Using Xeon Phi Co-processor in an ESXi host

[MARK_A_Intel1]

Hello,

I am just wondering, has anyone tired using Xeon Phi with an ESXi host?

It seems  ESXi  (5.1) OS/Hypervisor does not seem to recognize the MIC.

[Sumedh_N_Intel]

Hi Mark, 

VMWare doesn’t support ESXi with Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor. The only virtualization options available right now are Xen and ScaleMP.

– listed here:  http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/intel-and-third-party-tools-and-libraries-available-with-support-for-intelr-xeon-phitm

[Jayson_S_]

Hi,

Thats too bad :) is there any plans from Intel/VMWare for ESX support with use of Phi ? or is that even known, if so any indication on timeframe?

[TaylorIoTKidd]

Bertrand and Jayson,

There are efforts here at Intel. I'm trying to get you a more definitive answer.

--
Taylor
 

[Massimo_B_]

Any news abt that?

implementing Xeon Phi on ESXi will be a great choice! 

[TaylorIoTKidd]

I'll get back to you soon. I have some answers but need to put them together.

Regards
--
Taylor
 

[TaylorIoTKidd]

Take a look at the article http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/getting-xen-working-for-intelr-xeon-phitm-coprocessor.

I'm trying to find if there are further updates.

Regards
---
Taylor
 

[BelindaLiviero]

Hi Massimo,

please contact VMWare to find out their product and Intel Xeon Phi coprocessor support plans.     If you are interested in trying other VMM solutions that are freely available, we can discuss what we know works (looks like Taylor sent you a link on Xen).   From what I understand, some folks have gotten KVM to work as well; depending on the level of interest we can document it...

[Volker_G_]

BELINDA L. (Intel) wrote:

 If you are interested in trying other VMM solutions that are freely available, we can discuss what we know works.   From what I understand, some folks have gotten KVM to work as well; depending on the level of interest we can document it...

Hi Belinda, 

Apart from the VMM solutions listed in the following link: https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/intel-and-third-party-tools-and-libraries-available-with-support-for-intelr-xeon-phitm , what are other possible options to use a Phi card within a guest OS? Is there support for KVM-QEMU environments?  

[BelindaLiviero]

we are probably just a few days (less than a week) away from publishing a complete recipe for enabling KVM that we checked against multiple RedHat Linux releases -- I will ask my colleague Loc to insert the link here as soon as it's published.

[Volker_G_]

This is great news. I will be checking this thread and the Phi-related sections in the developer zone for updates. 

-V.

[Volker_G_]

BELINDA L. (Intel) wrote:

we are probably just a few days (less than a week) away from publishing a complete recipe for enabling KVM that we checked against multiple RedHat Linux releases -- I will ask my colleague Loc to insert the link here as soon as it's published.

Hi, is there any progress on this?

[TaylorIoTKidd]

Volker,

Thanks for the ping. There has been an unexpected hitch in the review of the document.

I'm finding out the expected publication date.

Regards
--
Taylor
 

[TaylorIoTKidd]

We've thrown it over the wall (an Americanism meaning that we've passed it to the people who are responsible for posting our articles). It should be available later this week or, at the latest, early next week.. 

Regards
--
Taylor
 

[TaylorIoTKidd]

Volker,

We just published it: "Getting Kernel-Based Virtual Machine (KVM) to Work with Intel® Xeon Phi™ Coprocessors" by Loc Nguyen.

(https://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/getting-kernel-based-virtual-machine-kvm-to-work-with-intel-xeon-phi-coprocessors) 

Regards
--
Taylor
 

[Volker_G_]

Taylor, thank you very much for your prompt response!