DPU Data Processing Unit
The DPU (Data Processing Unit) is a specialized processor built for data center infrastructure, excelling at tasks such as network protocol stack processing, storage virtualization, security encryption, and NVMe offload. In AI clusters, DPUs can significantly reduce CPU load, freeing more computing power for training and inference. With the proliferation of 400G/800G networks, DPUs have become a critical component in hyperscale data centers. Major players include NVIDIA (BlueField series), Intel (FPGA-based IPU), and AMD (Pensando series), each with distinct ecosystem advantages.
This category includes the following AI accelerator chips/compute cards: