Reviving Xeon Phi 5110P for AI & HPC on Modern Linux Distributions

In Lima, Peru's basic education sector, there is a growing demand for cost-effective AI solutions to support personalized learning, automated assessments, and intelligent tutoring systems. However, deploying AI models, such as 7B and 14B parameter models, requires substantial computational resources, often beyond the financial reach of institutions with limited budgets.

The Intel Xeon Phi 5110P offers a potential low-cost alternative for AI workloads due to its high parallel computing capabilities. However, its adoption on modern operating systems, such as AlmaLinux 8.10 (AlmaLinux, 2025), is hindered by the lack of readily available drivers and utilities. Since Intel has discontinued support for the Xeon Phi architecture, newer Linux distributions no longer include the necessary software components to fully utilize these coprocessors.

This challenge limits educators and developers from repurposing existing Xeon Phi hardware for AI inference and training. Addressing this issue requires developing or adapting driver support and utilities to ensure full compatibility with AlmaLinux 8.10. This effort would enable low-budget institutions to leverage older hardware for AI-based educational tools, fostering technological inclusion and innovation in Lima’s education sector.

This research explores the feasibility of recompiling Xeon Phi 5110P drivers on AlmaLinux 8.10 to support AI workloads in Lima’s educational sector. AlmaLinux 8.10 is chosen for its long-term support until 2029, binary compatibility with RHEL, and stability, making it a practical solution for overcoming the absence of official drivers. Ensuring compatibility with modern AI frameworks would provide low-cost, scalable computing resources, allowing educational institutions to maximize their existing hardware investments for AI-powered learning solutions.

Literature Review

Keijser (2024) provides a comprehensive guide on implementing the Manycore Platform Software Stack (MPSS) for the Xeon Phi on CentOS 8, addressing compatibility and configuration challenges in modern operating systems. This study builds upon Keijser’s work by adapting it for AlmaLinux 8.1, leveraging its binary compatibility with RHEL and extended support. The methodology outlined in Keijser (2024) has served as a critical reference for adapting MPSS software in AlmaLinux, ensuring a functional solution for educational environments in Peru.

Installing the mic.ko Module on AlmaLinux 8.10

First, you may choose to use the precompiled module provided on GitHub. If you prefer or require a custom build, ensure to follow the instructions for compiling the module yourself, particularly if your kernel version differs. After successfully building the module, proceed with installing the newly compiled kernel module.

Step 1: Installing the Compiled Module

To install the precompiled module, use the following command:

rpm -ivh https://github.com/ruribe17/Xeon-Phi-5110P-KNC-Drivers-Utilities-for-AlmaLinux-8.1/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha/mpss-modules-4.18.0-553.40.1.el8_10.x86_64-3.8.6-8.x86_64.rpm

This registers the mic.ko module with the system. Note: If your kernel version is different from the one mentioned here, you'll need to follow the steps in the next section to build the kernel module from source.

Step 2: Creating a Symbolic Link for mic.ko

Navigate to the kernel module directory and create a symbolic link to the mic.ko module:

cd /lib/modules/4.18.0-553.40.1.el8_10.x86_64/weak-updates/
ln -s /lib/modules/4.18.0-553.40.1.el8_10.x86_64/extra/mic.ko ./mic.ko

This ensures the system recognizes the module in the correct location.

Step 3: Loading and Verifying the Module

Finally, load the mic.ko module into the kernel using:

modprobe mic

To confirm that the module is successfully loaded, check with:

lsmod | grep mic

If the module is properly installed and loaded, you should see mic listed in the output.

Step 4: Installing Required Libraries and Daemon

To run the MPSS daemon (mpss-daemon), you need to install its required dependencies. Ensure you have MPSS 3.8.6 installed, as it provides the necessary RPM packages. Install the required dependencies for running the MPSS daemon:

rpm -ivh /mnt/centosroot/root/mpss-3.8.6/libscif0-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
rpm -ivh /mnt/centosroot/root/mpss-3.8.6/libscif-dev-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
rpm -ivh /mnt/centosroot/root/mpss-3.8.6/libscif-doc-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
rpm -ivh mpss-daemon-3.8.6-4.el8.x86_64.rpm
rpm -ivh https://github.com/ruribe17/Xeon-Phi-5110P-KNC-Drivers-Utilities-for-AlmaLinux-8.1/blob/main/mpss-daemon-3.8.6-4.el8.x86_64.rpm

Step 5: MPSS 3.8.6 RPM Installation Order

1. Install libmicmgmt0 package:

   rpm -ivh glibc2.12pkg-libmicmgmt0-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
   

2. Install libmicmgmt development and documentation packages:

   rpm -ivh glibc2.12pkg-libmicmgmt-doc-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm glibc2.12pkg-libmicmgmt-dev-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
   

3. Install mpss-miccheck-bin package:

   rpm -ivh mpss-miccheck-bin-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
   

4. Create a symbolic link for Python:

   sudo ln -s /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python
   

5. Install libmicaccesssdk0 package:

   rpm -ivh glibc2.12pkg-libmicaccesssdk0-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
   

6. Install libmicaccesssdk-dev package:

   rpm -ivh glibc2.12pkg-libmicaccesssdk-dev-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
   

7. Install libodmdebug0 and its development package:

   rpm -ivh glibc2.12pkg-libodmdebug0-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm glibc2.12pkg-libodmdebug-dev-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
   

8. Install libsettings0 and its development package:

   rpm -ivh glibc2.12pkg-libsettings0-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm glibc2.12pkg-libsettings-dev-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
   

9. Install mpss-flash:

   rpm -ivh glibc2.12pkg-mpss-flash-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
   

10. Install kernel-related packages:

    rpm -ivh glibc2.12pkg-mpss-memdiag-kernel-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm glibc2.12pkg-mpss-rasmm-kernel-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
    

11. Install mpss-micmgmt and its Python package:

    rpm -ivh mpss-micmgmt-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-micmgmt-python-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
    

    • Error Note: Python compatibility issue detected (SyntaxError: invalid syntax). Ensure Python 2 compatibility or modify the script.
12. Install mpss-miccheck:

    rpm -ivh mpss-miccheck-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
    

    • Error Note: Similar Python syntax error detected. Needs a fix.
13. Install additional MPSS packages:

    rpm -ivh mpss-3.8.6/mpss-micmgmt-doc-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-boot-files-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-coi-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-3.8.6/mpss-coi-doc-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-coi-dev-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
    

14. Review compatibility of daemon and licensing packages before installation:

    rpm -ivh mpss-daemon-dev-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm  # Check compatibility with mpss-daemon
    rpm -ivh mpss-license-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm      # Verify its function
    

15. Install GUI and module header packages:

    rpm -ivh mpss-micsmc-gui-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-modules-headers-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm  # Ensure it works with modified modules
    

16. Install remaining MPSS components:

    rpm -ivh mpss-mpm-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-mpm-doc-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-myo-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-myo-dev-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-myo-doc-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm mpss-core-3.8.6-1.glibc2.12.x86_64.rpm
    

Step 6: Install Network Scripts

Run the following command to install the necessary network scripts for configuring dynamic IP addresses:

sudo dnf install network-scripts -y

This ensures that ifup and ifdown are available for setting the IPs.

Step 7: Initialize Default Settings for Xeon Phi

micctrl --initdefaults

Note: If you encounter the following error:

[Error] mic0: Create failed for /etc/ssh/rsa1 keys: Unknown error 255

Proceed to start the MPSS service manually.

Step 8: Start and Enable MPSS Service

systemctl start mpss
systemctl enable mpss

This starts the Manycore Platform Software Stack (MPSS) and ensures it runs at boot.

Building the mic.ko Module on AlmaLinux 8.10

The Intel Xeon Phi 5110P requires the mic.ko kernel module to function properly, but since official support for the Manycore Platform Software Stack (MPSS) has been discontinued, manually building and installing this module is necessary. This guide walks through the process of compiling and installing the mic.ko module on AlmaLinux 8.10.

Step 1: Preparing the System

Before beginning, ensure that your system has the necessary development tools installed. Start by installing the required packages:

dnf groupinstall -y "Development Tools"

dnf install -y rpm-build kernel-devel-$(uname -r) kernel-headers-$(uname -r) elfutils-libelf-devel gcc make dnf-utils

This installs essential compilers, kernel development files, and utilities required to build kernel modules.

Step 2: Setting Up the RPM Build Environment

Next, create the necessary directory structure for building RPM packages:

mkdir -p ~/rpmbuild/{BUILD,RPMS,SOURCES,SPECS,SRPMS}

This ensures that all necessary folders exist before proceeding with the RPM build process.

Step 3: Installing the Source RPM

Now, install the MPSS source RPM package:

rpm -ivh https://github.com/ruribe17/Xeon-Phi-5110P-KNC-Drivers-Utilities-for-AlmaLinux-8.1/releases/download/v0.1.0-alpha/mpss-modules-3.8.6-8.src.rpm

This extracts the source files into the rpmbuild directory, which will be used for compiling the module.

Step 4: Editing the SPEC File

Navigate to the SPECS directory and open the SPEC file for editing:

cd ~/rpmbuild/SPECS
vi mpss-modules-3.8.6-rhel85.spec

In this step, verify that the kernel version matches the one currently running on your system. You can check your kernel version with:

uname -r

For example, if the output is 4.18.0-553.40.1.el8_10.x86_64, update the SPEC file accordingly.

Step 5: Applying Kernel Patch

Copy the appropriate kernel patch file to the SOURCES directory:

cp /root/rpmbuild/SOURCES/mpss-modules-4.18.0-553.37.1.el8_10.x86_64.patch /root/rpmbuild/SOURCES/mpss-modules-4.18.0-553.40.1.el8_10.x86_64.patch

This ensures that the patch aligns with the kernel version currently installed.

Step 6: Building the RPM Package

Once the necessary modifications are in place, build the RPM package with:

rpmbuild -bb mpss-modules-3.8.6-rhel85.spec

This command compiles the kernel module and packages it into an installable RPM.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully compiled, installed, and loaded the mic.ko kernel module on AlmaLinux 8.10. This process enables the continued use of Xeon Phi 5110P hardware despite the discontinuation of official support. With this module in place, you can now explore AI and HPC applications using this hardware.

References

AlmaLinux. (2025). Get AlmaLinux. AlmaLinux Foundation. Recuperado el 26 de febrero de 2025, de https://almalinux.org/get-almalinux/

Keijser, J. J. (2023). MPSS for Xeon Phi 5110P KNC drivers and utilities (v3.8.6). GitHub. https://github.com/jjkeijser/mpss

Keijser, J. J. (2022). Xeon Phi MPSS on CentOS 8. Retrieved from https://jjkeijser.github.io/mpss/xeon-phi-mpss-centos8.html

xdsopl. (2015). mpss-modules [GitHub repository]. GitHub. Retrieved February 26, 2025, from https://github.com/xdsopl/mpss-modules