A system includes a network-on-chip (NoC). The system includes a protocol offload engine coupled to the NoC. The protocol offload engine is configured to generate packets of data for a selected protocol. The system includes a data movement processor coupled to the network-on-chip. The data movement processor is configured to receive a microcode instruction and, in response to the microcode instruction, establish data paths in the NoC that communicatively link a plurality of circuits involved in data transfers of a collective communication operation specified by the microcode instruction. The plurality of circuits include the protocol offload engine. The system includes a network transceiver coupled to the protocol offload engine. The network transceiver is configured to send the packets of data formatted by the protocol offload engine.