Bluefield, Part One

[ecv]

High-Level Summary

Boot Talos Linux on NetActuate's prototype Bluefield 3 node, and join it to a local regional cluster.

Make the node available for workload scheduling, and get Envoy AI Gateway deployed to it.

Motivation

We want to run Envoy AI Gateway as close to the AIs themselves as possible.

Nvidia's Bluefield data processing units are network cards with an operating system. We want to route datum-mcp flows from the customer, to our most proximate edge, through our backbone, on SRv6, in a trusted secure compute context, all the way to the flow destination.

Goals

Prepare for a slot-in replacement with and evaluation of Tetrate's AI Router, and integration of the network services operator.

Non-Goals

• more than one Bluefield node
• any complexity of provisioning flow
• reusability of the install process