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This paper introduces SPAC, a framework that automates the generation of FPGA-based network switches optimized for custom protocols and application-specific traffic. SPAC utilizes a domain-specific language (DSL) for protocol-architecture co-design, a library of modular HLS components, and a trace-aware design space exploration engine. Results demonstrate that SPAC-generated designs reduce LUT and BRAM usage by over 50% and achieve latency reductions up to 38.4% compared to fixed-architecture switches.
Forget hand-tuning: SPAC automatically generates FPGA-based network switches that slash latency by up to 38% while dramatically reducing resource usage.
With network requirements diverging across emerging applications, latency-critical services demand minimal logic delay, while hyperscale training and collectives require sustained line-rate throughput for synchronized bulk transfers. This divergence creates an urgent need for custom network switches tailored to specialized protocols and application-specific traffic patterns. This paper presents SPAC (Switch and Protocol Adaptive Customization), a novel approach that automates the generation of FPGA-based network switches co-optimized for custom protocols and application-specific traffic patterns. SPAC introduces a unified workflow with a domain-specific language (DSL) for protocol-architecture co-design, a library of modular HLS-based adaptive switch components, and a trace-aware Design Space Exploration (DSE) engine. By providing a multi-fidelity simulation stack, SPAC enables rapid identification of Pareto-optimal designs prior to deployment. We demonstrate the efficacy of the domain-specific adaptation of SPAC across a spectrum of real-world scenarios, spanning from latency-sensitive sensor and HFT networks to hyperscale datacenter fabrics. Experimental results show that by tailoring the micro-architecture and protocol to the specific workload, SPAC-generated designs reduce LUT and BRAM usage by 55% and 53%, respectively. Compared to fixed-architecture counterparts, SPAC delivers latency reductions ranging from 7.8% to 38.4% across various tasks while maintaining adequate resource consumption and packet drop rate.
