DPUNode

The DPUNode is a Kubernetes CRD that represents a physical host node containing one or more DPU (Data Processing Unit) devices in the DOCA Platform Framework (DPF). It provides node-level management capabilities for DPU provisioning, reboot control, and integration with Kubernetes clusters.

Overview

The DPUNode resource serves as a bridge between physical host nodes and DPU devices, enabling centralized management of DPU provisioning and host operations. It defines how DPUs should be provisioned on a specific node and how the host should be managed during DPU operations.

Key Features

• Node-Level Management: Manages DPU operations at the host node level

• Reboot Control: Configurable host reboot methods (gNOI, external, script)

• DMS Integration: Integration with Device Management Service (DMS)

• DPU Association: Links multiple DPU devices to a single node

• Kubernetes Integration: Optional integration with Kubernetes Node objects

DPUNode Specification

DPUNodeSpec

The spec section defines the desired configuration for the DPU node:

NodeRebootMethod

Defines how the host should be rebooted during DPU operations:

DMSAddress

Configuration for Device Management Service communication:

DPURef

Reference to a DPU device:

DPUNodeStatus

The status section contains the observed state of the DPU node:

Conditions

The DPUNode resource uses several condition types to track its state:

• Ready: The DPU node is ready for operations

• InvalidDPUDetails: The DPU details provided are invalid

• DPUNodeRebootInProgress: The DPUNode is in the process of rebooting

• DPUUpdateInProgress: The DPU is being updated

• NeedHostAgentUpgrade: The host agent needs to be upgraded

• OOBBridgeConfigured: The out-of-band bridge (br-dpu) is configured

• RshimAvailable: The rshim interface is available

Example Usage

Basic DPUNode with gNOI Reboot

---
apiVersion: provisioning.dpu.nvidia.com/v1alpha1
kind: DPUNode
metadata:
  name: dpu-node-001
  namespace: dpf-operator-system
spec:
  nodeRebootMethod:
    gNOI: {}
  nodeDMSAddress:
    ip: "192.168.1.100"
    port: 443
  dpus:
  - name: dpu-device-001
  - name: dpu-device-002

DPUNode with External Reboot

---
apiVersion: provisioning.dpu.nvidia.com/v1alpha1
kind: DPUNode
metadata:
  name: dpu-node-002
  namespace: dpf-operator-system
spec:
  nodeRebootMethod:
    external: {}
  dpus:
  - name: dpu-device-003

DPUNode with Custom Script Reboot

---
apiVersion: provisioning.dpu.nvidia.com/v1alpha1
kind: DPUNode
metadata:
  name: dpu-node-003
  namespace: dpf-operator-system
spec:
  nodeRebootMethod:
    script:
      name: custom-reboot-script
  dpus:
  - name: dpu-device-004

Custom Reboot Script ConfigMap

---
apiVersion: v1
kind: ConfigMap
metadata:
  name: custom-reboot-script
  namespace: dpf-operator-system
data:
  pod-template: |
    apiVersion: v1
    kind: Pod
    metadata:
      name: custom-reboot-pod
      namespace: dpf-operator-system
    spec:
      containers:
      - name: reboot-container
        image: ubuntu:20.04
        command: ["/bin/bash"]
        args:
        - -c
        - |
          echo "Performing custom reboot procedure..."
          # Add your custom reboot logic here
          # For example: IPMI commands, SSH to BMC, etc.
          sleep 10
          exit 0
      restartPolicy: Never

Reboot Methods

gNOI (Default)

Uses the DPU's Device Management Service interface to reboot the host. This is the recommended method for most deployments.

Advantages: * Integrated with DPU management * Reliable and consistent * No external dependencies

Requirements: * DMS must be accessible * Valid DMS address configuration

External

Reboots the host via external means not controlled by the DPU controller. This method requires manual intervention or external automation.

Use Cases: * Custom power management systems * IPMI-based reboots * Cloud provider APIs

Requirements: * External reboot mechanism must be available * Manual intervention may be required

Script

Executes a custom script to reboot the host. The script is defined in a ConfigMap and executed as a Kubernetes Job.

Use Cases: * Custom reboot procedures * Integration with existing automation * Complex reboot workflows

Requirements: * ConfigMap with pod template * Script must exit successfully * Proper RBAC permissions

Integration with Kubernetes

Node Association

DPUNode can optionally be associated with a Kubernetes Node object:

status:
  kubeNodeRef: "worker-node-001"

This association enables: * Node-level operations (draining, tainting) * Integration with Kubernetes scheduling * Resource management alignment

Annotations

DPUNode supports the following annotation for external reboot requirements:

metadata:
  annotations:
    provisioning.dpu.nvidia.com/dpunode-external-reboot-required: "true"

Lifecycle Management

Creation

DPUNode resources are typically created: * Manually: By administrators for known nodes * Automatically: Via discovery processes * Via DPUSet: As part of bulk node management

Updates

Most fields in DPUNode can be updated, but some restrictions apply: * kubeNodeRef is immutable once set * dpus list can be modified to add/remove devices

Deletion

DPUNode resources are protected by a finalizer (provisioning.dpu.nvidia.com/dpunode-protection) to prevent deletion while DPUs are in use.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Checking Node Status

# Get all DPUNode resources
kubectl get dpunodes -n dpf-operator-system

# Get detailed information about a specific node
kubectl describe dpunode dpu-node-001 -n dpf-operator-system

# Check node conditions
kubectl get dpunode dpu-node-001 -n dpf-operator-system -o jsonpath='{.status.conditions}'

Common Issues

• Invalid DMS Address: Verify IP and port configuration

• DPU Not Found: Ensure referenced DPUDevice resources exist

• Reboot Failures: Check reboot method configuration and permissions

• Script Execution Errors: Verify ConfigMap and script syntax

Status Monitoring

# Check if node is ready
kubectl get dpunode dpu-node-001 -n dpf-operator-system -o jsonpath='{.status.conditions[?(@.type=="Ready")].status}'

# Check reboot status
kubectl get dpunode dpu-node-001 -n dpf-operator-system -o jsonpath='{.status.rebootInProgress}'

# Check install interface
kubectl get dpunode dpu-node-001 -n dpf-operator-system -o jsonpath='{.status.dpuInstallInterface}'

Related Resources

• DPUDevice - Individual DPU device management

• DPU - DPU provisioning and deployment

• DPUSet - Bulk DPU and node management

• DPUDiscovery - Automatic DPU discovery

Last updated: June 10, 2026