VPP HostStack for Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial: Performance Without Modernization

Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial networks remain a critical broadband infrastructure, enabling high-speed Internet access for millions of users worldwide. However, as demand for low-latency, high-bandwidth applications such as cloud computing, 4K/8K streaming, and online gaming continues to grow, traditional packet processing architectures struggle to meet performance requirements due to high CPU utilization, inefficient transport-layer processing, and limited scalability.
Existing Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial network modernization strategies typically involve Distributed Access Architecture implementation, full network migration to fiber, or DOCSIS 4.0 upgrades. While these approaches enhance capacity and efficiency, they require significant capital investments, extensive infrastructure upgrades, and complex integration with existing operator networks. A cost-effective alternative is the optimization of packet processing efficiency using software-defined networking solutions, reducing network congestion and improving latency without requiring hardware overhauls.
This paper proposes a software-driven performance enhancement for Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial networks using The Fast Data Project VPP HostStack, a high-performance, user-space networking stack that minimizes packet processing latency and optimizes throughput without requiring physical network modifications. By leveraging vectorized execution, zero-copy data movement, and optimized memory management, VPP HostStack achieves significant performance improvements, reducing latency, increasing TCP/UDP throughput, and lowering CPU utilization compared to traditional kernel-based network stacks.
To validate the efficiency of VPP HostStack, a CSIT-based benchmarking methodology was employed to measure packet loss, latency, and throughput under different traffic scenarios.
Thus, VPP HostStack presents a scalable and cost-effective solution for improving HFC network performance, allowing operators to enhance broadband infrastructure without the substantial financial and technical burden associated with fiber migration, Distributed Access Architecture rollouts, or full- scale DOCSIS 4.0 deployments. This research contributes to the evolution of Software-Defined Networking and high-performance traffic processing, providing a viable alternative for Internet Service Providers seeking to modernize HFC networks while minimizing capital expenditures.