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How to Use GPU on the Grid

Introduction

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for deploying and using GPU resources on the ThreeFold Grid. You'll learn how to rent a dedicated GPU node, deploy a virtual machine, and install the necessary GPU drivers.

Prerequisites

  • Access to the ThreeFold Dashboard
  • Basic knowledge of SSH and Linux command line
  • Understanding of your GPU requirements (AMD or NVIDIA)

Step 1: Rent a GPU Node

Find Available GPU Nodes

  1. Navigate to the ThreeFold Dashboard explorer
  2. Enable the GPU Node (only) option to filter nodes with GPU capabilities

GPU Node Filter

Reserve Your Node

  1. Once you've identified a suitable GPU node, navigate to the Dedicated Node page
  2. Complete the rental process for your selected node

Node Reservation

Step 2: Deploy a Virtual Machine with GPU

After successfully renting a GPU node, deploy a virtual machine on your dedicated node using one of the following methods:

  • ThreeFold Dashboard (recommended for beginners)
  • TypeScript Client
  • Terraform
  • Other supported deployment tools

VM Deployment

Step 3: Install GPU Drivers

System Preparation

  1. SSH into your deployed virtual machine
  2. Update your system to ensure compatibility:
dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo reboot

Identify Your GPU Hardware

Before downloading drivers, identify your GPU specifications using either:

  • ThreeFold Dashboard: Check node details in your dashboard
  • Command line tools:
lspci | grep VGA
lshw -c video

Download GPU Drivers

Download the appropriate driver for your GPU:

Use wget to download the driver package to your VM.

AMD GPU Installation

  1. Install the downloaded AMD driver package (replace <VERSION> with your specific version):
sudo apt-get install ./amdgpu-install_<VERSION>.deb
amdgpu-install --usecase="dkms,graphics,opencl,hip,rocm,rocmdev,opencl,hiplibsdk,mllib,mlsdk" --opencl=rocr --vulkan=pro --opengl=mesa
  1. Verify the installation:
rocm-smi
rocminfo
  1. Expected output should resemble:

AMD GPU Verification 1 AMD GPU Verification 2

NVIDIA GPU Installation

For NVIDIA GPUs, the installation process is more straightforward:

  1. Follow the comprehensive guide: NVIDIA Drivers on Ubuntu 20.04

  2. Verify the installation using:

nvidia-smi
  1. Expected output:

NVIDIA GPU Verification

Alternative: AI Model Installation

For users interested in AI workloads, consider trying InvokeAI, which can help with driver installation and provide an AI-ready environment.

Troubleshooting

Operating System: Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS (GNU/Linux 5.18.13-051813-generic x86_64)

Useful Resources

Next Steps

Once your GPU is successfully installed and verified, you can:

  • Deploy AI/ML workloads
  • Run GPU-accelerated applications
  • Explore ThreeFold's GPU-specific documentation for advanced use cases

For additional GPU support resources, consult the GPU Table of Contents.