[gpfsug-discuss] Portability interface

[Jonathan Buzzard]

I have a question about using RPM's for the portability interface on 
different CPU's.

According to /usr/lpp/mmfs/src/README

    The generated RPM can ONLY be deployed to the machine with
    identical architecture, distribution level, Linux kernel version
    and GPFS version.

So does this mean that if I have a heterogeneous cluster with some 
machines on  Skylake and some on Sandy Bridge but all running on say 
RHEL 7.8 and all using GPFS 5.0.5 I have to have different RPM's for the 
two CPU's?

Or when it says "identical architecture" does it mean x86-64, ppc etc. 
and not variations with the x86-64, ppc class? Assuming some minimum 
level is met.

Obviously the actual Linux kernel being stock RedHat would be the same 
on every machine regardless of whether it's Skylake or Sandy Bridge, or 
even for that matter an AMD processor.

Consequently it seems strange that I would need different portability 
interfaces. Would it help to generate the portability layer RPM's on a 
Sandy Bridge machine and work no the presumption anything that runs on 
Sandy Bridge will run on Skylake?


JAB.

-- 
Jonathan A. Buzzard                         Tel: +44141-5483420
HPC System Administrator, ARCHIE-WeSt.
University of Strathclyde, John Anderson Building, Glasgow. G4 0NG