Network traffic management at radio-based application pipeline processing servers

A system, comprising:

• a server which includes:
• one or more processors;
• a network function accelerator card;
• and
• a plurality of networking hardware devices, including a first networking hardware device and a second networking hardware device;
• wherein the server stores instructions that upon execution on or across the one or more processors:
• implement a virtualized Radio Access Network (RAN) network function of a distributed unit (DU) of a radio-based application;
• cause to be transmitted, from the server, via the first networking hardware device, at least a portion of mid-haul traffic of the radio-based application to a centralized unit (CU) of the radio-based application;
• and
• cause to be transmitted, from the server, via the second networking hardware device, at least a portion of front-haul traffic of the radio-based application to a radio unit (RU) of the radio-based application, wherein the portion of front-haul traffic includes a result of a network function executed at the network function accelerator card.

One or more non-transitory computer-accessible storage media storing program instructions that when executed on or across one or more processors:

• implement a virtualized Radio Access Network (RAN) network function of a distributed unit (DU) of a radio-based application;
• cause to be transmitted, from a server, via a first networking hardware device of a plurality of networking hardware devices of the server, at least a portion of mid-haul traffic of the radio-based application to a centralized unit (CU) of the radio-based application;
• and
• cause to be transmitted, from the server, via a second networking hardware device of the plurality of networking hardware devices, at least a portion of front-haul traffic of the radio-based application to a radio unit (RU) of the radio-based application, wherein the portion of front-haul traffic includes a result of a network function executed at a network function accelerator card of the server.