QAT Service failed after build from QATLib Github source

[OttoChow]

The OS env. is Ubuntu 20.04 and the server HW is based on Xeon 5416S Server (2 Sockets).  I downloaded the QAT Driver Software package - QAT20.L.1.1.40-00018.tar.gz from Intel website.  I built the driver and QAT software, then install it as usual. 

QAT Service can be started without issue.  QAT Manager can show that QAT accelerator end points are available.

After 2 days of working on data compression functions of QAT accelerator, there are some questions regarding to QATLIB function.  Overall, the HW functions as expected.

I found that there is a new release of QATLIB on Github.  I decided to have a go, download the source and build it.

Then QAT Service cannot be started and qatmgr reports "No devices found".  Nothing of QAT works.  However, if I reverse back to QAT20L ... package, everything is back to normal.

I tried to compare these two version of QAT software.  QAT20.L.1.1.40-0000=18, it starts the QAT Service by "ExecStart=/etc/init.d/qat_service start"; QATLIB from Github, it starts by "/usr/local/sbin/qatmgr --policy=${POLICY}.   Wondering whether that is the reason why  QAT Service does not start after updating with the Github version of QATLIB.

Anything I missed?

Regards,

Otto

[Ronny_G_Intel · Accepted solution]

Hi Otto,

There are two types of QAT driver, in-tree and out-of-tree. 

If the qat driver is in kernel, it is in-tree otherwise it is out-of-tree. 

If you use in-tree QAT driver then you install qatlib.

Make sure that the host and the guest all use in-tree qat driver.

You are using QAT20.L.1.1.40-00018.tar.gz which means out-of-tree driver.

If you want to use in-tree, before installing qatlib, you must uninstall the out-of-tree qat driver. 

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Ronny G