Setting up the environment for Shared Memory Communications over RDMA

Before you configure Shared Memory Communications over RDMA (SMC-R), follow these steps to ensure that other components are configured.

Before you begin

Review Configuration considerations for Shared Memory Communications over RDMA.

Procedure

Perform the following steps to prepare to use SMC-R:

  1. Install and configure the IBM® 10GbE RoCE Express® features in the hardware configuration definition (HCD). Logical partition (LPAR) access lists must be provided for the 10GbE RoCE Express features.
  2. Assign physical network ID (PNet ID) values, and configure the values in the HCD for both the 10GbE RoCE Express ports and any OSA-Express devices that will use the 10GbE RoCE Express ports for SMC-R communications.
  3. Provide for redundant system PCIe internal paths for the defined IBM 10GbE RoCE Express features. For more information, see Redundancy levels.
  4. Configure Ethernet switches for RDMA functionality. RDMA processing requires standard 10 GbE switch support, and distance limitations might exist. Enable the global pause frame (a standard Ethernet switch feature for Ethernet flow control that is described in the IEEE 802.3x standard) on the switch. You might also need to configure the switch to indicate whether you use VLANs.

    Start of changeFor more information, see RoCE network configuration requirementsEnd of change

Parent topic: Using Shared Memory Communications over RDMA