DPDK aims to improve network performance in OpenStack by reducing latency. The hypervisor was not designed for network functions and introduces bottlenecks through interrupts and copying. DPDK runs in userspace and uses poll mode drivers to bypass the kernel for packet processing, improving throughput. A proof of concept showed DPDK-accelerated Open vSwitch handled over 30Gbps of traffic with low CPU usage, compared to normal OVS which topped out at 10Gbps. While the test had limitations, DPDK offers potential to accelerate features like SR-IOV, VMQ, and offloads.