GPU-accelerated instances do not come pre-configured with built-in drivers. You can use GPU-accelerated instances to accelerate computing and render graphics only after drivers are installed on the instances. You must install an NVIDIA Tesla or GRID driver based on the instance family of your GPU-accelerated instance. This way, the instance can provide enhanced performance to meet your business requirements in scenarios, such as general computing and graphics acceleration scenarios. This topic describes how to install drivers on GPU-accelerated instances.
Installation methods
You can install Tesla or GRID drivers on Alibaba Cloud GPU-accelerated instances. The driver types and installation methods vary based on factors, such as instance families and OSs. The following figure shows how to select driver types and installation methods.
After you install drivers on instances for which A30 GPUs are configured, such as gn7s instances, the instances are supported only in general computing scenarios, such as deep learning, AI, and scientific computing scenarios. The instances are not supported in graphics acceleration and rendering scenarios.
Installation instructions
You must select the driver type and installation method based on the instance family and OS. The following instance families are supported:
GPU-accelerated compute-optimized instance families: Refer to GPU-accelerated compute-optimized instance families.
vGPU-accelerated instance families: vgn6i-vws, sgn7i-vws, and vgn7i-vws.
You can manually or automatically install the Tesla drivers provided in the NVIDIA website on GPU-accelerated compute-optimized instances. NVIDIA does not release GRID drivers that match vGPU-accelerated instances. You can install GRID drivers on vGPU-accelerated instances by creating the instances from community images that are pre-installed with GRID drivers or install GRID drivers on the instances by using Cloud Assistant.
GPU-accelerated compute-optimized Linux instances
Supported GPU-accelerated instance: GPU-accelerated compute-optimized Linux instances for which T4, A10, A30, A16, V100, P4, or P100 GPUs are configured.
Recommended driver: Tesla drivers. We recommend that you install Tesla drivers to meet your business requirements in general computing scenarios or graphics acceleration and rendering scenarios.
Recommended driver
Installation method
Tesla driver
Install or load a Tesla driver when you create an instance: Refer to Automatically install or load a Tesla driver when you create a GPU-accelerated instance.
After you create a GPU-accelerated instance, a Tesla driver is automatically installed the first time you start the instance.
Install a Tesla driver after you create an instance: Refer to Manually install a Tesla driver on a GPU-accelerated compute-optimized Linux instance.
GPU-accelerated compute-optimized Windows instances
General computing scenarios
Supported GPU-accelerated instance: GPU-accelerated compute-optimized Windows instances for which T4, A10, A30, A16, V100, P4, or P100 GPUs are configured.
Recommended driver
Recommended driver
Installation method
Tesla driver
Install a Tesla driver after you create an instance: Refer to Manually install a Tesla driver on a GPU-accelerated compute-optimized Windows instance.
Graphics acceleration and rendering scenarios
Supported GPU-accelerated instance: gn6i, gn7i, ebmgn6i, and ebmgn7i instances for which T4 or A10 GPUs are configured.
Recommended driver
Recommended driver
Installation method
GRID driver of version 15.2
Load a GRID driver from a community image when you create an instance: Refer to Load a GRID driver by using a community image pre-installed with the driver.
NoteWhen you create a GPU-accelerated instance, you can select a free image that is pre-installed with a GRID driver from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace. This way, the GRID driver is automatically loaded when you create the GPU-accelerated instance. The free image contains a GRID driver whose license is activated. You do not need to manually install the GRID driver.
Install a GRID driver by using Cloud Assistant after you create an instance: Refer to Install a GRID driver on a GPU-accelerated compute-optimized or vGPU-accelerated Windows instance.
vGPU-accelerated Linux and Windows instances
Supported GPU-accelerated instance: vgn6i-vws, sgn7i-vws, and vgn7i-vws instances for which T4 or A10 GPUs are configured. For more information, see vGPU-accelerated instance families.
Recommended driver: GRID drivers. We recommend that you install GRID drivers to meet your business requirements in graphics acceleration and rendering scenarios or general computing scenarios.
Recommended driver
Installation method
GRID driver of version 13.5
Load a GRID driver from a community image when you create an instance: Refer to Load a GRID driver by using a community image pre-installed with the driver.
NoteWhen you create a GPU-accelerated instance, you can select a free image that is pre-installed with a GRID driver from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace. This way, the GRID driver is automatically loaded when you create the GPU-accelerated instance. The free image contains a GRID driver whose license is activated. You do not need to manually install the GRID driver.
Install a GRID driver by using Cloud Assistant after you create an instance
Windows instance: Refer to Install a GRID driver on a GPU-accelerated compute-optimized or vGPU-accelerated Windows instance.
Linux instance: Refer to Install a GRID driver on a vGPU-accelerated Linux instance.
References
If the driver version of your GPU-accelerated instance cannot meet your business requirements, or your GPU-accelerated instance becomes unavailable due to an invalid driver type or version, you can uninstall the driver and install a new driver. You can also upgrade the driver. For more information, see Uninstall an NVIDIA Tesla or GRID driver or Upgrade an NVIDIA Tesla or GRID driver.
If errors such as a black screen error occur when you use a GPU-accelerated instance on which a driver is installed, you can troubleshoot the errors. For more information, see Elastic GPU Service FAQ.