npu-smi

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Huawei Ascend NPU npu-smi command reference. Use for device queries (health, temperature, power, memory, processes, ECC), configuration (thresholds, modes, fan), firmware upgrades (MCU, bootloader, VRD), virtualization (vNPU), and certificate management.

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npx skill4agent add ascend/agent-skills npu-smi

Tags

Translated version includes tags in frontmatter
npu-smihuawei-ascend-npudevice-managementfirmware-upgradevirtualization

SKILL.md Content

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npu-smi Command Reference

Quick reference for Huawei Ascend NPU device management commands.

Quick Start

bash
npu-smi info -l                           # List all devices
npu-smi info -t health -i 0               # Check device health
npu-smi info -t temp -i 0 -c 0            # Check temperature
npu-smi info -t power -i 0 -c 0           # Check power
npu-smi info -t memory -i 0 -c 0          # Check memory

Device Queries

Basic Information

bash
npu-smi info -l                           # List devices
npu-smi info -t health -i <id>            # Health status (OK/Warning/Error)
npu-smi info -t board -i <id>             # Board details (firmware, software version)
npu-smi info -t npu -i <id> -c <chip>     # Chip details (name, health, usage)
npu-smi info -m                           # List all chips

Real-time Metrics

bash
npu-smi info -t temp -i <id> -c <chip>    # Temperature (NPU, AI Core)
npu-smi info -t power -i <id> -c <chip>   # Power usage and limit
npu-smi info -t memory -i <id> -c <chip>  # Memory usage, total, rate

Advanced Queries

bash
npu-smi info proc -i <id> -c <chip>       # Running processes (PID, memory, AI Core usage)
npu-smi info -t ecc -i <id> -c <chip>     # ECC errors and mode
npu-smi info -t usages -i <id> -c <chip>  # Utilization (AI Core, memory, bandwidth)
npu-smi info -t pcie-info -i <id> -c <chip>  # PCIe speed and width
npu-smi info -t p2p -i <id> -c <chip>     # P2P status and mode
npu-smi info -t product -i <id> -c <chip> # Product name and serial
See: references/device-queries.md for output formats, examples, monitoring scripts, and platform identification (A2 vs A3).

Configuration

Temperature and Power Thresholds

bash
npu-smi set -t temperature -i <id> -c <chip> -d <value>   # Temperature threshold (°C)
npu-smi set -t power-limit -i <id> -c <chip> -d <value>   # Power limit (W)

Mode Configuration

bash
npu-smi set -t ecc-mode -i <id> -c <chip> -d <0|1>        # 0=Disable, 1=Enable
npu-smi set -t compute-mode -i <id> -c <chip> -d <mode>   # 0=Default, 1=Exclusive, 2=Prohibited
npu-smi set -t persistence-mode -i <id> -d <0|1>          # Persistence mode
npu-smi set -t p2p-mem-cfg -i <id> -c <chip> -d <0|1>     # P2P configuration

Fan Control

bash
npu-smi set -t pwm-mode -d <0|1>                          # 0=Manual, 1=Automatic
npu-smi set -t pwm-duty-ratio -d <0-100>                  # Fan speed (percent)

System Settings

bash
npu-smi set -t mac-addr -i <id> -c <chip> -d <mac_id> -s "XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX"
npu-smi set -t boot-select -i <id> -c <chip> -d <3|4>     # 3=M.2 SSD, 4=eMMC
npu-smi set -t cpu-freq-up -i <id> -d <0|1>               # 0=1.9GHz/800MHz, 1=1.0GHz/800MHz
npu-smi set -t sys-log-enable -d <0|1>                    # System logging

Clear Commands

bash
npu-smi clear -t ecc-info -i <id> -c <chip>               # Clear ECC errors
npu-smi clear -t tls-cert-period -i <id> -c <chip>        # Restore cert threshold
See: references/configuration.md for parameter tables and examples.

Firmware Management

Upgrade Workflow

Query → Upgrade → Check Status → Activate → Restart
bash
npu-smi upgrade -b <item> -i <id>                         # Query current version
npu-smi upgrade -t <item> -i <id> -f <file.hpm>           # Upload firmware
npu-smi upgrade -q <item> -i <id>                         # Check upgrade status
npu-smi upgrade -a <item> -i <id>                         # Activate firmware

Components and Restart Requirements

ComponentItem NameRestart Required
MCU
mcu
Yes (restart)
Bootloader
bootloader
Yes (restart)
VRD
vrd
Yes (power cycle 30s)
See: references/firmware-upgrade.md for complete procedures.

Virtualization (vNPU)

Queries

bash
npu-smi info -t vnpu-mode                                 # Query AVI mode (0=Container, 1=VM)
npu-smi info -t template-info                             # List all templates
npu-smi info -t template-info -i <id>                     # Templates for specific device
npu-smi info -t info-vnpu -i <id> -c <chip>               # View vNPU info

Management

bash
npu-smi set -t vnpu-mode -d <0|1>                         # Set AVI mode
npu-smi set -t create-vnpu -i <id> -c <chip> -f <template> [-v <vnpu_id>] [-g <vgroup_id>]
npu-smi set -t destroy-vnpu -i <id> -c <chip> -v <vnpu_id>
vNPU ID Range: 
[phy_id*16+100, phy_id*16+115]
See: references/virtualization.md for vNPU creation and management.

Certificate Management

Queries

bash
npu-smi info -t tls-csr-get -i <id> -c <chip>             # Generate CSR (PEM format)
npu-smi info -t tls-cert -i <id> -c <chip>                # View certificate details
npu-smi info -t tls-cert-period -i <id> -c <chip>         # Check expiration threshold
npu-smi info -t rootkey -i <id> -c <chip>                 # Rootkey status

Management

bash
npu-smi set -t tls-cert -i <id> -c <chip> -f "<tls.pem> <ca.pem> <subca.pem>"
npu-smi set -t tls-cert-period -i <id> -c <chip> -s <days>  # Set threshold (7-180 days)
npu-smi clear -t tls-cert-period -i <id> -c <chip>        # Restore default (90 days)
See: references/certificate-management.md for certificate lifecycle management.

Parameters Reference

ParameterDescriptionHow to Get
id
Device ID (NPU ID)
npu-smi info -l
chip_id
Chip ID
npu-smi info -m
vnpu_id
vNPU IDAuto-assigned or specified in range
mac_id
MAC interface0=eth0, 1=eth1, 2=eth2, 3=eth3

Supported Platforms

  • Atlas 200I DK A2 Developer Kit
  • Atlas 500 A2 Smart Station
  • Atlas 200I A2 Acceleration Module (RC/EP scenarios)
  • Atlas A2/A3 Training Series
  • Atlas Training Series
Note: Chip name (e.g., 910B3) does not indicate server platform (A2 vs A3). Use 
dmidecode -t system | grep Product
or 
npu-smi info -t product
to identify the server model. See references/device-queries.md for details.

Important Notes

  • Most configuration commands require root permissions
  • Device IDs from 
    npu-smi info -l
  • Chip IDs from 
    npu-smi info -m
  • MCU/bootloader upgrades require restart after activation
  • VRD upgrades require power cycle (30+ seconds off)
  • MAC/boot changes require restart
  • Command availability varies by hardware platform

Scripts

  • scripts/npu-health-check.sh - Comprehensive device health check

Official Documentation