Enhanced networking is a feature in AWS that provides higher bandwidth, higher packet per second (PPS) performance, and consistently lower inter-instance latencies for EC2 instances. This capability is crucial for cost and performance optimization as it delivers improved network performance at no a…Enhanced networking is a feature in AWS that provides higher bandwidth, higher packet per second (PPS) performance, and consistently lower inter-instance latencies for EC2 instances. This capability is crucial for cost and performance optimization as it delivers improved network performance at no additional charge.
There are two mechanisms for enhanced networking:
1. Elastic Network Adapter (ENA): Supports network speeds up to 100 Gbps for supported instance types. ENA is the recommended option for most modern instances and provides the best performance characteristics.
2. Intel 82599 Virtual Function (VF) interface: Supports network speeds up to 10 Gbps for supported instance types. This is primarily used with older generation instances.
Key benefits for SysOps Administrators include:
- Higher I/O performance and lower CPU utilization: Enhanced networking uses single root I/O virtualization (SR-IOV), which bypasses the hypervisor and allows instances to communicate more efficiently with the physical network interface.
- Cost optimization: By achieving better network throughput with the same instance type, you can potentially use smaller instances or fewer instances to handle your workload, reducing overall costs.
- Performance consistency: Lower jitter and reduced latency make enhanced networking ideal for applications requiring predictable network performance.
To enable enhanced networking, ensure your AMI has the appropriate drivers installed, and your instance type supports ENA or Intel VF. Most current generation instances have enhanced networking enabled by default.
SysOps Administrators should verify enhanced networking is active by checking the ENA support attribute on instances using the AWS CLI command: aws ec2 describe-instances --query "Reservations[].Instances[].EnaSupport"
For optimal performance, place instances in the same Availability Zone, use placement groups for tightly coupled workloads, and select instance types that match your network throughput requirements.
Enhanced Networking for AWS SysOps Administrator Associate
What is Enhanced Networking?
Enhanced Networking is a feature in AWS that provides higher bandwidth, higher packet per second (PPS) performance, and consistently lower inter-instance latencies. It uses single root I/O virtualization (SR-IOV) to provide high-performance networking capabilities on supported instance types.
Why is Enhanced Networking Important?
Enhanced Networking is crucial for several reasons:
• Performance: Provides significantly higher network throughput and lower latency compared to traditional virtualized networking • Cost Efficiency: Better network performance can reduce the time needed for data-intensive operations, potentially lowering costs • Consistency: Offers more predictable network performance for applications requiring stable network behavior • Scalability: Supports demanding workloads like HPC, machine learning, and big data analytics
How Enhanced Networking Works
Enhanced Networking operates through two main mechanisms:
1. Elastic Network Adapter (ENA): • Supports network speeds up to 100 Gbps • Available on most current generation instance types • The preferred option for new deployments
2. Intel 82599 Virtual Function (VF) Interface: • Supports network speeds up to 10 Gbps • Used on older instance types • Utilizes the ixgbevf driver
Key Technical Details: • SR-IOV allows the network interface to be presented as multiple virtual interfaces to the instance • Bypasses the hypervisor for network traffic, reducing CPU overhead • Requires both AMI support and instance type support • No additional charges for Enhanced Networking
Enabling Enhanced Networking
To enable Enhanced Networking: • Use a supported instance type (most current generation instances) • Use an HVM AMI with the appropriate drivers installed • Launch in a VPC (not EC2-Classic) • Verify using: aws ec2 describe-instances --instance-id [id] --query 'Reservations[].Instances[].EnaSupport'
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Enhanced Networking
• Remember the two types: ENA (up to 100 Gbps) and Intel VF (up to 10 Gbps) - ENA is the modern standard
• Know when to recommend it: Questions mentioning high throughput requirements, low latency needs, HPC workloads, or network performance issues often point to Enhanced Networking as the solution
• Instance type matters: Not all instance types support Enhanced Networking - current generation instances typically do
• No extra cost: Enhanced Networking is free - if a question asks about improving network performance cost-effectively, this is often the answer
• VPC requirement: Enhanced Networking only works in VPC, not EC2-Classic
• Placement Groups connection: Questions about maximizing network performance between instances may combine Enhanced Networking with Cluster Placement Groups
• Driver awareness: Know that ENA uses the ena driver and Intel VF uses ixgbevf driver
• Troubleshooting scenarios: If an instance is not achieving expected network performance, check if Enhanced Networking is enabled and if the correct drivers are installed
• Common distractor: Do not confuse Enhanced Networking with Elastic Network Interfaces (ENIs) - they are different concepts
• HVM vs PV: Enhanced Networking requires HVM virtualization, not paravirtual (PV) instances