OpenMPI / PMIx / PRRTE stack split
In close coordination with Laurent (maintainer of the OpenMPI ports), the FreeBSD OpenMPI stack has been split into separate ports for OpenMPI, PRRTE, and PMIx. This unbundling is a key prerequisite for a modern HPC stack on FreeBSD and greatly simplifies integration with Slurm and other MPI consumers.
I’ve started testing the new split across my home cluster (FreeBSD 14.3/15-CURRENT) and plan to feed back any issues or patches to keep this stack robust and attractive for HPC users.
This complements my ongoing work on sysutils/slurm-wlm and broader HPC infrastructure (ClusterShell, PMIx/PRRTE, etc.), moving FreeBSD closer to being a first-class HPC platform.
Work in Progress
- Slurm upgrade under detailed review:
Ongoing review ofsysutils/slurm-wlmupgrade – Review D52949- Local build and runtime tests for Slurm 25.05.3 are green on 14.3-RELEASE
- Build issues discovered and analyzed:
Identified and documented FreeBSD-specific Slurm build issues in the new release; preparing an upstream-compatible fix for submission – Upstream Report - Community collaboration:
Initiated contact with other FreeBSD contributors active in the HPC domain to exchange ideas and begin forming a collaborative HPC contributor circle. - Upstream communication:
In communication with upstream regarding FreeBSD portability patches
Future Trajectory
- Resource management enhancements:
Replace Linux cgroup functionality with native FreeBSD mechanisms.- Review
rctl(8)and design an rctl resource plugin for Slurm. - Implement native task and resource tracking to replace the current
proc-based approach.
- Review
- Infrastructure maintenance:
Address internal GitLab outage and ensure CI pipelines remain functional for testing upcoming HPC ports.
Generic Rikka is a software developer and FreeBSD enthusiast with a focus on high-performance computing and system engineering.
She primarily programs in C and C++, but also works comfortably with C#, Python, Java, PHP + MySQL, and various shell scripting environments.
Rikka maintains several virtualized servers—both FreeBSD and Linux—and began contributing to the FreeBSD Ports Collection in summer 2025. Her first major work involved modernizing and eventually maintaining the sysutils/slurm-wlm port.
Today she is actively engaged in expanding FreeBSD’s HPC ecosystem, improving upstream collaboration, and promoting FreeBSD as a modern platform for scientific and research computing.