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NVIDIA UFM-SDN Appliance User Manual v4.18.4

Defining Port Groups

The basic idea behind the port groups is the ability to divide the fabric into sub-groups and give each group an identifier that can be used to relate to all nodes in this group. The port groups is a separate feature from the routing chains, but is a mandatory prerequisite for it. In addition, it is used to define the participants in each of the routing algorithms.

In order to define a port group policy file, set the parameter 'pgrp_policy_file' in the opensm configuration file.

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pgrp_policy_file /opt/ufm/files/conf/opensm/port_groups_policy_file.conf

The port groups policy file details the port groups in the fabric. The policy file should be composed of one or more paragraphs that define a group. Each paragraph should begin with the line 'port-group' and end with the line 'end-port-group'.

For example:

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port-group …port group qualifiers… end-port-group

Note

Unlike the port group's beginning and ending which do not require a colon, all qualifiers must end with a colon (':'). Also - a colon is a predefined mark that must not be used inside qualifier values. An inclusion of a colon in the name or the use of a port group, will result in the policy's failure.

Parameter

Description

Example

name

Each group must have a name. Without a name qualifier, the policy fails.

name: grp1

use

'use' is an optional qualifier that one can define in order to describe the usage of this port group (if undefined, an empty string is used as a default).

use: first port group

There are several qualifiers used to describe a rule that determines which ports will be added to the group. Each port group may contain one or more rules of the rule qualifiers in the table below (at least one rule shall be defined for each port group).

Parameter

Description

Example

guid list

Comma separated list of guids to include in the group.

If no specific physical ports were configured, all physical ports of the guid are chosen. However, for each guid, one can detail specific physical ports to be included in the group. This can be done using the following syntax:

  • Specify a specific port in a guid to be chosen

port-guid: 0x283@3

  • Specify a specific list of ports in a guid to be chosen

port-guid: 0x286@1/5/7

  • Specify a specific range of ports in a guid to be chosen

port-guid: 0x289@2-5

  • Specify a list of specific ports and ports ranges in a guid to be chosen

port-guid: 0x289@2-5/7/9-13/18

  • Complex rule

port-guid: 0x283@5-8/12/14, 0x286, 0x289/6/8/12

port-guid: 0x283, 0x286, 0x289

port guid range

It is possible to configure a range of guids to be chosen to the group. However, while using the range qualifier, it is impossible to detail specific physical ports.

Note: A list of ranges cannot be specified. The below example is invalid and will cause the policy to fail:

port-guid-range: 0x283-0x289, 0x290-0x295

port-guid-range: 0x283-0x289

port name

One can configure a list of hostnames as a rule. Hosts with a node description that is built out of these hostnames will be chosen. Since the node description contains the network card index as well, one might also specify a network card index and a physical port to be chosen. For example, the given configuration will cause only physical port 2 of a host with the node description ‘kuku HCA-1’ to be chosen.

port and hca_idx parameters are optional. If the port is unspecified, all physical ports are chosen. If hca_idx is unspecified, all card numbers are chosen. Specifying a hostname is mandatory.

One can configure a list of hostname/port/hca_idx sets in the same qualifier as follows:

port-name: hostname=kuku; port=2; hca_idx=1 , hostname=host1; port=3, hostname=host2

Note: port-name qualifier is not relevant for switches, but for HCA’s only.

port-name: hostname=kuku; port=2; hca_idx=1

port regexp

One can define a regular expression so that only nodes with a matching node description will be chosen to the group

port-regexp: SW*

It is possible to specify one physical port to be chosen for matching nodes (there is no option to define a list or a range of ports). The given example will cause only nodes that match physical port 3 to be added to the group.

port-regexp: SW*:3

union rule

It is possible to define a rule that unites two different port groups. This means that all ports from both groups will be included in the united group.

union-rule: grp1, grp2

subtract rule

One can define a rule that subtracts one port group from another. The given rule, for example, will cause all the ports which are a part of grp1, but not included in grp2, to be chosen.

In subtraction (unlike union), the order does matter, since the purpose is to subtract the second group from the first one.

There is no option to define more than two groups for union/subtraction. However, one can unite/subtract groups which are a union or a subtraction themselves, as shown in the port groups policy file example.

subtract-rule: grp1, grp2

There are 3 predefined, automatically created port groups that are available for use, yet cannot be defined in the policy file (if a group in the policy is configured with the name of one of these predefined groups, the policy fails) -

  • ALL – a group that includes all nodes in the fabric

  • ALL_SWITCHES – a group that includes all switches in the fabric.

  • ALL_CAS – a group that includes all HCA's in the fabric.

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port-group name: grp3 use: Subtract of groups grp1 and grp2 subtract-rule: grp1, grp2 end-port-group   port-group name: grp1 port-guid: 0x281, 0x282, 0x283 end-port-group   port-group name: grp2 port-guid-range: 0x282-0x286 port-name: hostname=server1 port=1 end-port-group   port-group name: grp4 port-name: hostname=kika port=1 hca_idx=1 end-port-group   port-group name: grp3 union-rule: grp3, grp4 end-port-group

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