Short for
remote direct memory access (
DMA), a communications technique that allows data to be transmitted from the
memory of one computer to the memory of another computer without passing through either device’s
CPU, without needing extensive
buffering, and without
calling to an
operating system kernel. RDMA is a response to increasing demands for network speed. Data can be transferred faster when it does not have to pass through the CPU.
Infiniband is an example of a form of RDMA. Applications of RDMA include clustering and storage and networking for data centers.
