DPK-03 · Packet Processing with DPDK
Virtual network functions that keep up with the hardware.
Design network functions as software services, then make them fast with DPDK, SR-IOV and service function chaining.
You build: a chained service measured against throughput and latency targets.
Promise
Design network functions as virtual services and make them fast with DPDK, SR-IOV, and SFC.
Prerequisites
DPK-01 recommended.
Units
1. NFV overview ch 01–03
what NFV is, the modern data-plane challenges, the DPDK environment.
2. DPDK internals ch 04–08
EAL, poll-mode drivers, memory, multi-core model, the packet framework.
3. NFV architecture ch 09–13
NFVI, VNFs, MANO, KVM and container integration.
4. Packet I/O and performance ch 14–19
receive and transmit flow, QoS, profiling, testing.
5. Virtual network functions ch 20–24
virtual switch, router, load balancer, firewall, SR-IOV with DPDK.
6. Offload, SDN, SFC ch 25–27
smart NICs, DPDK and SDN, service function chaining.
7. Reliability and capstone ch 28–30
reliability, cloud-native NFV trends, a complete use case.
Labs
Each lab names its environment and a pass check. Labs are not marked complete on "it ran" — the pass check has to hold.
| Lab | What you do | Environment |
|---|---|---|
| DPK-03ach 04–05 | EAL options and PMD selectionPass check: Ports and cores match the flags | vm60 min |
| DPK-03bch 20 | Virtual switch between two VMsPass check: VM-to-VM ping works through the switch | vm120 min |
| DPK-03cch 23 | Virtual firewall in a service chainPass check: Blocked traffic stops at the firewall | vm120 min |
| DPK-03dch 27 | Chain two network functions and measure latencyPass check: Added latency reported per hop | vm90 min |
Capstone project · CAP-08
Mini User-Plane Function · 4 weeks
A private 5G network needs a user plane for one site.
Implement tunnel forwarding, charging records, and one slice with a latency budget.
Deliverables: Source, tests, latency results, failure report.
Outcomes
- I can build a virtual switch that forwards between two VMs.
- I can chain two network functions and measure the added latency.
- I can explain the trade-off between SR-IOV and a DPDK vSwitch.
Also in
How it runs
Work through the units in order. Each unit groups the chapters of the study guide with its share of the labs. You can start any time; there is no cohort date and nothing expires.
Labs run in a VM, a container, a simulator or on real hardware, and the card above names which. Where a lab needs hardware — an RDMA NIC, a programmable switch model, an FPGA — there is a simulator fallback so you are never blocked by equipment.
Questions
Do I get a certificate?
You get a completion record for the course. Path badges and project credentials are earned by passing the labs and the project review, not by attendance.
Can my team take this together?
Yes — and if you would rather have it delivered live, with the instructor in the room, this course also exists as a scheduled live cohort. See the live dates.
How long does it take?
≈ 30 h of study including the labs. Most engineers take it part-time over a few weeks.