Upgrading GPUDirect Storage

The recommended version for use of GDS with IBM Storage Scale is 5.1.6 as it supports accelerated writes.

There are two types of upgrade paths:
  • Upgrading clusters that are configured with IBM Storage Scale 5.1.1 technical preview
  • Upgrading clusters with IBM Storage Scale versions that do support GDS, that is, 5.1.2 or later

Upgrading from 5.1.1 technical preview

The GDS technical preview for IBM Storage Scale 5.1.1 and all the following IBM Storage Scale versions starting with 5.1.2 are not concurrently upgradeable. You need to perform the following steps when you need to use GDS on IBM Storage Scale 5.1.2:

  1. Stop all GDS I/O on IBM Storage Scale 5.1.1.x.
  2. Upgrade IBM Storage Scale to 5.1.2 or later. For more information, see Upgrading.
  3. Update MOFED to supported level. For more information, see Mellanox OFED installation.
  4. Update CUDA to the supported version. For more information, see Installing GDS.
  5. Update the NVIDIA GDS driver. For more information, see GDS package installation.

Upgrading clusters with IBM Storage Scale versions that do support GDS, that is, 5.1.2 or later

The various versions of GDS in IBM Storage Scale are compatible backwards and thus the general IBM Storage Scale upgrade procedure can be followed. For more information, see Upgrading.