# Prerequisites

Complete these prerequisites before installing the Cloud AI SDK.

## Hardware requirements

| Component | Requirement |
| --- | --- |
| **CPU** | Server-grade x86-64 or AArch64 multi-core processor |
| **RAM (Inference only)** | Minimum 32 GB (recommended 128 GB+) |
| **RAM (Model compilation)** | Minimum 512 GB (recommended 768 GB+) |
| **Storage** | Minimum 1 TB (recommended 4 TB) |

Note

Large storage is recommended for storing multiple models, artifacts, and serialized engines.
Higher RAM is required for compiling large models with configurations like large batch sizes and context lengths.

## Supported operating systems

| Operating System | Kernel |
| --- | --- |
| Ubuntu 22.04 | Default Kernel (GA or HWE) |
| Ubuntu 24.04 | Default Kernel (GA or HWE) |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.7 | Default Kernel |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.1 | Default Kernel |
| Amazon Linux 2023 | Default Kernel (x86-64 only) |

**Kernel requirements**

- Linux Kernel 5.10 or later is required
- For systems with 64+ Cloud AI devices, Linux Kernel 6.2 or later is required

**Software requirements**

- Python 3.10 must be installed before running the SDK installers.

## Message signaled interrupts (MSI)

The QAic Kernel Driver requires 32 MSIs for optimal performance. The driver can function with a single MSI but with reduced performance.

**Enable MSI in BIOS**

- Intel chipsets: Enable Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
- AMD chipsets: Enable IOMMU

**Verify MSI configuration**

1. Find the device PCIe address:

lspci | grep Qualcomm
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2. Inspect MSI capability:

lspci -vvv -s <device_PCIe_address>
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3. Look for this output:

Capabilities: [50] MSI: Enable+ Count=32/32 Maskable+ 64bit+
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    - `Enable+` - MSI is active
    - `Count=32/32` - 32 interrupts are supported and enabled

## OS dependencies

The `install.sh` scripts for both Platform SDK and Apps SDK automatically install required OS packages.

To skip automatic dependency installation:

sudo ./install.sh --skip_depends
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## Next steps

- Continue to Download SDKs.

Last Published: Aug 25, 2026

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