Preferred Linux FPGA Compile Worker and VM Host Distribution?

[LVB]

I am looking for advice on which distribution to use for a Linux-based FPGA Compile Worker and Virtual Machine server.

I prefer Ubuntu, but am looking to use something that is approved from NI.  I would like to avoid licensing fees, so that rules out Red Hat Enterprise Linux.  The two choices that are left are:

1. Scientific Linux
2. Open SUSE

Which is more appropriate for a server running as a Virtual Machine host and compile worker?  We are using VirtualBox for VM's and would like the ability to be a compile worker for as many LabVIEW versions as possible.  Integration into a Windows network would also be desired.

[T-REX$]

Hi LVB,

The only NI supported distribution for the Linux Compile Worker is Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.6 at this time. We are working to bring our compile worker to other distros in the future. One the most requested features is additional OS support, which is greatly understood considering the current limitations you list above, as well as many others.

Cheers,

- TJ G

[LVB]

T-REX$ wrote:

Hi LVB,

The only NI supported distribution for the Linux Compile Worker is Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.6 at this time. We are working to bring our compile worker to other distros in the future. One the most requested features is additional OS support, which is greatly understood considering the current limitations you list above, as well as many others.

Cheers,

- TJ G

Would you kindly point me to where this information is listed?  Are both the 32-bit and 64-bit distributions supported?  The whitepaper here lists the use of "Linux OS – RHEL 5.6 64bit".

Since Scientific Linux is derived from RHEL, why isn't Scientific Linux 5.6 supported?

[T-REX$]

So, as you found in that whitepaper, only RHEL 5.6 64bit is officially supported. I'll file a bug report to the doc team to update the manual. It is important to note, that by supported, we mean tested and validated to work, and we will offer official help through ni.com/ask... doesn't mean it won't work, just means that we offer no gaurantee. There are several distros derived from RHEL that may work, but we cannot offer a gaurantee of that right now.

- TJ G

[SamoraJ]

Hi,

I finally got around to trying this out.

I started my linux journey on Red Hat but have been using only debian for five years.

Since i like my linux free (as in both freedom of speach and free beer) i started with OpenSuSe.

I gave up. I even considered buying a redhat subscription, now i'm glad i didn't.

I went with CentOS 5.6 x86_64 which is a distro binary compatible with, and based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.6.

Worked like a charm, I also created a virtual machine with kvm-qemu for hosting the compile server (WindowsXP) on that same box.

Some lessons i Learned:

• Although CentOS has a long lifecycle, it was a bit tricky to find mirrors of older releases, i found a slow repository , copied a filename and googled. I installed from a 10 mb netinstall image.
• The compile worker (AFAIK) requires GUI, so a minimal headless install wouldn't do.
• I disabled all the hardened stuff, SELinux and firewall, not sure how much of that was necessary.

My opinion on the linux-distro support issue is that NI should support Red Hat, implicitly and possibly also officialy also CentOS and one .deb distro either Debian or Ubuntu.

/MArcus

[irwan]

We do support redhat. From http://download.ni.com/support/softlib/kal/2.3.1/

"This release of NI-KAL has been tested on the following Linux distributions:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 6

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop + Workstation 5

Scientific Linux 6

Scientific Linux 5

openSUSE 12.1

openSUSE 11.4"

We've been wanting to support Ubuntu for a while. It's just a matter of when at this point, I think. We just need to do the work. The problem is that its priority could never compete with other things we need to do..

[VladimirP]

NI supports RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.6-64 bit. It means kernel version 2.6.18-238. It works perfectly with free Scientific Linux 5.6 64bit (same kernel version) also.  For required FPGA installation dependencies it is the easiest way to select "Development workstation" at the installation time. Unusable packages can be uninstalled later. I installed the SLinux in the local VMware Workstation (2CPU, 4GRAM). Not necessary use more CPUs, because current FPGA CompileWorker uses only one CPU. Clock and RAM is more important. FPGA compilation speed (both LabVIEW 2012 and virtual SLinux) in the same computer is about 30% faster.

[D*]

Vladimir, were there any additional packages you needed to install?

[VladimirP]

Just download 2012LinCompileWorker.zip (http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/3460/lang/en) then disc #1 ISO DVD of Scientific Linux 5.6 (http://ftp.scientificlinux.org/linux/scientific/56/iso/x86_64/dvd/).

When you install SL5.6, add "development Workstation" as one installation option. Unzip, untar the FPGA CW package and ./INSTALL it. Any virtual PC is great solution for it. You have to install on the LabView development host the FPGA Toolkit. It is better to test it if it realy compile FPGA vi. It means, Compile Workter starts as the job automaticaly on local computer. Then follow settings in the (http://www.ni.com/white-paper/14039/en). Now I am working on installation SL5.6 as server which starts CompileWorker automatically and let it run in ESXi or Hyper-V hypervisor.

[D*]

Thanks! That worked well.  Only issue is that I didn't see much of a reduction in compile time. I am using VirtualBox instead of VMware (2CPU, 20G of RAM) :

----Windows Compile-----

Compilation completed successfully.

Device Utilization

---------------------------

Total Slices: 87.3% (6286 out of 7200)

Slice Registers: 66.5% (19154 out of 28800)

Slice LUTs: 68.7% (19783 out of 28800)

DSP48s: 41.7% (20 out of 48)

Block RAMs: 6.2% (3 out of 48)

Timing

---------------------------

MiteClk (Used by non-diagram components): 33.00 MHz (89.12 MHz maximum)

40 MHz Onboard Clock: 40.00 MHz (40.59 MHz maximum)

Compilation Time

---------------------------

Date submitted: 2/26/2013 9:56 AM

Date results were retrieved: 2/26/2013 10:43 AM

Time waiting in queue: 00:20

Time compiling: 46:45

- PlanAhead: 00:42

- Core Generator: 00:00

- Synthesis - Xst: 15:20

- Translate: 14:59

- Map: 07:53

- Place & Route: 06:23

- Bitgen: 01:17

---With linux compile----

Compilation completed successfully.

Device Utilization

---------------------------

Total Slices: 85.0% (6117 out of 7200)

Slice Registers: 67.4% (19411 out of 28800)

Slice LUTs: 63.9% (18413 out of 28800)

DSP48s: 52.1% (25 out of 48)

Block RAMs: 4.2% (2 out of 48)

Timing

---------------------------

MiteClk (Used by non-diagram components): 33.00 MHz (92.74 MHz maximum)

40 MHz Onboard Clock: 40.00 MHz (40.11 MHz maximum)

Compilation Time

---------------------------

Date submitted: 3/1/2013 2:42 PM

Date results were retrieved: 3/1/2013 3:23 PM

Time waiting in queue: 00:03

Time compiling: 41:28

- PlanAhead: 00:34

- Core Generator: 00:00

- Synthesis - Xst: 04:11

- Translate: 14:41

- Map: 11:37

- Place & Route: 08:45

- Bitgen: 01:35