General System Requirements
Before you begin installing the Lightbits product, you should be aware of the following installation considerations:
The System Administrator performing this installation must have the following permissions:
- SSH accessibility (needed packages/permissions).
- Root user permissions are required to complete the installation (can use a normal user with sudo access).
The Linux distribution that your clients use must have the NVMe/TCP client-side drivers. These drivers are included beginning with Linux kernel v5.3.5 and above.
- If your system's Linux distribution does not include this kernel version or a later version, download back-ported NVMe/TCP client side drivers for specific kernels and distributions from the Lightbits drivers webpage.
See the Installation Best Practices page for software, hardware, and other recommendations.
Lightbits Server Prerequisites
Consider the following prerequisites for the storage servers that will host the Lightbits software.
- Lightbits recommends that you plan to use two networking interfaces types on the Lightbits servers: one for management and another one as a data interface. This is not required, as the data interface can function as both management and data. For dual instance/node/NUMA configurations, an additional network interface can be used.
- We support the following server-based OS installations: AlmaLinux/Red Hat/Rocky. Note that the CentOS releases are end of life.
- If persistent memory (Intel Optane) is used, configure the pmem properly per different vendors' servers. Consult with the server vendor or with Lightbits for any additional questions. Note that you should enable the memory interleaving in the BIOS/uEFI. For Intel Optane, you should use the App Direct Mode.
- You must have Python v3.6 (or higher) installed on the Lightbits servers. Additionally, it is advised to have network-scripts, yum-utils, and net-tools installed.
- NUMA should not be disabled in the bios (for the option to show dual socket if they were a single socket).
- Ensure that the Ansible install machine and Lightbits storage node have the same date and time.
In December 2020, the CentOS community and Red Hat announced the sunsetting of CentOS.
If you would like to run other processes on the server, make sure the processes do not interfere with Lightbits services on certain ports/directories/configuration files.
Example command to install:
yum install -y python3yum install -y network-scriptsyum install -y yum-utilsyum install -y net-tools- The Lightbits software kernel requires a boot partition with at least 512 MB available.
- To complete the installation process, you will need information from your version of the Lightbits Installation-Customer Addendum. If you do not have the customer addendum, contact a Lightbits representative to receive a copy.
- For more information about which Python version supports Ansible, see the Ansible Installation Guide.
- Lightbits releases are tested on Red Hat based distributions, including Rocky Linux and AlmaLinux. See the current distribution's release notes for full details on tested distributions.
- Note that on newer distributions, certain packages may no longer be supported because they have been deprecated (for example, the network-scripts package).
The following table details the supported Lightbits distributions and kernels for older releases of Lightbits. Starting with Lightbits release v3.4.1, Lightbits runs in userspace and there is no longer any kernel dependency, although Lightbits recommends using the latest stable kernel available for your distribution.
| Lightbits Release | Release Type | Kernel Version | Supported OS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.12.5~b16529251837 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.12.5~b16529251837 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.16.1~b15961757728 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.16.1~b15961757728 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.12.4~b15783733640 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.12.4~b15783733640 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.12.3~b15468346881 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.12.3~b15468346881 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.15.1~b15002456970 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.15.1~b15002456970 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.14.1~b14010542861 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.14.1~b14010542861 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.12.2~b14000683304 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.12.2~b14000683304 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.13.1~b12920387115 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.13.1~b12920387115 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.9.6~b17267510753 | RHL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.9.6~b17267510753 | RHL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.9.6~b17267510753 | Centos | See the userspace comment above. | Centos 7.9 |
| 3.9.5~b135 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.9.5~b135 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.12.1~b125 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.12.1~b125 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.9.4~b109 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.9.4~b109 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.9.3~b104 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.9.3~b104 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.11.1~b105 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.11.1~b105 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.10.1~b67 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.10.1~b67 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.9.2~b56 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. Note: from this release on both el8 and el9 has the same build number, only repo name is different | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.9.2~b56 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.9.2~b61 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.9.1~b1713 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.9.1~b1716 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.9.1~b1712 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.8.3~b1718 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.8.3~b1725 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.8.3~b1717 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.8.2~b1679 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.8.2~b1682 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.8.2~b1672 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.8.1~b1643 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.8.1~b1647 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.8.1~b1642 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.7.2~b1660 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.7.2~b1663 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.7.2~b1659 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.7.1~b1548 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.7.1~b1538 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.7.1~b1547 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.6.2~b1633 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 9 |
| 3.6.2~b1631 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.6.2~b1635 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.6.1-b1503 / 3.6.1-b1504 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. Dependencies differ between RHEL releases. Use 3.6.1~b1504 for el8. Use 3.6.1~b1503 for el9. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 and 9 |
| 3.6.1~b1502 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.5.1~b1444 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.5.1~b1443 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 and 9 |
| 3.4.4~b1623 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 |
| 3.4.4~b1614 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.4.3~b1468 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.4.2~b1420 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.4.2~b1423 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 and 9 |
| 3.4.1~b1398 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.4.1~b1397 | RHEL | See the userspace comment above. | Alma, Red Hat, Rocky 8 and 9 |
| 3.3.3~b1465 | CentOS | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_ rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.3.2~b1363 | GA | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.3.2~b1362 | RHEL | 4.18.0-477.13.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.7 |
| 3.3.1~b1335 | RHEL | 4.18.0-477.13.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.7 |
| 3.3.1~b1336 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.9.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.3.1~b1334 | GA | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.2.1~b1253 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.9.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.2.1~b1252 | RHEL | 4.18.0-425.19.2.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.2.1~b1251 | GA | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.1.2~b1127 | RHEL | 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.1.2~b1130 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.9.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.1.2~b1125 | GA | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.1.1~b1119 | RHEL | 4.18.0-425.3.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.1.1~b1118 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.9.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.1.1~b1116 | GA | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.0.5~b1107 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.32.1.el8_6 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.0.5~b1105 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.9.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.0.5~b1102 | GA | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 3.0.4~b1085 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.32.1.el8_6 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.0.3~b1062 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.26.1.el8_6 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.0.3~b1061 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.9.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.0.3~b1059 | GA | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 2.3.22~b1031 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.26.1.el8_6 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.0.1~b1007 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.19.1.el8_6 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 3.0.1~b1004 | GA | 4.14.252_0017303255861b045c6f9_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 2.3.20~b988 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.19.1.el8_6 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 2.3.19~b962 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.16.1.el8_6 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 2.3.18~b951 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.13.1.el8_6 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 2.3.17~b930 | RHEL | 4.18.0-305.12.1.el8_4 | Red Hat 8.4 |
| 2.3.17~b927 | RHEL | 4.18.0-372.9.1.el8 | Alma, Red Hat 8.6 |
| 2.3.17~b923 | GA | 4.14.252_001730324769e3ea3c709_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 2.3.16~b887 | RHEL | 4.18.0-305.12.1.el8_4 | Red Hat 8.4 |
| 2.3.16~b886 | GA | 4.14.252_001730324769e3ea3c709_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 2.3.14~b806 | RHEL | 4.18.0-305.12.1.el8_4 | Red Hat 8.4 |
| 2.3.14~b805 | GA | 4.14.252_001730324769e3ea3c709_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 2.3.12~b793 | GA | 4.14.252_001730324769e3ea3c709_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
| 2.3.8~b664 | GA | 4.14.216_41421769bde239058b6e_rel_lb | CentOS 7.9 |
For Lightbits RHEL releases prior to 3.4.1, the kernel version shown must be pre-installed on the servers for the Ansible installation of Lightbits in order to work. For sunsetted Lightbits GA releases, the kernel version shown is installed on the servers.
Due to the known kernel issue detailed here - and in order to avoid potential issues - for RHEL below 9.2 and/or upstream kernel below 6.2, Lightbits recommends using cgroup v1.
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