[intel-npu] Support new internal cached_model_buffer config for memory mapped cached blobs

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/common/include/intel_npu/common/blob_container.hpp

@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2018-2025 Intel Corporation
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+//
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <vector>
+
+#include "openvino/runtime/shared_buffer.hpp"
+
+namespace intel_npu {
+
+class BlobContainer {
+public:
+    /**
+     * @brief Returns the address at the beginning of the blob.
+     */
+    virtual const void* get_ptr() const = 0;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Size of the blob.
+     */
+    virtual size_t size() const = 0;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Returns true if the blob can be deallocated from memory, false otherwise.
+     */
+    virtual bool release_from_memory() = 0;
+
+    virtual ~BlobContainer() = default;
+};
+
+class BlobContainerVector : public BlobContainer {
+public:
+    BlobContainerVector(std::vector<uint8_t> blob) : _blob(std::move(blob)) {}
+
+    const void* get_ptr() const override {
+        return reinterpret_cast<const void*>(_blob.data());
+    }
+
+    size_t size() const override {
+        return _blob.size();
+    }
+
+    bool release_from_memory() override {
+        _blob.clear();
+        _blob.shrink_to_fit();
+        return true;
+    }
+
+private:
+    std::vector<uint8_t> _blob;
+};
+
+class BlobContainerAlignedBuffer : public BlobContainer {
+public:
+    BlobContainerAlignedBuffer(const std::shared_ptr<ov::AlignedBuffer>& blobSO, size_t ovHeaderOffset, uint64_t size)
+        : _size(size),
+          _ovHeaderOffset(ovHeaderOffset),
+          _blobSO(blobSO) {}
+
+    const void* get_ptr() const override {
+        return _blobSO->get_ptr(_ovHeaderOffset);
+    }
+
+    size_t size() const override {
+        return _size;
+    }
+
+    bool release_from_memory() override {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+private:
+    uint64_t _size;
+    size_t _ovHeaderOffset;
+    std::shared_ptr<ov::AlignedBuffer> _blobSO;
+};
+
+}  // namespace intel_npu

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/common/include/intel_npu/common/icompiler_adapter.hpp

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ class ICompilerAdapter {
 public:
     virtual std::shared_ptr<IGraph> compile(const std::shared_ptr<const ov::Model>& model,
                                             const Config& config) const = 0;
-    virtual std::shared_ptr<IGraph> parse(std::vector<uint8_t> network, const Config& config) const = 0;
+    virtual std::shared_ptr<IGraph> parse(std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr, const Config& config) const = 0;
     virtual ov::SupportedOpsMap query(const std::shared_ptr<const ov::Model>& model, const Config& config) const = 0;
     virtual uint32_t get_version() const = 0;
 

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/common/include/intel_npu/common/igraph.hpp

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <mutex>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include "intel_npu/common/blob_container.hpp"
 #include "intel_npu/network_metadata.hpp"
 #include "intel_npu/utils/zero/zero_init.hpp"
 #include "intel_npu/utils/zero/zero_utils.hpp"
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ class IGraph : public std::enable_shared_from_this<IGraph> {
     IGraph(ze_graph_handle_t handle,
            NetworkMetadata metadata,
            const Config& config,
-           std::optional<std::vector<uint8_t>> blob);
+           std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr);
 
     virtual size_t export_blob(std::ostream& stream) const = 0;
 
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ class IGraph : public std::enable_shared_from_this<IGraph> {
     // first inference starts running
     std::mutex _mutex;
 
-    std::vector<uint8_t> _blob;
+    std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> _blobPtr;
 
     uint32_t _unique_id = 0;
     uint32_t _last_submitted_id;

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/common/src/igraph.cpp

@@ -17,14 +17,11 @@ namespace intel_npu {
 IGraph::IGraph(ze_graph_handle_t handle,
                NetworkMetadata metadata,
                const Config& config,
-               std::optional<std::vector<uint8_t>> blob)
+               std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr)
     : _handle(handle),
       _metadata(std::move(metadata)),
-      _logger("IGraph", config.get<LOG_LEVEL>()) {
-    if (blob.has_value()) {
-        _blob = std::move(*blob);
-    }
-}
+      _blobPtr(std::move(blobPtr)),
+      _logger("IGraph", config.get<LOG_LEVEL>()) {}
 
 const NetworkMetadata& IGraph::get_metadata() const {
     return _metadata;

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/include/driver_compiler_adapter.hpp

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class DriverCompilerAdapter final : public ICompilerAdapter {
 
     std::shared_ptr<IGraph> compile(const std::shared_ptr<const ov::Model>& model, const Config& config) const override;
 
-    std::shared_ptr<IGraph> parse(std::vector<uint8_t> network, const Config& config) const override;
+    std::shared_ptr<IGraph> parse(std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr, const Config& config) const override;
 
     ov::SupportedOpsMap query(const std::shared_ptr<const ov::Model>& model, const Config& config) const override;
 

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/include/driver_graph.hpp

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class DriverGraph final : public IGraph {
                 ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle,
                 NetworkMetadata metadata,
                 const Config& config,
-                std::optional<std::vector<uint8_t>> blob);
+                std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr);
 
     size_t export_blob(std::ostream& stream) const override;
 

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/include/plugin_compiler_adapter.hpp

@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class PluginCompilerAdapter final : public ICompilerAdapter {
 
     std::shared_ptr<IGraph> compile(const std::shared_ptr<const ov::Model>& model, const Config& config) const override;
 
-    std::shared_ptr<IGraph> parse(std::vector<uint8_t> network, const Config& config) const override;
+    std::shared_ptr<IGraph> parse(std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr, const Config& config) const override;
 
     ov::SupportedOpsMap query(const std::shared_ptr<const ov::Model>& model, const Config& config) const override;
 

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/include/plugin_graph.hpp

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class PluginGraph final : public IGraph {
                 const std::shared_ptr<ZeroInitStructsHolder>& zeroInitStruct,
                 ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle,
                 NetworkMetadata metadata,
-                std::vector<uint8_t> blob,
+                std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr,
                 const Config& config);
 
     size_t export_blob(std::ostream& stream) const override;

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/include/ze_graph_ext_wrappers.hpp

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class ZeGraphExtWrappers {
                                      const std::string& buildFlags,
                                      const uint32_t& flags) const;
 
-    ze_graph_handle_t getGraphHandle(const std::vector<uint8_t>& network) const;
+    ze_graph_handle_t getGraphHandle(const uint8_t& data, size_t size) const;
 
     NetworkMetadata getNetworkMeta(ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle) const;
 

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/src/driver_compiler_adapter.cpp

@@ -200,14 +200,16 @@ std::shared_ptr<IGraph> DriverCompilerAdapter::compile(const std::shared_ptr<con
                                          graphHandle,
                                          std::move(networkMeta),
                                          config,
-                                         std::nullopt);
+                                         nullptr);
 }
 
-std::shared_ptr<IGraph> DriverCompilerAdapter::parse(std::vector<uint8_t> network, const Config& config) const {
+std::shared_ptr<IGraph> DriverCompilerAdapter::parse(std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr,
+                                                     const Config& config) const {
     OV_ITT_TASK_CHAIN(PARSE_BLOB, itt::domains::NPUPlugin, "DriverCompilerAdapter", "parse");
 
     _logger.debug("parse start");
-    ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle = _zeGraphExt->getGraphHandle(network);
+    ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle =
+        _zeGraphExt->getGraphHandle(*reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(blobPtr->get_ptr()), blobPtr->size());
     _logger.debug("parse end");
 
     OV_ITT_TASK_NEXT(PARSE_BLOB, "getNetworkMeta");
@@ -218,7 +220,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<IGraph> DriverCompilerAdapter::parse(std::vector<uint8_t> networ
                                          graphHandle,
                                          std::move(networkMeta),
                                          config,
-                                         std::optional<std::vector<uint8_t>>(std::move(network)));
+                                         std::move(blobPtr));
 }
 
 ov::SupportedOpsMap DriverCompilerAdapter::query(const std::shared_ptr<const ov::Model>& model,

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/src/driver_graph.cpp

@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ DriverGraph::DriverGraph(const std::shared_ptr<ZeGraphExtWrappers>& zeGraphExt,
                          ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle,
                          NetworkMetadata metadata,
                          const Config& config,
-                         std::optional<std::vector<uint8_t>> blob)
-    : IGraph(graphHandle, std::move(metadata), config, std::move(blob)),
+                         std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr)
+    : IGraph(graphHandle, std::move(metadata), config, std::move(blobPtr)),
       _zeGraphExt(zeGraphExt),
       _zeroInitStruct(zeroInitStruct),
       _logger("DriverGraph", config.get<LOG_LEVEL>()) {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ void DriverGraph::initialize(const Config& config) {
 }
 
 bool DriverGraph::release_blob(const Config& config) {
-    if (_blob.empty() || _zeroInitStruct->getGraphDdiTable().version() < ZE_GRAPH_EXT_VERSION_1_8 ||
+    if (_blobPtr == nullptr || _zeroInitStruct->getGraphDdiTable().version() < ZE_GRAPH_EXT_VERSION_1_8 ||
         config.get<PERF_COUNT>()) {
         return false;
     }
@@ -153,8 +153,9 @@ bool DriverGraph::release_blob(const Config& config) {
         return false;
     }
 
-    _blob.clear();
-    _blob.shrink_to_fit();
+    if (!_blobPtr->release_from_memory()) {
+        return false;
+    }
 
     _logger.debug("Blob is released");
 

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/src/plugin_compiler_adapter.cpp

@@ -80,14 +80,16 @@ std::shared_ptr<IGraph> PluginCompilerAdapter::compile(const std::shared_ptr<con
 
     _logger.debug("compile start");
     auto networkDesc = _compiler->compile(model, config);
+    auto blobPtr = std::make_unique<BlobContainerVector>(std::move(networkDesc.compiledNetwork));
     _logger.debug("compile end");
 
     ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle = nullptr;
 
     if (_zeGraphExt) {
         // Depending on the config, we may get an error when trying to get the graph handle from the compiled network
         try {
-            graphHandle = _zeGraphExt->getGraphHandle(networkDesc.compiledNetwork);
+            graphHandle =
+                _zeGraphExt->getGraphHandle(*reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(blobPtr->get_ptr()), blobPtr->size());
         } catch (...) {
             _logger.info("Failed to obtain the level zero graph handle. Inference requests for this model are not "
                          "allowed. Only exports are available");
@@ -99,29 +101,36 @@ std::shared_ptr<IGraph> PluginCompilerAdapter::compile(const std::shared_ptr<con
                                          _zeroInitStruct,
                                          graphHandle,
                                          std::move(networkDesc.metadata),
-                                         std::move(networkDesc.compiledNetwork),
+                                         std::move(blobPtr),
                                          config);
 }
 
-std::shared_ptr<IGraph> PluginCompilerAdapter::parse(std::vector<uint8_t> network, const Config& config) const {
+std::shared_ptr<IGraph> PluginCompilerAdapter::parse(std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr,
+                                                     const Config& config) const {
     OV_ITT_TASK_CHAIN(PARSE_BLOB, itt::domains::NPUPlugin, "PluginCompilerAdapter", "parse");
 
     _logger.debug("parse start");
+    std::vector<uint8_t> network(blobPtr->size());
+    network.assign(reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(blobPtr->get_ptr()),
+                   reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(blobPtr->get_ptr()) + blobPtr->size());
     auto networkMeta = _compiler->parse(network, config);
+    network.clear();
+    network.shrink_to_fit();
     _logger.debug("parse end");
 
     ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle = nullptr;
 
     if (_zeGraphExt) {
-        graphHandle = _zeGraphExt->getGraphHandle(network);
+        graphHandle =
+            _zeGraphExt->getGraphHandle(*reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(blobPtr->get_ptr()), blobPtr->size());
     }
 
     return std::make_shared<PluginGraph>(_zeGraphExt,
                                          _compiler,
                                          _zeroInitStruct,
                                          graphHandle,
                                          std::move(networkMeta),
-                                         std::move(network),
+                                         std::move(blobPtr),
                                          config);
 }
 

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/src/plugin_graph.cpp

@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ PluginGraph::PluginGraph(const std::shared_ptr<ZeGraphExtWrappers>& zeGraphExt,
                          const std::shared_ptr<ZeroInitStructsHolder>& zeroInitStruct,
                          ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle,
                          NetworkMetadata metadata,
-                         std::vector<uint8_t> blob,
+                         std::unique_ptr<BlobContainer> blobPtr,
                          const Config& config)
-    : IGraph(graphHandle, std::move(metadata), config, std::optional<std::vector<uint8_t>>(std::move(blob))),
+    : IGraph(graphHandle, std::move(metadata), config, std::move(blobPtr)),
       _zeGraphExt(zeGraphExt),
       _zeroInitStruct(zeroInitStruct),
       _compiler(compiler),
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ PluginGraph::PluginGraph(const std::shared_ptr<ZeGraphExtWrappers>& zeGraphExt,
 }
 
 size_t PluginGraph::export_blob(std::ostream& stream) const {
-    stream.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(_blob.data()), _blob.size());
+    stream.write(reinterpret_cast<const char*>(_blobPtr->get_ptr()), _blobPtr->size());
 
     if (!stream) {
         _logger.error("Write blob to stream failed. Blob is broken!");
@@ -40,21 +40,26 @@ size_t PluginGraph::export_blob(std::ostream& stream) const {
 
     if (_logger.level() >= ov::log::Level::INFO) {
         std::uint32_t result = 1171117u;
-        for (const uint8_t* it = _blob.data(); it != _blob.data() + _blob.size(); ++it) {
+        for (const uint8_t* it = reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(_blobPtr->get_ptr());
+             it != reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(_blobPtr->get_ptr()) + _blobPtr->size();
+             ++it) {
             result = ((result << 7) + result) + static_cast<uint32_t>(*it);
         }
 
         std::stringstream str;
-        str << "Blob size: " << _blob.size() << ", hash: " << std::hex << result;
+        str << "Blob size: " << _blobPtr->size() << ", hash: " << std::hex << result;
         _logger.info(str.str().c_str());
     }
     _logger.info("Write blob to stream successfully.");
-    return _blob.size();
+    return _blobPtr->size();
 }
 
 std::vector<ov::ProfilingInfo> PluginGraph::process_profiling_output(const std::vector<uint8_t>& profData,
                                                                      const Config& config) const {
-    return _compiler->process_profiling_output(profData, _blob, config);
+    std::vector<uint8_t> blob(_blobPtr->size());
+    blob.assign(reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(_blobPtr->get_ptr()),
+                reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t*>(_blobPtr->get_ptr()) + _blobPtr->size());
+    return _compiler->process_profiling_output(profData, blob, config);
 }
 
 void PluginGraph::set_argument_value(uint32_t argi, const void* argv) const {

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/compiler_adapter/src/ze_graph_ext_wrappers.cpp

@@ -365,19 +365,15 @@ ze_graph_handle_t ZeGraphExtWrappers::getGraphHandle(std::pair<size_t, std::shar
     return graphHandle;
 }
 
-ze_graph_handle_t ZeGraphExtWrappers::getGraphHandle(const std::vector<uint8_t>& network) const {
+ze_graph_handle_t ZeGraphExtWrappers::getGraphHandle(const uint8_t& blobData, size_t blobSize) const {
     ze_graph_handle_t graphHandle;
 
-    if (network.empty()) {
+    if (blobSize == 0) {
         OPENVINO_THROW("Empty blob");
     }
 
-    ze_graph_desc_t desc = {ZE_STRUCTURE_TYPE_GRAPH_DESC_PROPERTIES,
-                            nullptr,
-                            ZE_GRAPH_FORMAT_NATIVE,
-                            network.size(),
-                            network.data(),
-                            nullptr};
+    ze_graph_desc_t desc =
+        {ZE_STRUCTURE_TYPE_GRAPH_DESC_PROPERTIES, nullptr, ZE_GRAPH_FORMAT_NATIVE, blobSize, &blobData, nullptr};
 
     _logger.debug("getGraphHandle - perform pfnCreate");
     auto result = _zeroInitStruct->getGraphDdiTable().pfnCreate(_zeroInitStruct->getContext(),

src/plugins/intel_npu/src/plugin/include/metrics.hpp

@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ class Metrics final {
                                                               ov::intel_npu::batch_mode.name(),
                                                               ov::hint::execution_mode.name()};
 
-    const std::vector<ov::PropertyName> _internalSupportedProperties = {ov::internal::caching_properties.name()};
+    const std::vector<ov::PropertyName> _internalSupportedProperties = {ov::internal::caching_properties.name(),
+                                                                        ov::internal::caching_with_mmap.name()};
 
     // Metric to provide a hint for a range for number of async infer requests. (bottom bound, upper bound, step)
     const std::tuple<uint32_t, uint32_t, uint32_t> _rangeForAsyncInferRequests{1u, 10u, 1u};