Abstract: Systems and methods for host-side configuration of a host channel adapter (HCA). An exemplary embodiment can provide a HCA, including a control circuit with a processor and a memory, and at least one port operative to connect the HCA to a network fabric. Additionally, the HCA can include a subnet management agent (SMA) that executes on the HCA, and a software driver for the HCA that includes a control application programming interface (API) that exposes functionality to hyper-privileged software executing on a host. The hyper-privileged software can set, through the control API, configurable variables stored in the memory of the HCA. Based on the value of the set variables, the HCA can operate in one of a legacy mode or one or more other modes.

Abstract: A gateway for interfacing a host with a subsystem for acting as a work accelerator to the host. The gateway enables the transfer of batches of data to the subsystem at precompiled data exchange synchronisation points. The gateway comprises a streaming engine having a data mover engine and a memory management engine, the data mover engine and memory management engine being configured to execute instructions in coordination from work descriptors. The memory management engine is configured to execute instructions from the work descriptor to transfer data between external storage and the local memory associated with the gateway. The data mover engine is configured to execute instructions from the work descriptor to transfer data between the local memory associated with the gateway and the subsystem.

Abstract: A computer system comprises a work accelerator, a gateway the transfer of data to the accelerator from external storage, the accelerator executes a first compiled code sequence to perform computations on data transferred to the accelerator from the gateway. The first compiled code sequence comprises a synchronisation instruction indicating a barrier between a compute phase in which the compute instructions are executed and an exchange phase, wherein execution of the synchronisation instruction causes an indication of a pre-compiled data exchange synchronisation point to be transferred to the gateway. The gateway comprises a streaming engine storing a second compiled code sequence in the form of a set of data transfer instructions executable by the streaming engine to perform data transfer operations to stream data through the gateway in the exchange phase, wherein the first and second compiled code sequences are generated as a related set at compile time.

Abstract: A gateway for use in a computing system to interface a host with the subsystem for acting as a work accelerator to the host, the gateway having: an accelerator interface for connection to the subsystem to enable transfer of batches of data between the subsystem and the gateway; a data connection interface for connection to external storage for exchanging data between the gateway and storage; a gateway interface for connection to at least one second gateway; a memory interface connected to a local memory associated with the gateway; and a streaming engine for controlling the streaming of batches of data into and out of the gateway in response to pre-compiled data exchange synchronisation points attained by the subsystem, wherein the streaming of batches of data are selectively via at least one of the accelerator interface, data connection interface, gateway interface and memory interface.

Abstract: A gateway for interfacing a host with a subsystem for acting as a work accelerator to the host, the gateway enabling the transfer of batches of data to and from the subsystem at pre-compiled data exchange synchronisation points attained by the subsystem. The gateway is configured to: receive from a storage system data determined by the host to be processed by the subsystem; store a number of credits indicating the availability of data for transfer to the subsystem at each pre-compiled data exchange synchronisation point; receive a synchronisation request from the subsystem when it attains a data exchange synchronisation point; and in response to determining that the number of credits comprises a non-zero number of credits: transmit a synchronisation acknowledgment to the subsystem; and cause the received data to be transferred to the subsystem.

Abstract: A gateway in a computing system for interfacing a host with a subsystem for acting as a work accelerator to the host, the gateway having: an accelerator interface for enabling the transfer of batches of data to the subsystem at pre-compiled data exchange synchronisation points attained by the subsystem; a data connection interface for receiving data to be processed from storage; and a gateway interface for connection to a third gateway. The gateway is configured to store a number of credits indicating at least one of: the availability of data for transfer to the subsystem at a pre-compiled data exchange synchronisation point; and the availability of storage for receiving data from the subsystem at a pre-compiled data exchange synchronisation point. The gateway uses these credits to control whether or not synchronisation barrier is passed by transmitting synchronisation requests upstream to the third gateway or simply acknowledging the requests received.

Abstract: Systems and methods for host-side configuration of a host channel adapter (HCA). An exemplary embodiment can provide a HCA, including a control circuit with a processor and a memory, and at least one port operative to connect the HCA to a network fabric. Additionally, the HCA can include a subnet management agent (SMA) that executes on the HCA, and a software driver for the HCA that includes a control application programming interface (API) that exposes functionality to hyper-privileged software executing on a host. The hyper-privileged software can set, through the control API, configurable variables stored in the memory of the HCA. Based on the value of the set variables, the HCA can operate in one of a legacy mode or one or more other modes.

Abstract: Systems and methods of initiating virtual machine configuration on a subordinate node from a privileged node. An exemplary embodiment can provide a host channel adapter (HCA) including a control circuit with a processor and a memory, and a physical port operative to connect the HCA to a network fabric. Additionally, the HCA can include a subnet management agent (SMA) that executes on the HCA. The SMA can forward a request to register a virtual HCA to a subnet manager. The subnet manager can read an exposed attribute of the HCA, where the exposed attribute specifies the physical port as a privileged node, and where the value of the exposed attribute equals an assigned globally unique identifier (GUID) of the physical port. Upon receiving the request, the subnet manger can evaluate the GUID of the sending port to determine that the GUID and the value of the exposed attribute are equal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for defining virtual machine fabric profiles of virtual machines. An exemplary embodiment can provide a virtual machine identifier, a virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and a virtual globally unique identifier. The virtual machine identifier, virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and virtual globally unique identifier can be mapped to each other so that the virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and virtual globally unique identifier can be retrieved through access to the virtual machine identifier. Further, a relationship can be created between a P_Key that defines an admin partition and the virtual globally unique identifier, where the relationship between the P_Key and the virtual globally unique identifier defines the virtual globally unique identifier as a member of the admin partition defined by the P_Key.

Abstract: Systems and methods for initiating a forced migration of a virtual machine. An exemplary embodiment can provide a subnet manager (SM) and an active virtual machine registration cache, where the subnet manager can access the active virtual machine registration cache. The SM can record a first virtual machine incarnation number in the active virtual machine registration cache, where the virtual machine incarnation number is associated with an active virtual machine (VM). Upon receiving a request to register the active VM on a different host, the SM can evaluate a second virtual machine incarnation number with the first virtual machine incarnation number to determine the legality of the request. In accordance with an embodiment, if the second virtual machine incarnation number is evaluated as greater than the first virtual machine incarnation number, the SM determines the request is legal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for defining virtual machine fabric profiles of virtual machines. An exemplary embodiment can provide a virtual machine identifier, a virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and a virtual globally unique identifier. The virtual machine identifier, virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and virtual globally unique identifier can be mapped to each other so that the virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and virtual globally unique identifier can be retrieved through access to the virtual machine identifier. Further, a relationship can be created between a P_Key that defines an admin partition and the virtual globally unique identifier, where the relationship between the P_Key and the virtual globally unique identifier defines the virtual globally unique identifier as a member of the admin partition defined by the P_Key.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a virtual machine fabric profiles to reduce virtual machine downtime during migration. An exemplary embodiment can provide a subnet manager (SM) and a virtual machine fabric profile that is accessible by the subnet manager, and where the virtual machine fabric profile includes a virtual host channel adapter (vHCA) configuration. The SM can receive a request to preregister the vHCA with a first physical host channel adapter (HCA) while the vHCA is already actively registered with a second physical HCA. The subnet manager can send the vHCA configuration to the first physical HCA for preregistration. After preregistration, the virtual link between the vHCA and a vSwitch of the first physical HCA can be left unestablished, until the SM determines that a virtual link between the vHCA and a vSwitch on the second physical HCA has been disconnected.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using a virtual machine fabric profiles to reduce virtual machine downtime during migration. An exemplary embodiment can provide a subnet manager (SM) and a virtual machine fabric profile that is accessible by the subnet manager, and where the virtual machine fabric profile includes a virtual host channel adapter (vHCA) configuration. The SM can receive a request to preregister the vHCA with a first physical host channel adapter (HCA) while the vHCA is already actively registered with a second physical HCA. The subnet manager can send the vHCA configuration to the first physical HCA for preregistration. After preregistration, the virtual link between the vHCA and a vSwitch of the first physical HCA can be left unestablished, until the SM determines that a virtual link between the vHCA and a vSwitch on the second physical HCA has been disconnected.

Abstract: Systems and methods can provide for fabric level verification of host defined port GUIDs in a high performance computing network. A lightweight scheme for fabric level verification of host defined port GUIDs is provided wherein a virtual machine is assigned a set of GUIDs that travel with the virtual machine, even on migration or re-start.

Abstract: Systems and methods of initiating virtual machine configuration on a subordinate node from a privileged node. An exemplary embodiment can provide a host channel adapter (HCA) including a control circuit with a processor and a memory, and a physical port operative to connect the HCA to a network fabric. Additionally, the HCA can include a subnet management agent (SMA) that executes on the HCA. The SMA can forward a request to register a virtual HCA to a subnet manager. The subnet manager can read an exposed attribute of the HCA, where the exposed attribute specifies the physical port as a privileged node, and where the value of the exposed attribute equals an assigned globally unique identifier (GUID) of the physical port. Upon receiving the request, the subnet manger can evaluate the GUID of the sending port to determine that the GUID and the value of the exposed attribute are equal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically assigning membership in a data partition to an end-port of a requesting host channel adapter. An exemplary embodiment can provide a subnet manager configured to operate within a subnet of a network fabric. The subnet can include a plurality of nodes, and the plurality of nodes can include at least one switch and a plurality of end-nodes, where the subnet manager executes on one of the plurality of nodes. A host channel adapter of a node in the subnet can request membership for an end-port of the host channel adapter. In response to the request, the subnet manager can request data from the data store to confirm that the end-port is a member of an admin partition and that the admin partition is associated with the data partition in which membership was requested.

Abstract: System and method of assigning admin partition membership based on switch connectivity in a high performance computing environment. An exemplary embodiment can provide an admin partition for use in a subnet of a network fabric. The admin partition can be defined by a P_Key, and the P_Key can be stored in an admin partition registry. A subnet manager that executes from a node within the subnet can be provided. The subnet manager can obtain information that a subnet switch is associated with the admin partition. The subnet manager can also receive a list of identifiers (IDs), each identifier corresponding to a host channel adapter that is directly connected to the subnet switch. Each of the IDs from the list can be added to the admin partition registry and a relationship between each of the added IDs and the P_Key can be created in the registry.

Abstract: System and method for correlating fabric-level group membership with subnet-level partition membership in a high performance computing environment. An exemplary embodiment can provide an admin partition in a subnet of a network environment, associated with a resource domain at the fabric level of the network environment. The admin partition can be defined by a P_Key that is stored in a fabric-level database. Each fabric resource is identified by an identifier that is stored in the fabric-level database. When fabric resources are added as members to the resource domain, a relationship is created between the P_Key and the identifier of the fabric resource, where the relationship defines the resource as a member of the admin partition. Access rights can be granted based on the relationship.

Abstract: Systems and methods of reserving a specific queue pair number for proprietary management traffic in a subnet of a high performance computing environment. An exemplary embodiment can provide a host channel adapter (HCA), including a control circuit with a processor and a memory, and at least one port operative to connect the HCA to a network fabric. Additionally, the HCA can include a subnet management agent (SMA) that executes on the HCA, and a configurable attribute stored in the memory of the HCA. A communication including a number value, can be received by the subnet management agent from a subnet manager of the subnet. The value of the configurable attribute can be set equal to the value of the received number. A QP number that corresponds to the set number value of the configurable attribute can then be reserved for sending and receiving proprietary network management traffic.

Abstract: Systems and methods for defining virtual machine fabric profiles of virtual machines. An exemplary embodiment can provide a virtual machine identifier, a virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and a virtual globally unique identifier. The virtual machine identifier, virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and virtual globally unique identifier can be mapped to each other so that the virtual host channel adapter instance ID, and virtual globally unique identifier can be retrieved through access to the virtual machine identifier. Further, a relationship can be created between a P_Key that defines an admin partition and the virtual globally unique identifier, where the relationship between the P_Key and the virtual globally unique identifier defines the virtual globally unique identifier as a member of the admin partition defined by the P_Key.