MIC: Installing and Setting up MIC Platform Software Stack

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Supported versions of Linux host operating system

  • Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* 64-bit 6.0 kernel 2.6.32-71
  • Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* 64-bit 6.1 kernel 2.6.32-131
  • Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* 64-bit 6.2 kernel 2.6.32-220
  • Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* 64-bit 6.3 kernel 2.6.32-279
  • SUSE* Linux* Enterprise Server SLES 11 SP1 kernel 2.6.32.12-0.7-default
  • SUSE* Linux* Enterprise Server SLES 11 SP2 kernel 3.0.13-0.27-default

Download MPSS from Intel Softwares

Installing the MPSS (MIC Platform Software Stack)

Step - 1: Disable SELinux before installing Intel(R) MPSS software, to avoid SELinux overriding standard Linux permissions settings. 

> vi /etc/sysconfig/selinux

SELINUX=disabled

Step - 2: Check for previous installed version of Intel(R) MPSS package. If present, stop the service and uninstall the package. 

> sudo rpm -qa | grep intel-mic

Step - 3: Uninstall previous version of Intel(R) MPSS driver if present. Red Hat* Enterprise Linux*

To uninstall MPSS-2.x: 

> sudo yum remove --noplugins --disablerepo=* intel-mic\*

To uninstall MPSS-3.x: 

> cd mpss-3.4.1
> ./uninstall.sh

Step - 4: Untar and install the Intel(R) MPSS package. 

> tar xvf mpss-3.4.1-linux.tar
> cd mpss-3.4.1
> cp ./modules/*`uname -r`*.rpm .
> sudo yum install --nogpgcheck *.rpm

If the kernel has been updated and the cp command does not find the correct modules to copy, then the modules need to be recompiled for the current kernel: 

> cd mpss-3.4.1/src/
> rpmbuild --rebuild mpss-modules-*.rpm

The newly built mpss-modules and mpss-modules-dev rpms will be located at: 

> $HOME/rpmbuild/RPMS/x86_64/

Copy them into the mpss-3.4.1 folder and run the installation command.

Step - 5: Load the mic.ko driver, and then initialize MPSS Default Settings. 

> sudo modprobe mic
> micctrl --initdefaults

Step - 6: If required by the MPSS release Update the Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) Coprocessor Flash and SMC Bootloader 

> micflash -update -device all -smcbootloader

If using C0 stepping, or 5110P B1 SKUs with a TA of G65758-253 or higher, or if the SMC boot loader version is 1.8, use this command instead: 

> micflash -update -device all

Reboot the host for changes to take place

Starting Intel(R) MPSS Services

Start Intel(R) MPSS by using the Linux* service command, reset the system, and check coprocessor status. 

> sudo service mpss start
> sudo chkconfig mpss on
> sudo micctrl -r 
> sudo micctrl -w

Stopping Intel(R) MPSS Services

> sudo service mpss stop
> sudo service mpss unload

Intel(R) MPSS Configuration (Host system)

Configuration files are located at /etc/sysconfig/mic/default.conf and /etc/sysconfig/mic/micN.conf, where N is an integer number (0, 1, 2, 3, etc.) that identifies each coprocessor installed in the system. The Intel(R) MPSS device driver installs default.conf. This file serves as the centralized configuration file for all installed coprocessors.

More configuration details : MPSS Boot Config Guide

Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) Coprocessor SMC Bootloader Update

To identify the SMC firmware version installed on the card. Execute 

> /opt/intel/mic/bin/micinfo

Step - 1: Set the coprocessor to a 'ready' state 

> sudo micctrl -r
> sudo micctrl -w

Step - 2: Update the SMC firmware 

> micflash -update <SMC.Bootloader> -device all

Where <SMC.Bootloader> represents an SMC firmware file usually named EXT_HP2_SMC_Bootloader_1_8_4326.css_ab. The "ab" postfix means that the image applies to A and B steppings of the coprocessor. The file is present in the /opt/intel/mic/flash directory.

The bootloader update is limited in functionality. The flash update must be run after the bootloader update for full card management availability.

Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) Coprocessor Flash Update

NOTE: Flash image files that ends with .smc contains both the flash and smc firmware

Step - 1: Determine the flash image to install Determine the stepping of the coprocessor using micinfo. 

Stepping (ES#)     |  Flash ROM Name
----------+----------------------------------
   A0  (ES0, ES1)  |  EXT_HP2_A0_0375-05.rom.smc
   B0  (ES2)       |  EXT_HP2_B0_0375-05.rom.smc
   B1  (QS)        |  EXT_HP2_B1_0375-05.rom.smc

Step - 2: Set the coprocessor to a 'ready' state 

> sudo micctrl -r
> sudo micctrl -w

Step - 3: Install the flash image. 

> sudo /opt/intel/mic/bin/micflash -Update /opt/intel/mic/flash/EXT_HP2_B0_0375-05.rom.smc -device 0

The following dialog will appear after the flash is successfully installed: 

Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) Coprocessor - 0
    Flash update  : Successful
    SMC FW update : Successful
    Device status : HW ready

Step - 4 Reboot the host system At the end of the installation the system will prompt you for a reboot. Reply y for yes. A reboot of the host system is required to load the new flash image. 

Do you want to reboot now? [y/N]:y

SSH Access and Configuration for the Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) Coprocessor

Communication with the coprocessor Linux* operating system on the Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) Coprocessor is provided by a standard network interface. The interface uses a virtual network driver over the PCIe bus. Standard networking tools such as SSH are supported.

The Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) coprocessor Linux* OS supports network access for all users using SSH keys. The configuration phase of the Intel(R) MPSS creates users for each coprocessor based on the current user IDs in the host /etc/passwd file.

For each user in /etc/passwd (including root), if SSH key files are found in the user's ".ssh" directory, those keys are also populated to the Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) Coprocessor's file system. If a user does not have valid keys, they will not have network access to the Intel(R) Xeon Phi(TM) Coprocessor.

To generate the SSH key and enable SSH access for root, execute 

> ssh-keygen
> sudo service mpss stop
> micctrl --sshkeys=root mic0
> sudo service mpss start
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