Graphcore IPU-POD128, Build And Test Manual, Page: 80 / 113

CHAPTER
FIVE
IPU-POD
64
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION
This section describes the IPU-POD
64
software installation and configuration required for each IPU-POD
64
.
5.1 Management server
One server in the IPU-POD
64
is nominated as the management server. By default this is server 1. The following
Graphcore software packages need to be installed on the management server:
•
V-IPU software
: contains management and control software for IPU resource control, Built In Self Test (BIST)
and monitoring of the IPU-M2000s and IPUs. There is a V-IPU Admin Guide and a V-IPU User Guide .
Note:
In an IPU-POD
128
only one management server will be running the V-IPU software (vipu-server) so you will
only have to install it once, on the management server you have designated as the main IPU-POD
128
management
server. The role of the management servers in an IPU-POD
128
is described in more detail in Section 8, IPU-POD
128
network configuration .
•
IPU-M2000 software
: contains the latest IPU-M2000 resident software. It also includes the server resident
rack_tool which is required for doing operations from the management server related to all IPU-M2000s.
Note:
For large deployments, the management functions can be provided by a separate high-availability server
cluster outside the IPU-POD
64
. Please contact Graphcore for more details.
5.2 V-IPU software installation and configuration
Read carefully the release notes for the V-IPU software release before any software upgrade takes place. The
release notes are available from the Graphcore download portal as a separate downloadable entity from the same
page where the V-IPU software release itself is found.
The release notes give the following details of the release:
• Software version numbers.
• Compatibility changes that may need to be understood before upgrading the V-IPU software.
• Details to any special upgrade handling for this specific release.
• An overview of fixed problems.
• An overview of remaining known issues with proposed workarounds, if any.
The software release bundle contains a set of server resident software components.
Version: latest (2021-11-25) 76