H3C G6 Servers HDM2

Intelligent Performance Optimization Configuration Example

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

Introduction· 1

Prerequisites· 1

Application scenarios· 1

Example: Configuring intelligent performance optimization· 1

Network configuration· 1

Analysis· 2

Software versions used· 2

Procedure· 2

Logging into the HDM Web interface· 2

Configuring performance settings· 4

Viewing the workload characteristics· 5

Configuring the workload settings· 6

Verifying the configuration· 6

Related documentation· 10

 

Introduction

HDM2 supports intelligent performance optimization. You can view the current configuration profile in the BIOS and set the profile for the next BIOS boot. You can use performance consultant to examine workload characteristics across different time periods, obtain real-time workload matching, and adjust BIOS configurations accordingly. The following information describes the typical configuration of the intelligent performance optimization feature in H3C HDM2 management software.

HDM2 is an upgraded version of HDM. While inheriting existing features, it has been optimized for various application scenarios such as intelligent server diagnostics, host monitoring, energy efficiency management, and security management, providing corresponding supporting functionalities. In this document, HDM2 is referred to as HDM.

Prerequisites

Procedures and information in the document might be slightly different depending on the software or hardware version of the device.

The configuration examples were created and verified in a lab environment, and all the devices were started with the factory default configuration. When you are working on a live network, make sure you understand the potential impact of every command on your network.

The following information is provided based on the assumption that you have basic knowledge of intelligent performance optimization.

Application scenarios

This document is applicable to monitoring workloads through HDM, intelligently optimizing based on the current service scenarios, and providing more suitable configuration profiles to better align the server with the functional requirements of various service scenarios.

Example: Configuring intelligent performance optimization

Network configuration

As shown in Figure 1, the HDM management interface of the H3C UniServer R4900 G6 server (hereafter referred to as R4900 G6) connects to the PC through the switch. Users can log in to HDM through a PC to perform power management and save power for the server.

·     The information related to the HDM management software for the R4900 G6 server is as follows:

¡     IP address: 192.168.20.177

¡     Administrator account: admin

¡     Administrator cipher: Password@_

·     PC IP address: 10.41.50.29

Figure 1 Network diagram

 

Analysis

Log in to the R4900 G6 HDM Web, and use the intelligent power efficiency function on the Web interface to view the current BIOS configuration profile, set the profile for the next BIOS boot, view the workload characteristics at different times, and obtain real-time recommended BIOS configurations.

Software versions used

This configuration example was created and verified on HDM2-1.54.

Procedure

Logging into the HDM Web interface

1.     Open a browser on the PC and enter IP address 192.168.20.177 in the address bar to access the HDM Web interface. Enter the default administrator username admin and password Password@_ to log into HDM Web.

Figure 2 Logging in to the HDM Web interface

 

2.     On the top navigation bar, click Intelligent Power Efficiency.

3.     In the left navigation pane, select Performance Configuration.

Figure 3 Performance configuration page

 

Configuring performance settings

NOTE: ·     The server supports this feature only when equipped with Intel processors. ·     Only servers with BIOS version 6.00.22 and above support the advanced reliability mode, virtualization-performance, and fixed turbo frequency configuration profiles. Only servers with a BIOS version lower than 6.00.22 support decision support and I/O throughput configuration profiles. Only servers with BIOS version 6.00.33 and above support AI optimized profile. ·     The configuration takes effect after you restart the BIOS. ·     When the BIOS configuration is locked or the BIOS is starting up, you cannot modify the configuration profile.

 

1.     View the current configuration profile of the BIOS.

¡     General power efficient compute: Applicable to most applications and focuses more on power-saving. This profile enables processors to operate in power-saving status and processor chips to enter sleep mode and disables virtualization configuration.

¡     General peak frequency compute: Applicable to scenarios that require processors or memory to support workloads and focuses more on performance. By disabling power-saving and virtualization configuration, this profile enables processors to operate in active status.

¡     Decision support: Applicable to scenarios that require operating or accessing databases.

¡     Advanced reliability mode: Applicable to scenarios that require high system stability and maintainability. In this profile, advanced RAS options are enabled, and power-saving options are disabled to reduce the response time of the system to errors.

¡     General throughput compute: Applicable to scenarios where sustained maximum throughput is required. This profile enables processors to operate at a high efficiency continuously to provide enhanced system performance and the optimal throughput.

¡     High performance compute: Applicable to scenarios that require high-performance configuration. This profile enables the system to operate at a high efficiency to meet large-scale workload requirements.

¡     Virtualization-power efficient: Applicable to virtualization scenarios that give priority to power saving. This profile enables all available virtual options and allows processor chips to enter sleep mode.

¡     Virtualization-performance: Applicable to virtualization scenarios that have high performance requirements. This profile enables all virtualization-related options to support virtualization, and allows the system to operate at a higher frequency by disabling power-saving options to obtain a higher speed.

¡     I/O throughput: Applicable to scenarios that require throughput improvement between I/O and memory.

¡     Graphic processing: Applicable to GPU servers. This profile forbids virtualization configuration.

¡     Low latency: Applicable to scenarios that require the minimal compute latency. This profile might disable management features that cause compute latency.

¡     Transactional application processing: Applicable to service application scenarios such as database systems.

¡     AI optimized: Applicable to service scenarios that require a large amount of computing resources for artificial intelligence reasoning or training with a focus on performance.

¡     Custom: Uses the BIOS default settings. Note that this option does not allow users to customize any settings.

¡     Fixed turbo frequency: Applicable to scenarios that require fixed turbo frequency. This profile is implemented through an out-of-band manner to exclude the operating system from frequency adjustment.

2.     Select a profile.

3.     Click Save. The page prompts whether the operation succeeds

Viewing the workload characteristics

NOTE: ·     The server supports this feature only when equipped with Intel processors. ·     The performance consultant feature is limited by licensing. For more information about licensing, see the license guide. ·     If the monitoring period is not enough, the page will display a hyphen (-) for a time range for workload characteristics. ·     If the monitoring period is less than one week, the page will display a hyphen (-) for the recommended workload profile configuration. ·     Running services for a scenario configuration profile for over a week effectively improves data matching accuracy.

 

1.     On the top navigation bar, click Intelligent Power Efficiency.

2.     In the left navigation pane, select Performance Consultant.

Figure 4 Performance consultant page

 

3.     In the Workload characteristics area, view characteristics levels within different time ranges.

¡     CPU utilization: Displays the CPU usage level calculated based on the average CPU usage of a specific period.

¡     Memory bus utilization: Displays the memory usage level calculated based on the average memory bus usage of a specific period.

¡     I/O bus utilization: Displays the I/O bus usage level based on the average I/O bus usage of a specific period.

¡     Past 10 minutes: Based on data collected in the past 10 minutes.

¡     Past 1 hour: Based on data collected in the past 1 hour.

¡     Past 1 day: Based on data collected in the past 1 day.

¡     Past 1 week: Based on data collected in the past 1 week.

Configuring the workload settings

NOTE: ·     If the recommended configuration is the same as the existing configuration, no recommendation will be given and the page will display a hyphen (-). ·     After the system stabilizes, the performance consultant function will analyze the system's load and recommend a suitable configuration profile. The workload profile changes take effect after you restart the BIOS. ·     As a best practice, export the BIOS settings before modifying the configuration to provide a quick recovery option if the OS fails to boot. ·     The configuration takes effect after you restart the BIOS. ·     When the BIOS configuration is locked or the BIOS is starting up, you cannot modify the configuration profile.

 

1.     On the top navigation bar, click Intelligent Power Efficiency.

2.     In the left navigation pane, select Performance Consultant.

3.     View the current configuration profile.

4.     To change the current workload configuration to the recommended configuration only, click the configure icon in the Recommended config column. In the dialog box that opens, click OK.

Figure 5 Recommended configuration

 

Verifying the configuration

1.     On the top navigation bar, click O&M Diagnosis.

2.     In the left navigation pane, select Manage Configuration.

Figure 6 Configuration Management

 

3.     In the Export configuration section, select BIOS from the Select type field.

4.     Click Export.

5.     View the downloaded BIOS configuration file locally.

Figure 7 BIOS configuration file

 

6.     On the top navigation bar, click Intelligent Power Efficiency.

7.     In the left navigation pane, select Performance Configuration.

Figure 8 Performance configuration page

 

8.     Select the Virtualization-power efficient profile.

9.     Click Save. The page prompts whether the operation succeeds

10.     Restart the BIOS after the page prompts that the save operation succeeded.

11.     On the top navigation bar, click O&M Diagnosis.

12.     In the left navigation pane, select Manage Configuration.

13.     In the Export configuration section, select BIOS from the Select type field.

14.     Click Export.

15.     View the downloaded BIOS configuration file locally.

Figure 9 BIOS configuration file

 

Related documentation

·     H3C G6 Servers HDM2 User Guide

·     H3C G6 Servers HDM2 Technology White Paper

·     H3C G6 Servers HDM2 License Guide

·     H3C Servers Scenario-Based Eagle Stream Platform BIOS Configuration Guide