Limitations

Content Software for File User Guide

Version
4.2.x
Audience
anonymous
Part Number
MK-HCSF000-03

For the RDMA/GPUDirect Storage technology to take effect, the following requirements must be met:

  • All the cluster servers support RDMA networking
  • For a client:
    • GPUDirect Storage - the IB interfaces added to the Nvidia GPUDirect configuration should support RDMA
    • RDMA - all the Infiniband Host Channel Adapters (HCA) used by Content Software for File support RDMA networking
  • Encrypted filesystems: The framework is not used for encrypted filesystems and falls back to work without RDMA/GPUDirect for IOs to encrypted filesystems.
  • An HCA is considered to support RDMA Networking if the following requirements are met:
    • For GPUDirect Storage only: InfiniBand network
    • The NIC supports RDMA. See Supported network adapters.
    • OFED 4.6-1.0.1.1 or higher
      • For GPUDirect Storage: install with --upstream-libs and --dpdk.
Note: GPUDirect Storage completely bypasses the kernel and does not utilize the page cache. Standard RDMA clients still utilize the page cache.
Note: RDMA/GPUDirect Storage technology is unsupported when working with a mixed IB and Ethernet networking cluster.

Running weka cluster processes indicates if the RDMA is used.

Example:

# weka cluster processes
PROCESS ID  HOSTNAME  CONTAINER   IPS         STATUS  ROLES       NETWORK      CPU  MEMORY   UPTIME
0           weka146   default     10.0.1.146  UP      MANAGEMENT  UDP                        16d 20:07:42h
1           weka146   default     10.0.1.146  UP      FRONTEND    DPDK / RDMA  1    1.47 GB  16d 23:29:00h
2           weka146   default     10.0.3.146  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  12   6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
3           weka146   default     10.0.1.146  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  2    6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
4           weka146   default     10.0.3.146  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  13   6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
5           weka146   default     10.0.1.146  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  3    6.45 GB  16d 22:28:58h
6           weka146   default     10.0.3.146  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  14   6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
7           weka146   default     10.0.3.146  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  18   1.49 GB  16d 23:29:00h
8           weka146   default     10.0.1.146  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  8    1.49 GB  16d 23:29:00h
9           weka146   default     10.0.3.146  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  19   1.49 GB  16d 23:29:00h
10          weka146   default     10.0.1.146  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  9    1.49 GB  16d 23:29:00h
11          weka146   default     10.0.3.146  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  20   1.49 GB  16d 23:29:07h
12          weka147   default     10.0.1.147  UP      MANAGEMENT  UDP                        16d 22:29:02h
13          weka147   default     10.0.1.147  UP      FRONTEND    DPDK / RDMA  1    1.47 GB  16d 23:29:00h
14          weka147   default     10.0.3.147  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  12   6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
15          weka147   default     10.0.1.147  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  2    6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
16          weka147   default     10.0.3.147  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  13   6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
17          weka147   default     10.0.1.147  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  3    6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
18          weka147   default     10.0.3.147  UP      COMPUTE     DPDK / RDMA  14   6.45 GB  16d 23:29:00h
19          weka147   default     10.0.3.147  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  18   1.49 GB  16d 23:29:00h
20          weka147   default     10.0.1.147  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  8    1.49 GB  16d 23:29:00h
21          weka147   default     10.0.3.147  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  19   1.49 GB  16d 23:29:07h
22          weka147   default     10.0.1.147  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  9    1.49 GB  16d 23:29:00h
23          weka147   default     10.0.3.147  UP      DRIVES      DPDK / RDMA  20   1.49 GB  16d 23:29:07h
. . .
Note: GPUDirect Storage is auto-enabled and detected by the system. To enable/disable RDMA networking altogether on the cluster or a specific client, contact customer support.