.