Napatech: Napatech Unveils 400G AI SmartNIC Based on Altera FPGA

Napatech introduced its new N3070X AI SmartNIC, designed to meet the growing demands of AI infrastructure. The 400 Gbps SmartNIC is built using Altera's Agilex 7 FPGA technology and targets data-intensive workloads such as machine learning, large language models (LLMs), and generative AI (GenAI). With 200 and 400 Gigabit Ethernet support, ultra-low latency, and zero packet loss, the N3070X addresses the unique requirements of AI data centers, enabling high-performance computing and AI clustering. The SmartNIC is programmable, allowing it to adapt to specific customer environments and emerging use cases, and supports a variety of Agilex 7 FPGA options for a tailored price-performance mix.Napatech's N3070X AI SmartNIC enables early adoption of Ultra Ethernet, a networking standard designed to eliminate vendor lock-in and proprietary technologies like InfiniBand and RoCE. It supports AI/ML clustering, FPGA and GPU interconnects, and high-performance computing, all while maintaining compatibility with standard, high-volume servers. The N3070X is also future-proof, designed to optionally integrate an Intel Xeon D processor to convert the SmartNIC into an Infrastructure Processing Unit (IPU), expanding its use cases to include cybersecurity, fintech, and storage acceleration.The N3070X AI SmartNIC will be on display at Altera Innovators Day 2024, where it will demonstrate how programmable networking solutions like SmartNICs and IPUs can help data centers scale efficiently to meet the rising demand for AI and machine learning applications.• Product: N3070X AI SmartNIC• Speed: 400 Gbps, x16 PCIe 5.0• Technology: Based on Altera Agilex 7 FPGA• Features: Ultra-low latency, deterministic delivery, programmable, supports 200/400 Gigabit Ethernet• Use cases: AI/ML clustering, high-performance computing, cybersecurity, storage, fintech• Optional: Intel Xeon D processor for IPU conversion"AI infrastructure is an emerging use case fueling the increasing demand for Napatech programmable NICs including SmartNICs and IPUs," said Jarrod Siket, Chief Marketing Officer at Napatech.Napatech Unveils 400G AI SmartNIC Based on Altera FPGA