GPU Operator 25.3.0 release docs

gpu-operator/getting-started.rst

@@ -173,6 +173,17 @@ To view all the options, run ``helm show values nvidia/gpu-operator``.
        Set this value to ``false`` when using the Operator on systems with pre-installed drivers.
      - ``true``
 
+   * - ``kernelModuleType``
+     - Specifies the type of the NVIDIA GPU Kernel modules to use.
+       Valid values are ``auto`` (default), ``proprietary``, and ``open``. 
+
+       ``Auto`` means that the recommended kernel module type (open or proprietary) is chosen based on the GPU devices on the host and the driver branch used.
+       Note, ``auto`` is only supported with the 570.86.15 and 570.124.06 or later driver containers. 
+       550 and 535 branch drivers do not yet support this mode.
+       ``Open`` means the open kernel module is used.
+       ``Proprietary`` means the proprietary module is used.
+     - ``auto``
+
    * - ``driver.repository``
      - The images are downloaded from NGC. Specify another image repository when using
        custom driver images.
@@ -197,8 +208,9 @@ To view all the options, run ``helm show values nvidia/gpu-operator``.
        runs slowly in your cluster.
      - ``60s``
 
-   * - ``driver.useOpenKernelModules``
-     - When set to ``true``, the driver containers install the NVIDIA Open GPU Kernel module driver.
+   * - ``driver.useOpenKernelModules`` Deprecated.
+     - This field is deprecated as of v25.3.0 and will be ignored. Use ``kernelModuleType`` instead.
+       When set to ``true``, the driver containers install the NVIDIA Open GPU Kernel module driver.
      - ``false``
 
    * - ``driver.usePrecompiled``

gpu-operator/gpu-driver-configuration.rst

@@ -195,6 +195,13 @@ The following table describes some of the fields in the custom resource.
      - Specifies the credentials to provide to the registry if the registry is secured.
      - None
 
+   * - ``kernelModuleType``
+     - Specifies the type of the NVIDIA GPU Kernel modules to use.
+       Valid values are ``auto`` (default), ``proprietary``, and ``open``. 
+
+       ``Auto`` means that the recommended kernel module type is chosen based on the GPU devices on the host and the driver branch used.
+     - ``auto``
+
    * - ``labels``
      - Specifies a map of key and value pairs to add as custom labels to the driver pod.
      - None
@@ -217,8 +224,9 @@ The following table describes some of the fields in the custom resource.
      - Specifies the container registry that contains the driver container.
      - ``nvcr.io/nvidia``
 
-   * - ``useOpenKernelModules``
-     - Specifies to use the NVIDIA Open GPU Kernel modules.
+   * - ``useOpenKernelModules`` Deprecated.
+     - This field is deprecated as of v25.3.0 and will be ignored. Use ``kernelModuleType`` instead. 
+       Specifies to use the NVIDIA Open GPU Kernel modules.
      - ``false``
 
    * - ``tolerations``

gpu-operator/gpu-operator-rdma.rst

@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ To support GPUDirect RDMA, userspace CUDA APIs are required.
 The kernel mode support is provided by one of two approaches: DMA-BUF from the Linux kernel or the legacy ``nvidia-peermem`` kernel module.
 NVIDIA recommends using the DMA-BUF rather than using the ``nvidia-peermem`` kernel module from the GPU Driver.
 
-Starting with v23.9.1 of the Operator, the Operator uses GDS driver version 2.17.5 or newer.
+The Operator uses GDS driver version 2.17.5 or newer.
 This version and higher is only supported with the NVIDIA Open GPU Kernel module driver.
-The sample commands for installing the Operator include the ``--set useOpenKernelModules=true``
-command-line argument for Helm.
+In GPU Operator v25.3.0 and later, the ``driver.kernelModuleType`` default is ``auto``, for the supported driver versions. 
+This configuration allows the GPU Operator to choose the recommended driver kernel module type depending on the driver branch and the GPU devices available. 
+Newer driver versions will use the open kernel module by default, however to make sure you are using the open kernel module, include ``--set driver.kernelModuleType=open`` command-line argument in your helm Operator install command.
 
 In conjunction with the Network Operator, the GPU Operator can be used to
 set up the networking related components such as network device kernel drivers and Kubernetes device plugins to enable
@@ -128,7 +129,6 @@ To use DMA-BUF and network device drivers that are installed by the Network Oper
         -n gpu-operator --create-namespace \
         nvidia/gpu-operator \
         --version=${version} \
-        --set driver.useOpenKernelModules=true
 
 To use DMA-BUF and network device drivers that are installed on the host:
 
@@ -138,11 +138,10 @@ To use DMA-BUF and network device drivers that are installed on the host:
         -n gpu-operator --create-namespace \
         nvidia/gpu-operator \
         --version=${version} \
-        --set driver.useOpenKernelModules=true \
         --set driver.rdma.useHostMofed=true
 
 To use the legacy ``nvidia-peermem`` kernel module instead of DMA-BUF, add ``--set driver.rdma.enabled=true`` to either of the preceding commands.
-The ``driver.useOpenKernelModules=true`` argument is optional for using the legacy kernel driver.
+Add ``--set driver.kernelModuleType=open`` if you are using a driver version from a branch earlier than R570.
 
 Verifying the Installation of GPUDirect with RDMA
 =================================================
@@ -431,11 +430,11 @@ The following sample command applies to clusters that use the Network Operator t
         -n gpu-operator --create-namespace \
         nvidia/gpu-operator \
         --version=${version} \
-        --set driver.useOpenKernelModules=true \
         --set gds.enabled=true
 
 Add ``--set driver.rdma.enabled=true`` to the command to use the legacy ``nvidia-peermem`` kernel module.
 
+Add ``--set driver.kernelModuleType=open`` if you are using a driver version from a branch earlier than R570.
 
 Verification
 ==============

gpu-operator/life-cycle-policy.rst

@@ -55,13 +55,13 @@ The product life cycle and versioning are subject to change in the future.
    * - GPU Operator Version
      - Status
 
-   * - 24.9.x
+   * - 25.3.x
      - Generally Available
 
-   * - 24.6.x
+   * - 24.9.x
      - Maintenance
 
-   * - 24.3.x and lower
+   * - 24.6.x and lower
      - EOL
 
 
@@ -89,60 +89,55 @@ Refer to :ref:`Upgrading the NVIDIA GPU Operator` for more information.
      - ${version}
 
    * - NVIDIA GPU Driver
-     - | `570.86.15 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-570-86-15/index.html>`_ (recommended),
-       | `565.57.01 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-565-57-01/index.html>`_
-       | `560.35.03 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-560-35-03/index.html>`_
-       | `550.144.03 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-550-144-03/index.html>`_ (default),
-       | `550.127.08 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-550-127-08/index.html>`_
-       | `535.230.02 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-535-230-02/index.html>`_
-       | `535.216.03 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-535-216-03/index.html>`_
+     - | `570.124.06 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-570-124-06/index.html>`_ (default, recommended),
+       | `570.86.15 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/tesla-release-notes-570-86-15/index.html>`_ 
 
    * - NVIDIA Driver Manager for Kubernetes
-     - `v0.7.0 <https://ngc.nvidia.com/catalog/containers/nvidia:cloud-native:k8s-driver-manager>`__
+     - `v0.8.0 <https://ngc.nvidia.com/catalog/containers/nvidia:cloud-native:k8s-driver-manager>`__
 
    * - NVIDIA Container Toolkit
-     - `1.17.4 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit/releases>`__
+     - `1.17.5 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit/releases>`__
 
    * - NVIDIA Kubernetes Device Plugin
-     - `0.17.0 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin/releases>`__
+     - `0.17.1 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin/releases>`__
 
    * - DCGM Exporter
-     - `3.3.9-3.6.1 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/dcgm-exporter/releases>`__
+     - `4.1.1-4.0.4 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/dcgm-exporter/releases>`__
 
    * - Node Feature Discovery
-     - v0.16.6
+     - `v0.17.2 <https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/node-feature-discovery/releases/>`__
 
    * - | NVIDIA GPU Feature Discovery
        | for Kubernetes
-     - `0.17.0 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin/releases>`__
+     - `0.17.1 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin/releases>`__
 
    * - NVIDIA MIG Manager for Kubernetes
-     - `0.10.0 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/mig-parted/tree/main/deployments/gpu-operator>`__
+     - `0.12.1 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/mig-parted/tree/main/deployments/gpu-operator>`__
 
    * - DCGM
-     - `3.3.9-1 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/dcgm/latest/release-notes/changelog.html>`__
+     - `4.1.1-2 <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/dcgm/latest/release-notes/changelog.html>`__
 
    * - Validator for NVIDIA GPU Operator
      - ${version}
 
    * - NVIDIA KubeVirt GPU Device Plugin
-     - `v1.2.10 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/kubevirt-gpu-device-plugin>`__
+     - `v1.3.1 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/kubevirt-gpu-device-plugin>`__
 
    * - NVIDIA vGPU Device Manager
-     - `v0.2.8 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/vgpu-device-manager>`__
+     - `v0.3.0 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/vgpu-device-manager>`__
 
    * - NVIDIA GDS Driver |gds|_
      - `2.20.5 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/gds-nvidia-fs/releases>`__
 
    * - NVIDIA Kata Manager for Kubernetes
-     - `v0.2.2 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-kata-manager>`__
+     - `v0.2.3 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-kata-manager>`__
 
    * - | NVIDIA Confidential Computing
        | Manager for Kubernetes
      - v0.1.1
 
    * - NVIDIA GDRCopy Driver
-     - `v2.4.1-1 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/gdrcopy/releases>`__
+     - `v2.4.4 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/gdrcopy/releases>`__
 
 .. _gds-open-kernel:
 
@@ -156,4 +151,4 @@ Refer to :ref:`Upgrading the NVIDIA GPU Operator` for more information.
      version downloaded from the `NVIDIA vGPU Software Portal  <https://nvid.nvidia.com/dashboard/#/dashboard>`_.
    - The GPU Operator is supported on all active NVIDIA data center production drivers.
      Refer to `Supported Drivers and CUDA Toolkit Versions <https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/tesla/drivers/index.html#cuda-drivers>`_
-     for more information.
+     for more information.

gpu-operator/manifests/input/nvd-demo-gold.yaml

@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ spec:
   image: driver
   imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
   imagePullSecrets: []
+  kernelModuleType: auto
   manager: {}
   nodeSelector:
     driver.config: "gold"
@@ -30,6 +31,5 @@ spec:
     initialDelaySeconds: 60
     periodSeconds: 10
     timeoutSeconds: 60
-  useOpenKernelModules: false
   usePrecompiled: false
   version: 535.104.12