Processing of overlay networks using an accelerated network interface card

An accelerated network interface card (NIC), the accelerated NIC comprising:

• a plurality of network ports including multiple Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe) ports configured to communicate with a server and a network;
• an Overlay Network Offload System (ONOS), the ONOS comprising logic configured to provide overlay functionality to at least some network traffic received by the accelerated NIC;
• a first receiving/transmitting (RX/TX) packet buffer configured to cache at least one of:
• network traffic sent to the network and network traffic received from the network:
• and
• logic configured to cause network traffic that has overlay functionality provided by a hypervisor of the server to bypass the ONOS.

A method for accelerating overlay functionality in a server, the method comprising:

• providing, using an Overlay Network Offload System (ONOS) of an accelerated network interface card (NIC) implemented in a server, overlay functionality for at least some network traffic received by the accelerated NIC, wherein the accelerated NIC provides an interface between the server and a network;
• caching, using a first receiving/transmitting (RX/TX) packet buffer of the accelerated NIC, network traffic selected from a group comprising network traffic sent to the network and network traffic received from the network;
• and
• causing, by the accelerated NIC, network traffic that has overlay functionality provided by a hypervisor of the server to bypass the ONOS of the accelerated NIC.