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About Boot Over InfiniBand Functionality
Differences Between Topspin and Standard MPI
There are significant differences between the version of MPI provided, and OSU's MPI.
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There is no restriction on which HCA port is used (OSU only supports Port 1)
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Support for Opteron 64 bit operation is provided
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Bug fixes have been provided for the purpose of improving stability
Linux Kernels
Check the HP Support website at: http://support.hp.com/ website for the latest list of supported kernels
and system architectures.
The Host Channel Adapter has the capability of running bootable firmware, which allows you to use
Boot Over InfiniBand functionality.
How Boot Over IB Works
When the InfiniBand host boots, it initializes the HCA and executes the HCA Boot over IB firmware
image. The HCA firmware communicates with the connected Server Switch to load the operating
system (OS) from Fibre Channel storage that the Server Switch accesses through the Fibre Channel
gateway. Once the host loads the image from the target FC storage, it boots the OS.
Value of Boot over IB
The Boot over IB feature serves as a manageability tool to help you more easily and centrally
administer your network. With this feature, you can:
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Quickly and easily change the image that hosts run.
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Centrally localize images.
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Easily reallocate hosts based on your immediate needs.
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Eliminate any need for local storage.
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Reduce the amount of power that your servers consume.
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Increase the mean time between failure of your servers.
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Replace old hardware with new hardware and boot the existing image and configuration.
With the Boot over IB feature, you can change storage mappings during production, then reboot servers
from different storage to change the functions of the servers.
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