Two-level cache architecture for live video streaming through hybrid ICN

A network interface card, comprising:

• a plurality of ports configured to receive network traffic and to send network traffic;
• a bus controller configured to communicate with a host device that serves as a forwarder in an Hybrid Information-Centric Network (hICN);
• a memory configured to store mapping information that maps a subset of names of content contained in a content store that is stored in a memory of the host device to corresponding addresses of data in the content store, wherein the subset of names of content includes names of most frequently accessed content included in the content store and an identification of the subset of names of content included in the mapping information is based on a statistical analysis of names included in interests received at the host device;
• and
• a controller configured to perform operations including:
• obtaining from a requester an hICN interest received at one of the plurality of ports, the hICN interest including a name;
• determining whether the name of the hICN interest is included in the mapping information stored in the memory;
• and
• processing the hICN interest based on whether the name of the hICN interest is included in the mapping information stored in the memory, wherein, when the name of the hICN interest is included in the mapping information, the controller is further configured to perform operations comprising:
• generating interest packet metadata that includes the name of the hICN interest and an indication that a match for the name of the hICN interest is found in the mapping information stored in the memory of the network interface card;
• providing the interest packet metadata to the host device to enable the host device to generate packet header metadata, wherein the packet header metadata includes an address in the memory of the host device for data to be retrieved by the network interface card and an indication that the data to be retrieved by the network interface card is packet header data;
• and
• obtaining the packet header metadata from the host device.

A system comprising:

• a host device that serves as a forwarder in an Hybrid Information-Centric Network (hICN), the host device including a memory that stores content for a content store;
• and
• a smart network interface card (SmartNIC) configured to communicate with the host device, the SmartNIC including a memory, wherein the SmartNIC is configured to perform operations comprising:
• storing in the memory of the SmartNIC, mapping information that maps a subset of names of the content included in the content store to corresponding addresses of data in the content store, wherein the subset of names of content includes names of most frequently accessed content included in the content store and an identification of the subset of names of content included in the mapping information is based on a statistical analysis of names included in interests received at the host device;
• receiving at the SmartNIC, from a requester, an hICN interest that includes a name;
• determining at the SmartNIC, whether the name of the hICN interest is included in the mapping information stored in the SmartNIC;
• and
• processing at the SmartNIC, the hICN interest based on whether the name of the hICN interest is contained in the mapping information stored in the memory of the SmartNIC, wherein, when the name of the hICN interest is contained in the mapping information, the processing further includes:
• generating interest packet metadata that includes the name of the hICN interest and an indication that a match for the name of the hICN interest is found in the mapping information;
• providing the interest packet metadata to the host device to enable the host device to generate packet header metadata, wherein the packet header metadata includes an address in the memory of the host device for data to be retrieved by the SmartNIC and an indication that the data to be retrieved by the SmartNIC is packet header data;
• and
• obtaining the packet header metadata from the host device.