The Ethernet Readout of the DUNE DAQ System

In 2023, the deep underground neutrino experiment (DUNE) data acquisition (DAQ) system transitioned to a new Ethernet-based readout. This required an extension to the modular readout subsystem: in particular, a new I/O device library was implemented, interfacing with the detector electronics; a firmware block was provided by the DAQ team to the electronics experts for the implementation of the data formatting and transmission; and the trigger primitive generation (TPG) software in the readout system was adapted to the modified data format. The I/O device library for controlling, configuring, and operating the network interface controllers (NICs) is built upon the data plane development kit (DPDK), supporting routing capabilities based on configurable rules. This feature allows the readout to split the data arriving on each 100-Gb/s link into individual data streams (each with a throughput of ~2 Gb/s), which are passed down to their corresponding processing pipelines for TPG and buffering. Extensive monitoring capabilities are also provided by the library, which monitors errors related to data consistency and integrity, and also aids the performance optimization work of the software stack. In this contribution, we describe the new high-throughput Ethernet-based readout integrated into the DUNE DAQ system, and the first performance results obtained at the ProtoDUNE hardware apparatus at the Neutrino Platform at CERN.