Crypto co-processor
 

Hi all,

On a bunch of servers, we use integrity checking tool on a large amount of data.
Therefore, we compute SHA1 hash from a lot of files everyday.

The CPU is a "generic" one, enough powerful for normal use, but get's totally saturated when intgrity check begins.

Is there any kind of server using a crypto-processor so as to delegate crypto functions to this dedicated processor ?

Thanks

Can GPU(CUDA) fit?

We may use it...However it implies to find a connector between CUDA and the HIDS.

I thought of something more integrated in the CPU.

There is nothing this way?

Thanks

IBM zSeries certainly have them.
p-series too I'd bet.

something related (...but not closely enough?) to what you ask for is described here, but

• it is only Westmere, and if you don't have Westmere-NI, its a non-starter
• the code would have to be compiled to use Westmere-NI
• the focus is cryptography and it is unclear (to me, anyway) if the stuff intended for AES helps you in any way

...but just writing that makes me wonder whether any of the earlier multi-media type extensions are being used to their full extent, and whether you already getting the value out of them that you could: is the program that does this is your own C program (or one for which you have the source code and understand that code), and what compile flags are used? And, your 'generic' processor, what is that, exactly?

I don't know if it would be usable in your situation, but it may be possible to use an FPGA for the purpose.

I think the core i7's offer support for some crypto tasks.

Thanks for info.

I tooka look on "SiSoftware Sandra 2009 SP3 Cryptography" benchmark (focus on x86 CPU)
http://www.tomshardware.com/fr/bench...aphy,1390.html

It seems Intel Core-i5 are WAY more efficient for crypto than other CPU (even more than i7).


I took a look on IBM zSeries server.
It is more mainframe server.
HOwever, how much expensive would it be compared to a DELL Intel x86 server...