Introduction

BlueField's Ethernet SmartNIC solutions combine Arm® processing power with advanced network offloads to accelerate a multitude of security, networking and storage applications.
Based on the BlueField system-on-chip (SoC) programmable network engine, BlueField SmartNICs integrate Mellanox ConnectX®-5 network controller with Arm multicore processors and cryptology options to deliver an innovative and high-performance programmable platform. Through this article, you will be able to quickly set up a simple test lab which will allow you to experiment and explore BlueField SmartNIC capabilities. The setup includes a bare metal server hosting BlueField 25GbE SmartNIC connected back-to-back to another bare metal server with ConnectX-5 NIC.

License

N/A

How to use this document

this document is used to guide how to install the OVS-DPDK into SmartNIC and integrate with the server

Deployment Architecture

The following diagram shows the physical configuration between the BlueField SmartNIC and the ConnectX-5 NIC. 

Pre-Installation Requirements

Hardware Requirements

Minimum Hardware Requirements

1. Insert ConnectX-5 NIC into Server A
2. Insert BlueField SmartNIC into Server B
3. Connect the SmartNIC UART cable from SmartNIC to its hosting Server B USB port #1
4. Connect Mini USB cable from SmartNIC to its hosting Server B USB port #2
5. Insert QSA28 Adapter into Server B 100GB port
6. Connect one of the SmartNIC ports to the ConnectX-5 using 25GB cable
7. Connect both servers to a management LAN

Recommended Hardware Requirements

N/A

Software Prerequisites

MLNX_OFED

Note

1. Use automatic FM update during MLNX_OFED installation ONLY if the current BlueField FW version is 18.24.1000 (GA) or above. In case its older, manually burn the FW after MLNX_OFED installation.
2. In case you plan to run DPDK on the host itself, install MLNX_OFED with "--dpdk --upstream-libs" flags
3. The "BlueField" flag is not required in some of the MLNX_OFED versions and OS releases

OVS-DPDK

1. We've open-sourced a fork of DPDK based Open vSwitch, which supports the VXLAN decap/encap full offload: https://github.com/bytedance/ovs-dpdk
2. The code is fully compatible with upstream Open vSwitch, you can follow the same procedures to build them from the source. See the link: http://docs.openvswitch.org/en/latest/intro/install/
3. Or you can use the ansible scripts in the Akaino Gerrit to install both BlueField Card and OVS-DPDK. Currently, the scripts are not available, as the scripts work by relying on many company's internal services. We are refactoring the code that you can use it in your own SmartNIC setups.

Database Prerequisites

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Schema scripts

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Other Installation Requirements

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Jump Host Requirements

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Network Requirements

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Bare Metal Node Requirements

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Execution Requirements (Bare Metal Only)

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Installation High-Level Overview      

SmartNIC Server Preparations

• Install useful packages:

• Install MLNX_OFED with the mentioned flags below.

      Note

1. Use an automatic FM update during MLNX_OFED installation ONLY if the current BlueField FW version is 18.24.1000 (GA) or above. In case its older, manually burn the FW after MLNX_OFED installation.
2. In case you plan to run DPDK on the host itself, install MLNX_OFED with "--dpdk --upstream-libs" flags
3. The "BlueField" flag is not required in some of the MLNX_OFED versions and OS releases

• Enable SR-IOV on FW (Optional):

• Uncomment the following line in /etc/modprobe.d/rshim.conf to set the default RShim access method to the SmartNIC:

       Note

1. When this line is commented, the first available driver will be used.
2. When the mini USB cable is not used, the driver should be rshim_pcie

• Create a file named ifcfg-tmfifo_net0 under /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ directory, with the following content:

• ifcfg-tmfifo_net0 is the network interface used for IP communication between the x86 host and the SmartNIC with rshim_net driver.
• Enable ip forwarding and set a NAT rule to allow the SmartNIC OS to communicate with the outer world via the host management interface:

• Disable Firewall and Network Manager services

• Reboot the server. Once the server is up again, run some configuration sanity tests:
• To verify BlueField FW version:

•  To verify RShim modules are loaded:

• To identify the backend active RShim driver:

• To verify the NAT rule for SmartNIC communication with the outer world:

• Download the BlueField Quick Start bfb image:  https://mellanox.box.com/s/q44f501xq1e29yb1bjpsb9vzgqs89a76
• Place the bfb image on the host and load it on the BlueField SmartNIC using the following command:

Use one of the console access methods described in the "SmartNIC Management Methods" section below to follow the image installation process.

When bfb image installation process is completed, connect to the SmartNIC with the console or SSH, as described below, and test connectivity from the SmarNIC OS to the outer world.

• SmartNIC Management Methods 

           To manage the SmartNIC from the hosting server, use one of the following methods

Access Credentials: root\centos

Console over USB-Serial / Serial Port properties: Rate 115200, HW Flow Control OFF.

Console over USB (rshim_usb) / Serial Port properties: Rate 115200, HW Flow Control OFF

minicom -D /dev/rshim0/console

SSH (rshim_net)

Note
       SmartNIC OS is configured to obtain internet access via its hosting server.

Basic SmartNIC Management Operations

How-to soft reset the SmartNIC via host server:

Issue the following command on the server:

Follow the boot process using console access:

Note

This is not a power cycle of the SmartNIC.

 How-to load BlueField SmartNIC OS image from the hosting server:

Place bfb image on the server

Issue the following command on the server:

Follow the installation and boot process using the console access:

SmartNIC Modes

BlueField SmartNIC can operate in two modes:

SEPERATED_HOST (default mode)

In this mode, both the x86 hosting server and the SmartNIC Arm OS act as separated entities; Both can use and communicate with each other or the network via the ConnectX-5 module of the SmartNIC.

EMBEDDED

In this mode, the x86 hosting server communicates with the outer world only through the SmartNIC Arm.

Note

In order to identify the SmartNIC current mode, issue the following commands on the x86 hosting server:

Switching to EMBEDDED Mode from SEPERATED_HOST Mode

On the x86 host:

Enable EMBEDDED mode:

 Reboot.

Verify:

On the Arm:

Issue the following commands to enable ECPF parameters (applied per port):

Note
The ECPF parameters will be available for setting only after completing the previous steps.

Reboot the x86 host.

Verify configuration:

Once the procedure is completed, issue the following command on both the x86 host and the Arm:

 
On x86 host: the output should list two network devices.

 
On Arm: the output should list four representors:

Issue the following commands on the Arm to see the correlation between the PCI device and its representors:

Note
The rep0-0 / rep1-0 are the representors facing the x86 host and the rep0-ffff / rep1-ffff are the representors facing the network.

Switching to SEPERATED_HOST Mode from EMBEDDED Mode

On the x86 host:

Enable SEPERATED_HOST mode:

Reboot.

Verify:

Testing Traffic in EMBEDDED Mode using DPDK

In Embedded mode, traffic from the x86 server hosting the SmartNIC to the remote x86 server hosting the ConnectX-5 is going via the SmartNIC Arm.

DPDK application is used to forward the traffic and bypass Arm OS kernel. Follow the configuration steps below to test it.

On the Arm

Stop OVS:

Verify hugetlbfs is mounted:

if not, mount it:

Set Hugepages:

Verify hugepages were allocated (look for HugePages_Total and Free):

Identify the SmartNIC PCI device ID:

Start testPMD application  while probing the representors  (pci device is 03:00.0):

Set IPs on both x86 host and ConnectX-5 host and test connectivity with ping (it will be forwarded by the Arm DPDK)

On the ConnectX-5 external host start iperf server:

On the x86 host, start iperf client:

While the test is running, you can check traffic statistics on Arm testPMD:

Bare Metal Deployment Guide

Install Bare Metal Jump Host

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Creating a Node Inventory File

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Creating the Settings Files

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Running

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Virtual Deployment Guide

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Standard Deployment Overview

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Snapshot Deployment Overview

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Special Requirements for Virtual Deployments

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Install Jump Host

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Verifying the Setup - VMs

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Upstream Deployment Guide

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Upstream Deployment Key Features

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Special Requirements for Upstream Deployments

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Scenarios and Deploy Settings for Upstream Deployments

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Including Upstream Patches with Deployment

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Running

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Interacting with Containerized Overcloud

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Verifying the Setup as defined the Akraino validation feature project plus any additional testing specific to the blue print

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Developer Guide and Troubleshooting

Utilization of Images

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Post-deployment Configuration

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Debugging Failures

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Reporting a Bug

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Uninstall Guide

not applicable

Troubleshooting

Error Message Guide

Server Unable to Find the SmartNIC

• Ensure that the SmartNIC is placed correctly
• Make sure the SmartNIC slot and the SmartNIC are compatible
• Install the SmartNIC in a different PCI Express slot
• Use the drivers that came with the SmartNIC or download the latest
• Make sure your motherboard has the latest BIOS
• Try to reboot the server

The SmartNIC no Longer Works

• Reseat the SmartNIC in its slot or a different slot, if necessary
• Try using another cable
• Reinstall the drivers for the network driver files may be damaged or deleted
• Reboot the server

SmartNIC Stopped Working After Installing Another

• Try removing and re-installing all SmartNICs
• Check that cables are connected properly
• Make sure your motherboard has the latest BIOS

Link Indicator Light is Off

• Try another port on the switch
• Make sure the cable is securely attached
• Check you are using the proper cables that do not exceed the recommended lengths
• Verify that your switch and SmartNIC port are compatible

Link Light is On but No Communication is Established

• Check that the latest driver is loaded
• Check that both the SmartNIC and its link are set to the same speed and duplex settings

Maintenance

Blue Print Package Maintenance

Software maintenance

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Hardware maintenance

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Blueprint Deployment Maintenance

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Frequently Asked Questions

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License

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References

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Definitions, acronyms and abbreviations

OVS : Open Virtual-Switch

DPDK: Data Plane Development Kit