docs: add zDNN docs

Signed-off-by: Aaron Teo <[email protected]>

Author: taronaeo

README.md

@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ Instructions for adding support for new models: [HOWTO-add-model.md](docs/develo
 | [Vulkan](docs/build.md#vulkan) | GPU |
 | [CANN](docs/build.md#cann) | Ascend NPU |
 | [OpenCL](docs/backend/OPENCL.md) | Adreno GPU |
+| [IBM zDNN](docs/backend/zDNN.md) | IBM Z & LinuxONE |
 | [WebGPU [In Progress]](docs/build.md#webgpu) | All |
 | [RPC](https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/tree/master/tools/rpc) | All |
 

docs/backend/zDNN.md

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# llama.cpp for IBM zDNN Accelerator
+
+## Background
+
+IBM zDNN (Z Deep Neural Network) is a hardware acceleration library designed specifically to leverage the IBM NNPA (Neural Network Processor Assist) accelerator located within IBM Telum I and II processors. It provides significant performance improvements for neural network inference operations.
+
+### Llama.cpp + IBM zDNN
+
+The llama.cpp zDNN backend is designed to enable llama.cpp on IBM z17 and later systems via the IBM zDNN hardware acceleration library.
+
+## Software & Hardware Support
+
+| Hardware Level       | Status        | Verified                   |
+| -------------------- | ------------- | -------------------------- |
+| IBM z17 / LinuxONE 5 | Supported     | RHEL 9.6, IBM z17, 40 IFLs |
+| IBM z16 / LinuxONE 4 | Not Supported |                            |
+
+## Data Types Supported
+
+| Data Type | Status    |
+| --------- | --------- |
+| F32       | Supported |
+| F16       | Supported |
+| BF16      | Supported |
+
+## CMake Options
+
+The IBM zDNN backend has the following CMake options that control the behaviour of the backend.
+
+| CMake Option | Default Value | Description                         |
+| ------------ | ------------- | ----------------------------------- |
+| `GGML_ZDNN`  | `OFF`         | Compile llama.cpp with zDNN support |
+| `ZDNN_ROOT`  | `""`          | Override zDNN library lookup        |
+
+## 1. Install zDNN Library
+
+Note: Using the zDNN library provided via `apt` or `yum` may not work correctly as reported in [#15772](https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/issues/15772). It is preferred that you compile from source.
+
+```sh
+git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/IBM/zDNN
+cd zDNN
+
+autoreconf .
+./configure --prefix=/opt/zdnn-libs
+
+make build
+sudo make install
+```
+
+## 2. Build llama.cpp
+
+```sh
+git clone https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp
+cd llama.cpp
+
+cmake -S . -G Ninja -B build \
+    -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+    -DGGML_ZDNN=ON \
+    -DZDNN_ROOT=/opt/zdnn-libs
+cmake --build build --config Release -j$(nproc)
+```