Virtual GPU Software R390 for Microsoft Windows Server Release Notes

Release information for all users of NVIDIA virtual GPU software and hardware on Microsoft Windows Server.

1. Release Notes

These Release Notes summarize current status, information on validated platforms, and known issues with NVIDIA vGPU software and associated hardware on Microsoft Windows Server.

The releases in this release family of NVIDIA vGPU software include the software listed in the following table:

Software 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4
NVIDIA Windows driver 391.03 391.58 391.81 392.05 392.37
NVIDIA Linux driver 390.42 390.57 390.75 390.96 390.115

All releases of NVIDIA vGPU software are compatible with all releases of the license server.

1.1. Updates in Release 6.0

New Features in Release 6.0

  • Change of maximum resolution for unlicensed GPUs based on the Pascal architecture to 1280×1024
  • Plain-text logging on Windows of significant licensing events
  • New setting EnableLogging for disabling or enabling logging of significant licensing events
  • Miscellaneous bug fixes

Hardware and Software Support Introduced in Release 6.0

  • Support for GPUs based on the NVIDIA® Volta architecture
  • Support for Windows 10 Fall Creators Update (1709) as a guest OS

1.2. Updates in Release 6.1

New Features in Release 6.1

  • Change in behavior to enable logging of licensing events on Windows by default
  • Miscellaneous bug fixes

Hardware and Software Support Introduced in Release 6.1

  • Support for the Tesla V100 SXM2 32GB GPU
  • Support for the Tesla V100 PCIe 32GB GPU

1.3. Updates in Release 6.2

New Features in Release 6.2

  • Miscellaneous bug fixes

1.4. Updates in Release 6.3

New Features in Release 6.3

  • Inclusion of the name and version of the licensed product in logged license acquisition events
  • Ability to disable pop-up notifications for license state changes
  • Miscellaneous bug fixes

1.5. Updates in Release 6.4

New Features in Release 6.4

2. Validated Platforms

This release family of NVIDIA vGPU software provides support for several NVIDIA GPUs on validated server hardware platforms, Microsoft Windows Server hypervisor software versions, and guest operating systems.

2.1. Supported NVIDIA GPUs and Validated Server Platforms

This release of NVIDIA vGPU software provides support for the following NVIDIA GPUs on Microsoft Windows Server, running on validated server hardware platforms:

  • Tesla M6
  • Tesla M10
  • Tesla M60
  • Tesla P4
  • Tesla P6
  • Tesla P40
  • Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB
  • Tesla P100 SXM2 16 GB
  • Tesla P100 PCIe 12GB
  • Tesla V100 SXM2
  • Tesla V100 SXM2 32GB
  • Tesla V100 PCIe
  • Tesla V100 PCIe 32GB
  • Tesla V100 FHHL
Note: These GPUs are supported as a secondary device in a bare-metal deployment. Tesla M6 is also supported as the primary display device in a bare-metal deployment.

For a list of validated server platforms, refer to NVIDIA GRID Certified Servers.

2.2. Hypervisor Software Releases

This release supports only the hypervisor software versions listed in the table.

Note: If a specific release, even an update release, is not listed, it’s not supported.
Software Version Supported

Microsoft Windows Server

Windows Server 2016 1709 with Hyper-V role

Windows Server 2016 1607 with Hyper-V role

2.3. Guest OS Support

NVIDIA vGPU software supports several Windows releases and Linux distributions as a guest OS using GPU pass-through.

Microsoft Windows Server with Hyper-V role supports GPU pass-through over Microsoft Virtual PCI bus. This bus is supported through paravirtualized drivers.

Note:

Use only a guest OS release that is listed as supported by NVIDIA vGPU software with your virtualization software. To be listed as supported, a guest OS release must be supported not only by NVIDIA vGPU software, but also by your virtualization software. NVIDIA cannot support guest OS releases that your virtualization software does not support.

In pass-through mode, GPUs based on the Pascal architecture or Volta architecture support only 64-bit guest operating systems. No 32-bit guest operating systems are supported in pass-through mode for these GPUs.

Windows Guest OS Support

NVIDIA vGPU software supports only the Windows releases listed as a guest OS on Microsoft Windows Server.

Note:

If a specific release, even an update release, is not listed, it’s not supported.

  • Windows Server 2016 1607, 1709
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 with patch Windows8.1-KB3133690-x64.msu
  • Windows 10 RTM (1507), November Update (1511), Anniversary Update (1607), Creators Update (1703), Fall Creators Update (1709) (64-bit)
  • Windows 10 RTM (1507), November Update (1511), Anniversary Update (1607), Creators Update (1703), Fall Creators Update (1709) (32-bit) on Tesla M6, Tesla M10, and Tesla M60 GPUs only

2.3.2. Linux Guest OS Support

NVIDIA vGPU software supports only the 64-bit Linux distributions listed as a guest OS on Microsoft Windows Server.

Note:

If a specific release, even an update release, is not listed, it’s not supported.

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.0-7.4
  • CentOS 7.0-7.4
  • Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2

3. Security Updates

3.1. Since 6.4: Restricting Access to GPU Performance Counters

The NVIDIA graphics driver contains a vulnerability (CVE-2018-6260) that may allow access to application data processed on the GPU through a side channel exposed by the GPU performance counters. To address this vulnerability, update the driver and restrict access to GPU performance counters to allow access only by administrator users and users who need to use CUDA profiling tools.

The GPU performance counters that are affected by this vulnerability are the hardware performance monitors used by the CUDA profiling tools such as CUPTI, Nsight Graphics, and Nsight Compute. These performance counters are exposed on the hypervisor host and in guest VMs only as follows:

  • On the hypervisor host, they are always exposed. However, the Virtual GPU Manager does not access these performance counters and, therefore, is not affected.
  • In Windows and Linux guest VMs, they are exposed only in VMs configured for GPU pass through. They are not exposed in VMs configured for NVIDIA vGPU.

3.1.1. Windows: Restricting Access to GPU Performance Counters for One User by Using NVIDIA Control Panel

Perform this task from the guest VM to which the GPU is passed through.

Ensure that you are running NVIDIA Control Panel version 8.1.950.
  1. Open NVIDIA Control Panel:
    • Right-click on the Windows desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel from the menu.
    • Open Windows Control Panel and double-click the NVIDIA Control Panel icon.
  2. In NVIDIA Control Panel, select the Manage GPU Performance Counters task in the Developer section of the navigation pane.
  3. Complete the task by following the instructions in the Manage GPU Performance Counters > Developer topic in the NVIDIA Control Panel help.

3.1.2. Windows: Restricting Access to GPU Performance Counters Across an Enterprise by Using a Registry Key

You can use a registry key to restrict access to GPU Performance Counters for all users who log in to a Windows guest VM. By incorporating the registry key information into a script, you can automate the setting of this registry for all Windows guest VMs across your enterprise.

Perform this task from the guest VM to which the GPU is passed through.

CAUTION:
Only enterprise administrators should perform this task. Changes to the Windows registry must be made with care and system instability can result if registry keys are incorrectly set.
  1. Set the RmProfilingAdminOnly Windows registry key to 1.
    [HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\nvlddmkm\Global\NVTweak]
Value: "RmProfilingAdminOnly"
Type: DWORD
Data: 00000001

    The data value 1 restricts access, and the data value 0 allows access, to application data processed on the GPU through a side channel exposed by the GPU performance counters.

  2. Restart the VM.

3.1.3. Linux Guest VMs: Restricting Access to GPU Performance Counters

On systems where unprivileged users don't need to use GPU performance counters, restrict access to these counters to system administrators, namely users with the CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability set. By default, the GPU performance counters are not restricted to users with the CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability.

Perform this task from the guest VM to which the GPU is passed through.

This task requires sudo privileges.

  1. Log in to the guest VM.
  2. Set the kernel module parameter NVreg_RestrictProfilingToAdminUsers to 1 by adding this parameter to the /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia.conf file.

    • If you are setting only this parameter, add an entry for it to the /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia.conf file as follows: 

      options nvidia NVreg_RegistryDwords="NVreg_RestrictProfilingToAdminUsers=1"

    • If you are setting multiple parameters, set them in a single entry as in the following example: 

      options nvidia NVreg_RegistryDwords="RmPVMRL=0x0" "NVreg_RestrictProfilingToAdminUsers=1"

    If the /etc/modprobe.d/nvidia.conf file does not already exist, create it.

  3. Restart the VM.

4. Known Issues

4.1. Frame capture while the interactive logon message is displayed returns blank screen

Description

Because of a known limitation with NvFBC, a frame capture while the interactive logon message is displayed returns a blank screen.

An NvFBC session can capture screen updates that occur after the session is created. Before the logon message appears, there is no screen update after the message is shown and, therefore, a black screen is returned instead. If the NvFBC session is created after this update has occurred, NvFBC cannot get a frame to capture.

Workaround

Press Enter or wait for the screen to update for NvFBC to capture the frame.

Status

Not a bug

Ref. #

2115733

4.2. Screen resolution reverts to a lower value after a VM is rebooted

Description

When a VM is booted, the NVIDIA vGPU software graphics driver is initially unlicensed. Screen resolution is limited to a maximum of 1280×1024 until the VM requires a license for NVIDIA vGPU software. Because the higher resolutions are not available, the OS falls back to next available resolution in its mode list (for example, 1366×768) even if the resolution for the VM had previously been set to a higher value (for example, 1920×1080). After the license has been acquired, the OS does not attempt to set the resolution to a higher value.

This behavior is the expected behavior for licensed NVIDIA vGPU software products.

Workaround

Manually set the screen resolution to the required higher value after the VM has acquired the NVIDIA vGPU software license.

Status

Resolved in NVIDIA vGPU software release 6.2.

Ref. #

2104867

4.3. 6.1 Only: Benign Calling load_byte_array(tra) messages are logged

Description

In Linux guest VMs, the following messages from the nvidia-gridd daemon are logged in /var/log/syslog: 

May 21 18:36:39 test-HVM-domU nvidia-gridd: Started (657)
May 21 18:36:39 test-HVM-domU nvidia-gridd: Ignore Service Provider Licensing.
May 21 18:36:39 test-HVM-domU nvidia-gridd: Calling load_byte_array(tra)
May 21 18:36:41 test-HVM-domU nvidia-gridd: Acquiring license for GRID vGPU Edition.
May 21 18:36:41 test-HVM-domU nvidia-gridd: Calling load_byte_array(tra)
May 21 18:36:43 test-HVM-domU nvidia-gridd: License acquired successfully. Server URL : http://192.0.2.117:7070/request

Workaround

Ignore these messages as they are benign.

Status

Resolved in NVIDIA vGPU software release 6.2.

Ref. #

200407382

4.4. 6.0-6.2 Only: Licensing pop-up windows contain the text microsoft.explorer.notification

Description

On Windows 10 Creators Update (1703), licensing pop-up windows contain the text microsoft.explorer.notification.

Version

Windows 10 Creators Update (1703)

Status

Resolved in NVIDIA vGPU software release 6.3

Ref. #

200346607

4.5. Resolution is not updated after a VM acquires a license and is restarted

Description

In a Red Enterprise Linux 7.3 guest VM, an increase in resolution from 1024×768 to 2560×1600 is not applied after a license is acquired and the gridd service is restarted. This issue occurs if the multimonitor parameter is added to the xorg.conf file.

Version

Red Enterprise Linux 7.3

Status

Open

Ref. #

200275925

4.6. A segmentation fault in DBus code causes nvidia-gridd to exit on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS

Description

On Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 and 6.9, and CentOS 6.8 and 6.9, a segmentation fault in DBus code causes the nvidia-gridd service to exit.

The nvidia-gridd service uses DBus for communication with NVIDIA X Server Settings to display licensing information through the Manage License page. Disabling the GUI for licensing resolves this issue.

To prevent this issue, the GUI for licensing is disabled by default. You might encounter this issue if you have enabled the GUI for licensing and are using Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 or 6.9, or CentOS 6.8 and 6.9.

Version

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 and 6.9

CentOS 6.8 and 6.9

Status

Open

Ref. #

  • 200358191
  • 200319854
  • 1895945

4.7. No Manage License option available in NVIDIA X Server Settings by default

Description

By default, the Manage License option is not available in NVIDIA X Server Settings. This option is missing because the GUI for licensing on Linux is disabled by default to work around the issue that is described in A segmentation fault in DBus code causes nvidia-gridd to exit on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS.

Workaround

This workaround requires sudo privileges.

Note: Do not use this workaround with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.8 and 6.9 or CentOS 6.8 and 6.9. To prevent a segmentation fault in DBus code from causing the nvidia-gridd service from exiting, the GUI for licensing must be disabled with these OS versions.
  1. If NVIDIA X Server Settings is running, shut it down.

  2. If the /etc/nvidia/gridd.conf file does not already exist, create it by copying the supplied template file /etc/nvidia/gridd.conf.template.

  3. As root, edit the /etc/nvidia/gridd.conf file to set the EnableUI option to TRUE.

  4. Start the nvidia-gridd service. 

    # sudo service nvidia-gridd start

When NVIDIA X Server Settings is restarted, the Manage License option is now available.

Status

Open

4.8. Licenses remain checked out when VMs are forcibly powered off

Description

NVIDIA vGPU software licenses remain checked out on the license server when non-persistent VMs are forcibly powered off.

The NVIDIA service running in a VM returns checked out licenses when the VM is shut down. In environments where non-persistent licensed VMs are not cleanly shut down, licenses on the license server can become exhausted. For example, this issue can occur in automated test environments where VMs are frequently changing and are not guaranteed to be cleanly shut down. The licenses from such VMs remain checked out against their MAC address for seven days before they time out and become available to other VMs.

Resolution

If VMs are routinely being powered off without clean shutdown in your environment, you can avoid this issue by shortening the license borrow period. To shorten the license borrow period, set the LicenseInterval configuration setting in your VM image. For details, refer to Virtual GPU Client Licensing User Guide.

Status

Closed

Ref. #

1694975

Notices

Notice

ALL NVIDIA DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS, REFERENCE BOARDS, FILES, DRAWINGS, DIAGNOSTICS, LISTS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS (TOGETHER AND SEPARATELY, "MATERIALS") ARE BEING PROVIDED "AS IS." NVIDIA MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO THE MATERIALS, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NONINFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Information furnished is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, NVIDIA Corporation assumes no responsibility for the consequences of use of such information or for any infringement of patents or other rights of third parties that may result from its use. No license is granted by implication of otherwise under any patent rights of NVIDIA Corporation. Specifications mentioned in this publication are subject to change without notice. This publication supersedes and replaces all other information previously supplied. NVIDIA Corporation products are not authorized as critical components in life support devices or systems without express written approval of NVIDIA Corporation.

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HDMI, the HDMI logo, and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

OpenCL

OpenCL is a trademark of Apple Inc. used under license to the Khronos Group Inc.

Trademarks

NVIDIA, the NVIDIA logo, NVIDIA GRID, vGPU, Pascal, Quadro, and Tesla are trademarks or registered trademarks of NVIDIA Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.