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Nanoconda — Product & Technical Details

One Platform. Deploy It Your Way.

From entry-level backtesting to fully managed HFT colocation – Nanoconda gives every serious futures trader an institutional-grade entry point, built on kernel-bypass, microsecond-execution infrastructure.

Platform in Action

The GUI connects directly to shared memory – displaying the same market data and order state your algorithm sees, with zero processing delay.

Everything in the Platform, in Detail

The DMA Software Suite and all Managed Service tiers share the same core platform. Click any feature to expand the full specification.

Latency Has Two Enemies

To build a fast DMA platform, you need to defeat both – not just one.

Light travels through fiber optic cable at roughly 5 microseconds per mile. The farther your algorithm is from the CME matching engine in Aurora, Illinois, the more inescapable latency you accumulate.

Every additional network "hop" – through a router, to a separate risk server, across a datacenter – adds latency that cannot be engineered away. Physics is non-negotiable.

Even at the ideal physical location, software overhead can introduce hundreds of microseconds. The Linux kernel, TCP/IP stack, context switches, memory copies, and locks all eat latency one layer at a time.

Most off-the-shelf FIX engines and DMA platforms were not built for nanosecond-scale execution. They pay unnecessary overhead at every hop in the data path.

Built for Microsecond Execution

Three engineering decisions that eliminate latency at every level of the stack – from the OS to the exchange.

Relative Latency Contribution

Nanoconda addresses each source independently

CME-Native Protocol Support

Full compliance with current CME exchange specifications – maintained as standards evolve.

CME Colocation, Managed for You

Your strategy runs at the exchange – without managing infrastructure.

What's in the Colocation Container

The Colocated Container plan gives you a dedicated, fully managed environment inside CME's colocation facility – physically adjacent to the exchange's matching engines.

Your Algo, Connected to the Exchange

A direct, single-machine pipeline – no extra hops, no broker layer.

Technical Specifications

Built for Production Environments

Institutional security, audit trails, and isolation – required by any serious trading operation.

Simple API. Institutional Performance.

Despite the complexity underneath – kernel bypass, shared memory, lock-free queues – the API your quants write against is clean and minimal. Implement callbacks, call nanoconda::start() , and your strategy is live.

The same code runs in the simulator, against PCAP or DataBento DBN replay, and in production – no environment-specific branches, no integration rewrites between stages. A complete working strategy is fewer than 50 lines of boilerplate.

Full documentation at nanoconda.com/docs .

Validate Before You Risk Capital

The $250 / 3-month license gives full access to PCAP and DataBento DBN replay plus the CME-compatible trading simulator – no exchange account or FCM required. The simulator supports all CME order types: FAK (Fill-and-Kill), Iceberg, Limit, Market, Stop, and Stop-Limit, with fill logic that mirrors live CME Globex behavior.

Your strategy uses the exact same C++ API as production. Switching from backtesting to live DMA requires no code changes.

CME Futures Coverage

Trade across the full CME futures complex with a single platform and API.

Who Uses Nanoconda

Whether you're validating a first strategy or running multi-instrument HFT, there's a Nanoconda product for where you are today.

Choose Your Starting Point

Software licenses run on your own infrastructure. Managed services are fully operated by Nanoconda at CME colocation – you focus on your strategy.

Full software stack with CME certification. Deploy on your own servers or test environment.

Dedicated resources at CME Aurora colocation. Hardware, connectivity, and operations fully managed by Nanoconda.

Ready to see it in action?

Schedule a live walkthrough – we'll show you exactly how your strategy would run on the platform.

Software License Products

Backtesting Simulator

Validate your strategy before risking a cent.

Replay historical CME market data – PCAP or DataBento DBN format – against your strategy using the exact same C++ API as production. Supports all CME order types: FAK, Iceberg, Limit, Market, Stop-Limit.

Price: $250 3-month software license

  • PCAP & DataBento DBN file replay
  • No live exchange connection or FCM required
  • FIFO Order Queue Priority Simulation
  • Matching Engine Latency Simulation

DMA Software Suite

Institutional DMA software – deploy on your own hardware.

The complete Nanoconda platform: CME-certified market data handler, execution gateway, pre-trade risk engine, real-time GUI, and all developer tools. You supply the hardware and connectivity; we handle the certification stack.

Price: $3,200 (per month / per exchange), or $2,800 with an annual commitment

  • iLink 3.0 execution + MDP 3.0 market data
  • In-memory pre-trade risk + full order management GUI
  • Trading simulator, PCAP replay, trace file, algo controls
  • FCM integration support included

Managed DMA Services

GUI Managed Algo

Your algo in CME colocation – controlled via GUI.

A dedicated managed environment at CME Aurora colocation with one dedicated CPU core. Deploy your algo, monitor execution, and control parameters through the browser-based GUI – no server-level access required or provided.

Price: $2,100 (per month), or $1,800 with an annual commitment

  • 1 dedicated CPU core at CME Aurora colocation
  • GUI-only access (no SSH)
  • Full infrastructure operated by Nanoconda 24/6
  • All DMA software features included

Colocated Professional

Full colocation – 3 cores, SSH, full control.

Three dedicated CPU cores at CME Aurora colocation with complete SSH access. Run multiple simultaneous strategies, manage your environment directly, and benefit from full managed operations, monitoring, and cross-connect included.

Price: $3,200 (per month), or $2,800 with an annual commitment

  • 3 dedicated CPU cores at CME Aurora colocation
  • Full SSH access – manage your environment directly
  • 24/6 managed operations, monitoring & alerting
  • CME cross-connect and all software features included

Backtesting Simulator Capabilities

  • PCAP & DataBento DBN file replay – real-time or maximum-speed
  • All CME order types supported: FAK, Iceberg, Limit, Market, Stop-Limit
  • Order matching mirrors live CME Globex behavior
  • Same C++ API binary as live production – zero code changes
  • Run paper trading alongside a live market-data staging session
  • No FCM, no exchange account, no live risk required
  • Nanosecond trace files for latency analysis and debugging
  • Designed as the entry point before committing to a DMA subscription

Platform Features (Detailed)

Full-Fidelity Exchange C++ API

1:1 with the CME exchange. Every field, every message – no abstraction, no normalization, nothing stripped out.

  • Full MBO feed: every order add, modify, and cancel exposed directly to your algorithm.
  • All MDP 3.0 fields: price levels, implied quantities, trade summary, and instrument definitions.
  • Complete iLink 3.0 coverage: all order types and all execution report fields.
  • Private fills include all exchange metadata: execution IDs, aggressor flags, and transaction timestamps.

In-Memory Pre-Trade Risk

Lightning-fast inline risk checks run directly on the same machine as your algo – no network hop, no shared process, no added latency.

  • Real-time algo control with built-in kill switch – stop execution instantly.
  • Instant API responses: your Order ID comes back before the risk check even completes a network round-trip elsewhere.
  • Clear, structured rejection reasons when any risk limit is breached.
  • Configurable limits per account, strategy, and instrument: position limits, order rate, max notional, fat-finger checks.
  • Fully auditable: every risk decision is logged with nanosecond timestamps.

Real-Time GUI & Order Manager

A high-performance browser-based or native GUI that reads directly from shared memory – the same data your algo sees, with zero processing delay.

  • Live blotter: see every order, fill, and position update in real time.
  • One-click kill switch to halt all algo execution immediately.
  • Flatten positions with a single click when market conditions demand.
  • 10-level book (DOM) view synchronized with the live MDP 3.0 feed.
  • Manual order entry for risk mitigation or opportunistic trading.

FCM Integration

Seamlessly connect with any Futures Commission Merchant for clearing, compliance, and sponsored access – without changing your algo code.

  • Adjust trading limits in real time via C++ API or GUI – no restart required.
  • Instant kill switch blocks all trading on any account, triggering FCM-side controls.
  • Automatic audit trail and trade log generation formatted for compliance review.
  • Support for give-up instructions and multi-account clearing configurations.
  • Tested with major US FCMs – integration handled by Nanoconda during onboarding.

PCAP & DBN Replay

Backtest with recorded CME market data – supports both PCAP files and DataBento DBN format, with automatic timestamp synchronization across instruments and channels.

  • Replay at original timestamp rate or maximum speed for stress testing.
  • Multi-file, multi-instrument support – channels auto-synced.
  • Works with the exact same API used in production – no code changes.
  • Supports multi-day and multi-instrument datasets for comprehensive historical testing.

Trading Simulator

A CME Globex-compatible simulation environment supporting all exchange order types – FAK, Iceberg, Limit, Market, Stop, and Stop-Limit – with realistic fill logic.

  • Order matching mirrors live CME Globex behavior for high-fidelity results.
  • Switch between PCAP/DBN replay and live market feeds without changing your algo.
  • Run paper trading simultaneously alongside a live-feed staging session.
  • Same API binary as production – switch environments via config, not code.

Algo Controls

Monitor, adjust, and command your running colocated algo from any browser – send parameters, receive metrics, and respond to market conditions in real time.

  • Send arbitrary key-value parameters to your algo at runtime – no restart needed.
  • Receive real-time metrics, custom logs, and signal feedback from your running strategy.
  • Set and adjust exposure limits, throttle rates, and strategy switches from the GUI.
  • Built-in kill switch integrated with the risk system – one click halts everything.
  • Accessible securely from anywhere – no VPN or on-site access required.

Trace File

A comprehensive nanosecond-precision audit log covering every event across your algo, the session layer, and the exchange connection.

  • Trace at multiple levels: application, session (iLink 3.0), and network.
  • Every order lifecycle event captured: send, ack, fill, cancel, reject – with timestamps.
  • Replay trace files using the exact same API as live and PCAP modes.
  • Invaluable for debugging latency spikes, missed fills, and unexpected risk rejections.
  • Formatted for easy parsing and integration with your analytics pipeline.

Architecture Pillars (Why It's Fast)

Kernel Bypass Networking

From packet ingress to normalized data delivery, Nanoconda operates as a fully lock-free, user-space pipeline. Leveraging Solarflare EFVI and TCPDirect, the system removes the Linux kernel from the critical path, avoiding context switches and kernel overhead throughout.

Shared Memory IPC

Your algorithm accesses market data and order responses directly through shared memory – the same memory region used by the gateway. No network hop, no socket layer, no serialization, and minimal IPC overhead in the critical path.

CPU Pinning & Cache Efficiency

Dedicated, isolated CPU cores run latency-critical threads with strict pinning and NUMA-aware placement. Cache-optimized data structures and access patterns keep processing within CPU caches, minimizing scheduler interference and memory latency.

Latency Breakdown

  • Network / Physics: ~5µs/mile (~45% of order-to-wire latency)
  • Kernel TCP/IP: ~5–20µs (~30% of order-to-wire latency)
  • Nanoconda path: ~1µs (~8% of order-to-wire latency)

CME Protocol Support

iLink 3.0 (Order Entry)

CME's current-generation binary order entry protocol. Nanoconda implements the full specification, including all supported order types, session management, heartbeat handling, and recovery workflows.

  • Full CME certification maintained – tested against CME's conformance suite.
  • Supports all exchange DAY order types (LMT, MKT, FAK, STP, Iceberg).
  • Automatic session recovery and gap-fill on disconnect.
  • Business reject handling and order book reconciliation on reconnect.
  • Tag-level compliance logging for audit and troubleshooting.

MDP 3.0 (Market Data)

CME Globex Market Data Platform 3.0 – a high-performance multicast feed. Nanoconda processes raw UDP channels and delivers a native order-by-order (MBO) stream directly to the API, preserving exchange sequencing and semantics.

  • Top-of-book snapshots (10 levels).
  • Native order-by-order (MBO) stream exposed directly to the API.
  • MBO recovery loop for session start and algo state sync.
  • A/B feed arbitration for gap detection and CME snapshot recovery.
  • Exchange sequencing preserved 1:1 in the API.

What's Included in CME Colocation

  • Colocated in CME Aurora, near matching engines.
  • Direct cross-connect to CME.
  • Hardware and gateways managed by Nanoconda.
  • Native Linux container environment.
  • Dedicated CPU cores, isolated from kernel and other workloads.
  • Full OS access – install tools, internet available.

Colocation Specifications

  • Location: CME Aurora, IL
  • Isolation: Dedicated container
  • Cross-connect: Directly to CME
  • Monitoring: 24/6 managed
  • OS: Rocky Linux (managed)
  • Real-time C++ API: Included

Technical Specifications

  • Order Entry Protocol: iLink 3.0 (CME Binary)
  • Market Data Protocol: MDP 3.0 (Multicast UDP)
  • Risk Architecture: In-Memory, Inline
  • Data Transport: Shared Memory (IPC)
  • Kernel Path: Bypassed on hot path
  • Thread Model: CPU-pinned, NUMA-aware
  • Order-to-Wire: ~1 Microsecond
  • Colocation: CME Aurora, IL
  • ISV Status: CME Certified
  • OS: RHEL Linux
  • Programming API: C++ / via shared memory
  • Audit Trail: Nanosecond trace file

Security & Compliance

Live GUI Monitoring

View live orders, trades, and strategy performance in real time with role-based access (trader, viewer, manager, clearer).

Kill Switch

The kill switch can halt all order flow within microseconds – accessible via GUI, API, or automated risk trigger.

Pre-Trade Risk Controls

Inline risk checks block invalid orders before reaching the exchange. Configured and monitored by the FCM per account.

Market Data Entitlements

Market data access and entitlements managed and reported directly to the exchange.

Nanosecond Tracing

Every order lifecycle event – from API call to exchange acknowledgment – can be logged with nanosecond-precision timestamps via the Trace File system.

Isolated Containers

The Colocated Container plan runs your strategy in an isolated OS container – separate from all other clients with no shared process space.

Supported CME Asset Classes

Equity Index Futures

Examples: E-mini S&P 500 (ES), E-mini Nasdaq (NQ), E-mini Dow (YM), Micro variants

Interest Rate Futures

Examples: Eurodollars, Treasury Bonds (ZB), Treasury Notes (ZN, ZF, ZT)

Energy Futures

Examples: Crude Oil (CL), Natural Gas (NG), RBOB Gasoline (RB), Heating Oil (HO)

Metals Futures

Examples: Gold (GC), Silver (SI), Copper (HG), Platinum (PL)

Agricultural Futures

Examples: Corn (ZC), Soybeans (ZS), Wheat (ZW), Soybean Oil (ZL)

FX Futures

Examples: EUR/USD (6E), GBP/USD (6B), JPY/USD (6J), and other major pairs

Who Uses Nanoconda

Quant Researchers

Start with the $250 Backtesting Simulator. Replay PCAPs, tune your model, and validate latency assumptions before committing to live infrastructure.

Independent Algo Traders

The GUI Managed product gets you into CME colocation for $2,100/month – no server admin, no SSH required. Focus entirely on strategy.

Prop Trading Firms

Colocated Professional gives your team 3 dedicated cores and full SSH access. Run multiple strategies from a single managed container.

Systematic Hedge Funds

Institutional DMA with FCM integration, audit trails, and risk controls that meet compliance standards for fund operations.

FCMs & Introducing Brokers

Provide sponsored CME access to clients through Nanoconda managed infrastructure – without operating your own certified gateway.

Trading Startups

Skip the 12–18 month gateway build cycle. Go from zero to live on CME in days – Nanoconda is your entire trading infrastructure from day one.