6G • Core Network
Extreme-UPF
Terabit-Rate Hardware-Accelerated User Plane Function
A high-capacity data plane engine delivering multi-terabit throughput per rack unit using SmartNICs and programmable ASIC hardware pipelines.
Technical Explanation
To handle the aggregate traffic of Sub-THz wireless links and multi-view volumetric holographic streams, 6G introduces Extreme-UPF. Built upon specialized data processing units (DPUs), programmable switching silicon (P4/Tofino), and FPGA pipelines, Extreme-UPF forwards and inspects packets at line rate exceeding 10 Terabits per second, supporting line-rate post-quantum cryptographic decryption with zero jitter.
Key Functions
- Line-rate packet forwarding exceeding 10 Terabits per second per server unit
- Hardware offload via SmartNICs and DPUs for GTP-U and SRv6 encapsulation
- Hardware-accelerated line-rate Post-Quantum Cryptographic (PQC) IPsec decryption
- Microsecond-level QoS enforcement and traffic policing for HRLLC flows
- Native integration with In-Network Computing (INC) programmable P4 pipelines
Specifications
3GPP Rel-19 TS 29.281 Evolution, Linux Foundation DPDK/eBPF
Interfaces
N3-ExtremeN4-P4N6-TerabitN9-Direct
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