# OAC Core: Revolutionizing Data Movement on DPU-Powered HPC and AI Cyberinfrastructures

> **NSF 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · University of California - Merced (CA) · $596,738

## Abstract

Efficient data movement is a critical challenge in high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI) cyberinfrastructures due to the massive volumes of data generated by modern data-intensive applications. Existing methods often struggle with performance bottlenecks, particularly when transferring data across parallel and distributed computing environments. To address these limitations, this project -- the Open DPU-Offloading data Transfer Architecture (OpenDOTA) -- provides a framework that leverages Data Processing Units (DPUs) to accelerate data movement. By enhancing efficiency in DPU-powered systems, OpenDOTA aims to advance scientific simulations, drive AI advancements, and strengthen computational research infrastructure. The project fosters collaboration and contributes to the evolution of state-of-the-art data movement technologies, benefiting a wide range of users in academia and industry.

This project focuses on designing OpenDOTA as a high-performance, scalable framework for DPU-offloaded data movement in HPC and AI cyberinfrastructures. The research is structured around three key thrusts: (1) Adaptive point-to-point data movement, which employs diverse offloading strategies to optimize data transfer over DPUs; (2) Accelerating collective communication by leveraging advanced DPU offloading techniques to improve scalability; and (3) Deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based optimization, which dynamically adapts data movement strategies for maximum

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2505106
- **Awardee organization:** University of California - Merced (CA)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FFM7VPAG8P92
- **PI:** Xiaoyi Lu
- **Primary program:** 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** SMALL PROJECT
- **Estimated total:** $596,738
- **Funds obligated:** $596,738
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 07/01/2025 → 05/31/2026

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2505106

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2505106, OAC Core: Revolutionizing Data Movement on DPU-Powered HPC and AI Cyberinfrastructures. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2505106. Licensed CC0.

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