NAME¶

ibnl - a generic IB netlist format

DESCRIPTION¶

IBDM topology file ibdm-topo-file provide means to describe the IB fabric using a set of predefined systems. A system definition is provided in a single file in IBNL format that describes the internal InfiniBand connectivity of the system in terms of boards and devices. When IBDM starts it parses all the available system definition files before it handles the topology file. The files are located in the following directory relative to the installation prefix: <prefix>/lib/ibdm1.0/ibnl.

This man page describes the IBNL file format used to define an arbitrary IB system internal IB connectivity. It outlines the main concepts used by the file, provides details for how to write such a file and provides a formal definition of the file syntax in BNF like format (YACC/Bison readable).

1. Main Concepts¶

The described file format for defining generic system IB connectivity uses the following terminology:

NODE

The instantiation of an IB device may it be a switch or a channel adapter

SUB-SYSTEM

The instantiation of a board or module in a system

SYSTEM

A definition of a board or a module

TOPSYSTEM

The top most system defined in the given file

SUB-SYSTEM MODIFIER

Many systems allow multiple variations of their subsystem such as a 12X version of a leaf board in a MTS9600. The modifier is a suffix to the board name. The IBNL format supports assigning multiple names to the same board.

2. File Format¶

The exact file format is provided in section 4. This section only provides extra information regarding the specific semantics of various sections.

The IBNL file is line sensitive as it requires different sections to start on a new line. The file is broken into several SYSTEM (optional) and one TOPSYSTEM sections. Each has one or more names.

Connections are defined inside the SYSTEM/TOPSYSTEM section only and thus might be of two types:

1. Between any node or sub-system to other node or sub-system

2. From any node or sub-system to a connector of the system.

NOTE-1: The top system can define ports that might be redundant and not connected to any lower level board connector. In these cases the ports are simply omitted from the resulting system. This feature enables defining the front panel ports of a 12X/4X such that if a 12X leaf is selected only the 12X front panel ports are used.

NOTE-2: Port width and speed provided at the lowest level have precedence over definitions provided at upper levels of the hierarchy.

3. Guidelines for writing a System IBNL File¶

The following procedure should be followed in order to provide a new system IBNL:

a)

Name the file after the system name: <any sys name (no spaces)>.ibnl

b)

Define a SYSTEM section for each board included in the system

c)

The port names of the boards are just strings, we use the simple format of Pn where N is just a serial number but you can pick any name you want. Just make sure it is unique.

d)

When different flavors of the boards exists like when you have a 4x and 12x option for a board name the optional boards with a modifier postfix. An example for such system that supports a LEAF board of 12x and 4x types would be to define two SYSTEMS:

4. Formal definition in YACC Syntax:¶

INT ::= ([1-9][0-9]*⎪0) ;

WIDTH ::= (4x⎪8x⎪12x) ;

SPEED ::= (2.5G⎪5G⎪10G) ;

NODETYPE ::= (SW⎪CA⎪HCA) ;

NAME ::= ([\[\]\\\*/A-Za-z0-9_.:%@~]+) ;

NL: LINE ⎪ NL LINE;

ONL: ⎪ NL;

ibnl: ONL systems topsystem;

systems: ⎪ systems system ;

sub_inst_attributes: ⎪ sub_inst_attributes sub_inst_attribute NL;

sub_inst_attribute: NAME '=' NAME '=' NAME ⎪ NAME '=' NAME '=' INT ⎪ NAME '=' NAME ;

topsystem: TOPSYSTEM system_names NL sub_inst_attributes insts ;

system: SYSTEM system_names NL insts ;

system_names: system_name ⎪ system_names ',' system_name ;

system_name: NAME ;

insts: ⎪ insts node ⎪ insts subsystem ;

node: node_header NL node_connections ;

node_header: NODE NODETYPE INT NAME NAME ;

node_connections: ⎪ node_connections node_connection NL ;

node_connection: node_to_node_link ⎪ node_to_port_link ;

node_to_node_link: INT '-' WIDTH '-' SPEED '-' '>' NAME ⎪ INT '-' WIDTH '-' '>' NAME INT ⎪ INT '-' SPEED '-' '>' NAME INT ⎪ INT '-' '>' NAME INT ;

node_to_port_link: INT '-' WIDTH '-' SPEED '-' '>' NAME ⎪ INT '-' WIDTH '-' '>' NAME ⎪ INT '-' SPEED '-' '>' NAME ⎪ INT '-' '>' NAME ;

subsystem: subsystem_header NL subsystem_connections ;

subsystem_header: SUBSYSTEM NAME NAME ;

subsystem_connections: ⎪ subsystem_connections subsystem_connection NL ;

subsystem_connection: subsystem_to_subsystem_link ⎪ subsystem_to_port_link ;

subsystem_to_subsystem_link: NAME '-' WIDTH '-' SPEED '-' '>' NAME NAME ⎪ NAME '-' WIDTH '-' '>' NAME NAME ⎪ NAME '-' SPEED '-' '>' NAME NAME ⎪ NAME '-' '>' NAME NAME ;

subsystem_to_port_link: NAME '-' WIDTH '-' SPEED '-' '>' NAME ⎪ NAME '-' WIDTH '-' '>' NAME ⎪ NAME '-' SPEED '-' '>' NAME ⎪ NAME '-' '>' NAME ;

AUTHOR¶

Eitan Zahavi, Mellanox Technologies LTD, eitan@mellanox.co.il