Sharing GPU with multiple VMs at the same time possible ?

[batesman73 0]

Hi,

 

I read several things about this but didn't find an answer that really fit my needs.

Or at least I do not really understand NVIDIA-Grid or AMD GIM.

Anyhow.

What I'm thinking about is to replace some of my computers with a beefy Unraid machine. The thing I'm unsure about is the graphics and I see two options.

 

1. I don't know how to set this up, but is it possible to share a graphics card simultaneously between two running VMs ? Lets say use HDMI port 1 for a general Linux/Win box and port2 for Libreelec. And also put audio through them.

2. Use several graphic cards and pass them through. Question here would be. What are least power demanding graphic cards (mostly idle).

 

I'm living in Germany so current does cost a lot more than in the states.

 

Can anyone point my to a wiki or something similar

[meep 52]

1 hour ago, batesman73 said:

Hi,

 

I read several things about this but didn't find an answer that really fit my needs.

Or at least I do not really understand NVIDIA-Grid or AMD GIM.

Anyhow.

What I'm thinking about is to replace some of my computers with a beefy Unraid machine. The thing I'm unsure about is the graphics and I see two options.

 

1. I don't know how to set this up, but is it possible to share a graphics card simultaneously between two running VMs ? Lets say use HDMI port 1 for a general Linux/Win box and port2 for Libreelec. And also put audio through them.

2. Use several graphic cards and pass them through. Question here would be. What are least power demanding graphic cards (mostly idle).

 

I'm living in Germany so current does cost a lot more than in the states.

 

Can anyone point my to a wiki or something similar

Hi

 

you won't be able to share a single GPU with two different VMs running simultaneously, regardless of how many outputs it has.

 

You could share a GPU across multiple VMs, provided that the don't run at the same time , but that's not what you asked

 

I cannot answer the 'least power demanding graphics cads', sorry. You might need to fist establish what you want to do with your VM and find out the GPU features you need. I once ran an unRaid server with 3x Windows 8 VMs all using HD5xxx single slot fanless cards. That system sipped power, but I wouldn't be running games or rendering or anything too demanding in those VMs. Figure out what horsepower you need, and for what, and that will help narrow down the search.

 

[batesman73 0]

Mmmhmh,

 

in general I think this technology (NVIDIA-Grid or AMD MxGPU) exists. But I didn't find anything related to KVM.

From what I read it is possible to use it wit XEN and VMWARE.

Look here.

"https://www.brianmadden.com/opinion/AMD-MxGPU-aims-to-give-GRID-a-run-for-its-money"

 

But at least for now it's obviously still in it infancy.

 

The usecase would be.

Host for homeserver for several Dockers (including transcoding for emby but not many streams) and VMs for my and my wifes general purpose/office PC, Libreelec, Retrogaming machine and so forth.

 

[batesman73 0]

Hi there,

 

coming back to this topic ...

I'm currently in the process to change my systems. When I go the way with two seperate graphic cards I still have questions.

Maybe someone could answer this.

Current planing is to use a nvidia gtx1050 for unraid itself and to support HW transcoding in an Emby container. A second gpu (amd rx560) will be used for Retrogaming and multimedia VMs in passthrough mode.

In addition I want to use the system as a daily driver for my linux/debian system. Is there a way  (vnc or something faster) to use the unraid system in graphical mode (the nvidia card) and display a vm fullscreen with acceptable speed ?

I know the easiest way would be to use an additional gpu and pass that through, but as I don't have demanding tasks (only office and surfing) it should be enough power in that system.

[gacpac 29]

This is something that if limetech manages to implement, it will be great news. Only vmware does that for now.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[KBlast 0]

I am also interested in taking 1 GPU, virtualizing it into multiple vGPU resource pools then sharing those pools to different VMs.

 

For example... 10GB Card split into 10 x 1GB vGPUs to be shared across 10 windows VMs each thinking they have their own discreet 1GB GPU.

 

Is this possible now on unraid?

[gray squirrel 0]

The RTX 3000 cards supposedly support SR-IOV from a hardware point of view.

 

But Nvidia will need to enable it (they won’t as it’s an enterprise feature).

 

Unraid would also need to support it. Although cool to have 1 GPU and to split it up. It’s a very fringe case.

 

fit two or three GPUs or use this guide to share the GPU (not at the same time)

 

 

[Yeyo53 0]

Regarding this topic: could be possible to share a 1060 GTX with the PLEX container (90% of the time) but if I start a Windows VM (10% of the time) it get locked by the VM?