Acronym Overload: eBPF, XDP, DPDK & VPP

Making Sense of Modern Telecom

Published by: Pathgate
Date: June 2025
Author: Technical Team

Executive Summary

In the ever-evolving world of network performance and programmability, a new generation of technologies has emerged to push the boundaries of what software-based data planes can achieve. Among them, eBPF, XDP, DPDK, and VPP are the most frequently mentioned—and misunderstood. This comprehensive technical analysis breaks down the alphabet soup, highlighting how these technologies compare, where they overlap, and when to choose one over the other.

1. The Acronyms Explained (and a Bit of History)

 

› eBPF (Extended Berkeley Packet Filter) 


Originally introduced in Linux 3.15 (2014) by Alexei Starovoitov while working at PLUMgrid (later acquired by VMware), with major contributions from Daniel Borkmann (Cilium/Isovalent). eBPF is a sandboxed virtual machine in the Linux kernel that allows users to run programs at various hook points, including networking, security, and tracing.

 

Key Characteristics:

  • Runs in kernel space
  • Sandboxed execution environment
  • Verifier ensures safety
  • Limited to 4096 instructions (increased in newer kernels)
  • No loops (except bounded loops in recent versions)

 

More info at: ebpf.io

› XDP (eXpress Data Path)


Introduced by the Linux community around Linux 4.8 (2016), authored by Brenden Blanco, Tom Herbert, and others at Open source community, Google, Amazon, Intel &  Microsoft. XDP uses eBPF for high-performance packet processing at the earliest possible point in the Linux networking stack.

Key Characteristics:

  • Processes packets before they enter the kernel networking stack
  • Three execution modes: Native, Generic, Offload
  • Uses eBPF programs for packet processing logic
  • Direct access to raw packet data

 

More info at: iovisor.org & datadoghq.com

› DPDK (Data Plane Development Kit)


Initially developed by Intel around 2010, its open-source software project managed by the Linux Foundation to enable high-performance packet processing on commodity x86 hardware. It provides user-space libraries and poll-mode NIC drivers to bypass the kernel entirely.

Key Characteristics:

  • Complete kernel bypass
  • User-space packet processing
  • Poll-mode drivers (PMD)
  • Requires dedicated CPU cores
  • Direct hardware access


More info at: dpdk.org

› VPP (Vector Packet Processing)


Created by Cisco (as part of the VPP project under FD.io) in the mid-2010s. It focuses on batched, vectorized processing of packets to optimize for CPU cache and parallelism.

 

Key Characteristics:

  • Batch/vector processing of packets
  • Graph-based packet processing pipeline
  • User-space execution
  • Optimized for modern CPU architectures

    More info at: fd.io

2. Understanding Vector Processing

 

Vector processing refers to the technique of processing multiple packets as a group or batch in a single iteration, often using SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) techniques. Instead of handling packets one-by-one (scalar processing), VPP processes them in vectors of packets to maximize cache hits and reduce memory access latency.

Some benefits are:

  • Cache Optimization: Processing similar packets together improves cache hit rates
  • Branch Prediction: Reduces CPU pipeline stalls
  • Memory Bandwidth: Better utilization of memory subsystem
  • Instruction Throughput: SIMD instructions process multiple data elements

 

Dive more at: Asterfusion Blog

3. Kernel vs User-Space Architecture


User-Space Solutions (DPDK/VPP)


Pros:

  • Maximum performance – 100+ Mpps/core with polling.
  • Full programming freedom – dynamic memory, threading, any logic.
  • Complete packet control – from parsing to encapsulation.
  • Rich protocol support – routing, NAT, IPSec, etc.
  • Proven ecosystem – widely used in production networks.

 

Cons:

  • High CPU cost – requires dedicated cores for polling 100% of the time.
  • Complex deployment – tuning hugepages, pinning, NUMA, etc.
  • Manual memory management – safety is developer's responsibility.
  • Lacks kernel stack integration – isolated from Linux networking.
  • Requires extra tooling – for monitoring, metrics, and debugging.


Kernel-Space Solutions (eBPF/XDP)


Pros:

  • Zero context-switching overhead – executes directly in kernel space.

  • Native integration with Linux stack – works with iptables, routing, tc, etc.

  • Low CPU usage – ideal for lightweight filtering and observability.

  • Built-in safety – verifier ensures memory and logic safety.

  • Great observability – via bpftool, bpftrace, perf, etc.

 

Cons:

  • Limited programming model – no malloc, recursion, or complex loops.

  • Instruction count cap (~1M) – unsuitable for full protocol stacks.

     

  • No visibility in tcpdump (XDP Native) – unless explicitly passed.

  • Kernel dependency – features vary by kernel version.

  • Not designed for full-featured L2/L3 processing.

 

4. Use Cases and Trade-Offs Analysis


Use Case Analysis:

Technology Strengths Weaknesses Primary Use Cases Key Projects
eBPF Secure, introspective, programmable in kernel, rich observability Limited complexity, no malloc, verifier restrictions Observability, security, tracing Cilium, BCC, bpftrace, Falco
XDP Ultra-low latency, early filtering, hardware offload potential Packets bypass normal stack, debugging challenges DDoS mitigation, load balancing, fast filtering Cilium, Katran (Meta), xdp-tools
DPDK Maximum performance, mature ecosystem, full protocol support High complexity, dedicated cores, extensive tuning Telecom, NFV, high-frequency trading OVS-DPDK, TRex, MoonGen, SPDK
VPP Efficient batch processing, complete protocol stack, service chaining Large codebase, steep learning curve Service provider networks, virtual routers FD.io VPP, Cisco CNF, Ligato


Cloud-Native Environments

  • Primary Choice: eBPF/XDP with Cilium
  • Rationale: Kubernetes integration, network policies, observability
  • Performance: Sufficient for most cloud workloads (10-40 Gbps)
  • Operational Benefits: Seamless integration, no kernel bypass complexity

Telecom/Service Provider Networks

  • Primary Choice: DPDK + VPP
  • Rationale: Maximum performance, complete L2/L3 stack, service chaining
  • Performance Requirements: 100+ Gbps, sub-microsecond latency
  • Features: MPLS, IPSec, QoS, deep packet inspection


Enterprise Security Appliances

  • Primary Choice: XDP for filtering + eBPF for analysis
  • Rationale: Fast packet filtering with rich introspection capabilities
  • Scalability: Handle DDoS attacks while maintaining observability
  • Integration: Works with existing security tools and SIEM systems

High-Frequency Trading

  • Primary Choice: DPDK with custom applications
  • Rationale: Deterministic latency, kernel bypass, hardware timestamping
  • Requirements: Microsecond-level latency, precise timing
  • Optimizations: CPU isolation, memory pinning, hardware acceleration

5. Our Conclusion

The landscape of high-performance packet processing continues to evolve rapidly, with each technology offering distinct advantages for specific use cases.

The key to success lies not in choosing a single "best" technology, but in understanding how to architect solutions that leverage the strengths of each approach.

Our Strategic Recommendations:

> For Cloud Service Providers

  • Start with Cilium/eBPF for comprehensive networking and security
  • Add XDP for specific high-throughput use cases

> For Telecommunications

  • Adopt VPP as the primary data plane for virtual network functions
  • Integrate DPDK for specialized, high-performance components

> For Enterprises

  • Implement XDP for DDoS protection and traffic filtering
  • Deploy eBPF for comprehensive network and security observability

Key Takeaways:

  1. eBPF/XDP excel in cloud-native environments where security, observability, and kernel integration are paramount

  2. DPDK remains the gold standard for maximum performance in controlled environments

  3. VPP offers an excellent balance of performance and functionality for service provider networks

  4. Hybrid approaches often provide the best real-world solutions
  5. Understanding performance requirements often offers the best solutions.

 

The convergence of these technologies with emerging trends like P4 programming, SmartNICs, and cloud-native architectures will continue to reshape the networking landscape. Organizations that invest in understanding and mastering these technologies today will be best positioned to capitalize on future innovations.

The question is not whether your organization should adopt these technologies, but rather how quickly you can begin the journey toward next-generation network performance and programmability.

About Pathgate

At Pathgate, we specialize in cutting-edge network technologies and have extensive experience implementing eBPF, XDP, DPDK, and VPP solutions across diverse environments. Our team has worked with telecommunications providers, cloud service providers, and enterprises to optimize network performance and implement innovative packet processing solutions.

Our vMark platform leverages these technologies to provide comprehensive network orchestration and benchmarking capabilities for carrier Ethernet networks, helping organizations validate performance, troubleshoot issues, and optimize their network infrastructure.

For more information about how these technologies can benefit your organization, or to schedule a demonstration of our solutions, visit us at pathgate.nl or contact our technical team.