Various previous discussions:

It's time to replace TCP in the datacenter position paper https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33401480 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42168997

Review of Homa protocol https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28204808

Review of Linux implementation of Homa https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28440542

TCP vs. RPC part 1 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34871670 part 2 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34871710 part 3 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35228716

For broader context: SCTP is already in the kernel, solves many of the same issues and has been used in mobile core networks for decades.

Without regard to the detailed background, design or analysis, the approach of plucking a concern out of the Network/Data Link layer (prioritization / QoS) and moving it up to the Transport is a remarkably simple / clever start.

At least that's how I picture the start of the study of such a design.

What is going on in a datacenter that motivates a protocol like this? I admit I am ignorarant. Is it for internal allocation, say traffic between Kubernetes nodes, this is envisioned?

Is anyone actually using Homa? I have heard that it has a few fundamental issues as described in the paper, and many people who want what Homa offers are using their own thing.