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Configuring DC Persistent Memory Module (DCPMM)

Follow the instructions in this section to configure DCPMMs and DRAM DIMMs.

DCPMM capacity could act as accessible persistent memory for applications or volatile system memory. Based on the approximate percentage of DCPMM capacity invested in volatile system memory, the following three operating modes are available for choice:

  • App direct mode (0% of DCPMM memory acts as system memory):

    In this mode, DCPMMs act as independent and persistent memory resources directly accessible by specific applications, and DRAM DIMMs act as system memory.

    The total displayed volatile system memory in this mode is the sum of DRAM DIMM capacity.

    Note

    • In App Direct Mode, the DRAM DIMMs that are installed can be configured to mirror mode.

    • When only one DCPMM is installed for each processor, only not-interleaved App direct mode is supported.

  • Mixed memory mode (1-99% of DCPMM memory acts as system memory):

    In this mode, some percentage of DCPMM capacity is directly accessible to specific applications (App direct), while the rest serves as system memory. The App direct part of DCPMM is displayed as persistent memory, while the rest of DCPMM capacity is displayed as system memory. DRAM DIMMs act as cache in this mode.

    The total displayed volatile system memory in this mode is the DCPMM capacity that is invested in volatile system memory.

  • Memory mode (100% of DCPMM memory acts as system memory):

    In this mode, DCPMMs act as volatile system memory, while DRAM DIMMs act as cache. Only DCPMM capacity is displayed as system memory in this mode.

    The total displayed volatile system memory in this mode is the sum of DCPMM capacity.

DCPMM Management options​

DCPMMs can be managed with the following tools:

  • Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager (LXPM)

    To open LXPM, power on the system and press F1 as soon as the logo screen appears. If a password has been set, enter the password to unlock LXPM.

    Go to UEFI Setup > System Settings > Intel Optane DCPMMs to configure and manage DCPMMs.

    For more details, see Using Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager.

    Note
    If the text-based interface of Setup Utility opens instead of Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager, go to System Settings > <F1> Start Control and select Tool Suite. Then, reboot the system and press F1 as soon as the logo screen appears to open Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager.

  • Setup Utility

    To enter Setup Utility:

    1. Power on the system and press F1 to open LXPM.

    2. Go to UEFI Settings > System Settings, click on the pull-down menu on the upper right corner of the screen, and select Text Setup.

    3. Reboot the system, and press F1 as soon as the logo screen appears.

    Go to System Configuration and Boot Management > System Settings > Intel Optane DCPMMs to configure and manage DCPMMs.

  • Lenovo XClarity Essentials OneCLI

    Some management options are available in commands that are executed in the path of Lenovo XClarity Essentials OneCLI in the operating system. See Downloading and using XClarity Essentials OneCLI to learn how to download and use Lenovo XClarity Essentials OneCLI.

Following are the available management options:

  • Intel Optane DCPMM details

    Select this option to view the following details concerning each of the the installed DCPMMs:

    • Firmware version

    • Configuration status

    • Raw capacity

    • Memory capacity

    • App Direct capacity

    • Unconfigured capacity

    • Inaccessible capacity

    • Reserved capacity

    • Percentage remaining

    • Security state

    Alternatively, view DCPMM details with the following command in OneCLI:

    onecli.exe config show IntelOptaneDCPMM
    --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86
    Note
    • USERID stands for XCC user ID.
    • PASSW0RD stands for XCC user password.
    • 10.104.195.86 stands for IP address.

  • Goals

    • Memory Mode [%]

      Select this option to define the percentage of DCPMM capacity that is invested in system memory, and hence decide the DCPMM mode:

      • 0%: App Direct Mode

      • 1-99%: Mixed Memory Mode

      • 100%: Memory Mode

      Go to Goals > Memory Mode [%], input the memory percentage, and reboot the system.
      Note

      • Before changing from one mode to another:

        1. Back up all the data and delete all the created namespaces. Go to Namespaces > View/Modify/Delete Namespaces to delete the created namespaces.

        2. Perform secure erase on all the installed DCPMMs. Go to Security > Press to Secure Erase to perform secure erase.

      • Make sure the capacity of installed DCPMMs and DRAM DIMMs meets system requirements for the new mode (see DCPMM installation rules).

      • After the system is rebooted and the input goal value is applied, the displayed value in System Configuration and Boot Management > Intel Optane DCPMMs > Goals will go back to the following default selectable options:

        • Scope: [Platform]

        • Memory Mode [%]: 0

        • Persistent Memory Type: [App Direct]

        These values are selectable options for DCPMM settings, and do not represent the current DCPMM status.

      In addition, you can take advantage of a memory configurator, which is available at the following site: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions Configurator

      Alternatively, set DCPMM Goals with the following commands in OneCLI:

      1. Set create goal status.

        onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.CreateGoal Yes
        --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

      2. Define the DCPMM capacity that is invested in system volatile memory.

        onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.MemoryModePercentage 20
        --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

        Where 20 stands for the percentage of capacity that is invested in system volatile memory.

      3. Set the DCPMM mode.

        onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.PersistentMemoryType "App Direct"
        --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

        Where App Direct stands for the DCPMM mode.

    • Persistent Memory Type

      In App Direct Mode and Mixed Memory Mode, the DCPMMs that are connected to the same processor are by default interleaved (displayed as App Direct), while memory banks are used in turns. To set them as not interleaved in the Setup Utility, go to Intel Optane DCPMMs > Goals > Persistent Memory Type [(DCPMM mode)], select App Direct Not Interleaved and reboot the system.

      Note
      Setting DCPMM App Direct capacity to not interleaved will turn the displayed App Direct regions from one region per processor to one region per DCPMM.

  • Regions

    After the memory percentage is set and the system is rebooted, regions for the App Direct capacity will be generated automatically. Select this option to view the App Direct regions.

  • Namespaces

    App Direct capacity of DCPMMs requires the following steps before it is truly available for applications.

    1. Namespaces must be created for region capacity allocation.

    2. Filesystem must be created and formatted for the namespaces in the operating system.

    Each App Direct region can be allocated into one namespace. Create namespaces in the following operating systems:

    • Windows: Use Pmem command.

    • Linux: Use ndctl command.

    • VMware: Reboot the system, and VMware will create namespaces automatically.

    After creating namespaces for App Direct capacity allocation, make sure to create and format filesystem in the operating system so that the App Direct capacity is accessible for applications.

  • Security

    • Enable Security

      DCPMMs can be secured with passphrases. Two types of passphrase protection scope are available for DCPMM:

      • Platform: Choose this option to run security operation on all the installed DCPMM units at once. A platform passphrase is stored and automatically applied to unlock DCPMMs before operating system starts running, but the passphrase still has to be disabled manually for secure erase.

        Alternatively, enable/disable platform level security with the following commands in OneCLI:
        • Enable security:

          1. Enable security.

            onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.SecurityOperation "Enable Security"
            --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

          2. Set the security passphrase.

            onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.SecurityPassphrase "123456"
            --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

            Where 123456 stands for the passphrase.

          3. Reboot the system.

        • Disable security:

          1. Disable security.

            onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.SecurityOperation "Disable Security"
            --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

          2. Enter passphrase.

            onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.SecurityPassphrase "123456"
            --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

          3. Reboot the system.

      • Single DCPMM: Choose this option to run security operation on one or more selected DCPMM units.
        Note

        • Single DCPMM passphrases are not stored in the system, and security of the locked units needs to be disabled before the units are available for access or secure erase.

        • Always make sure to keep records of the slot number of locked DCPMMs and corresponding passphrases. In the case the passphrases are lost or forgotten, the stored data cannot be backed up or restored, but you can contact Lenovo service for administrative secure erase.

        • After three failed unlocking attempts, the corresponding DCPMMs enter “exceeded” state with a system warning message, and the DCPMM unit can only be unlocked after the system is rebooted.

        To enable passphrase, go to Security > Press to Enable Security.

    • Secure Erase

      Note
      If the DCPMMs to be secure erased are protected with a passphrase, make sure to disable security and reboot the system before performing secure erase.

      Secure erase cleanses all the data that is stored in the DCPMM unit, including encrypted data. This data deletion method is recommended before returning or disposing a malfunctioning unit, or changing DCPMM mode. To perform secure erase, go to Security > Press to Secure Erase.

      Alternatively, perform platform level secure erase with the following command in OneCLI:

      onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.SecurityOperation "Secure Erase Without Passphrase"
      --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

  • DCPMM Configuration

    DCPMM contains spared internal cells to stand in for the failed ones. When the spared cells are exhausted to 0%, there will be an error message, and it is advised to back up data, collect service log, and contact Lenovo support.

    There will also be a warning message when the percentage reaches 1% and a selectable percentage (10% by default). When this message appears, it is advised to back up data and run DCPMM diagnostics (see Running diagnostics with LXPM). To adjust the selectable percentage that the warning message requires, go to Intel Optane DCPMMs > DCPMM Configuration, and input the percentage.

    Alternatively, change the selectable percentage with the following command in OneCLI:

    onecli.exe config set IntelOptaneDCPMM.PercentageRemainingThresholds 20 
    --imm USERID:PASSW0RD@10.104.195.86

    Where 20 is the selectable percentage.