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NVIDIA Data Center GPU Manager
What NVIDIA Data Center GPU Manager is
NVIDIA Data Center GPU Manager (DCGM) provides tools for managing and monitoring NVIDIA GPUs in cluster environments. It collects telemetry about job behavior, utilization, and application performance, while offering health monitoring, diagnostics, alerts, and power and clock policies. DCGM can run as a HostEngine service or be embedded in a standalone application. DCGM-Exporter exposes telemetry in Kubernetes and includes out-of-the-box Prometheus integration; listed integrations include Bright Cluster Manager and IBM Spectrum LSF. Installer packages provide C and Python API examples, with open-source Go bindings also listed. Linux support covers x86_64 and aarch64 (sbsa). The guide lists Kepler and newer data-center GPUs and Maxwell and newer non-data-center GPUs, with feature availability varying by class. Deployment calls for at least 16 GB of host memory and one CPU core per GPU. DCGM is free and open source for foundational libraries, although some diagnostics and tests remain proprietary.
Who it suits
DCGM suits infrastructure teams monitoring NVIDIA GPUs in Linux clusters, either standalone or integrated with scheduling, management, and monitoring systems. Kubernetes and Prometheus users can use its exporter.
What it does well
- GPU telemetry for jobs and utilization
- Health monitoring, diagnostics, and alerts
- Kubernetes exporter with Prometheus integration
- C, Python, and Go API options
- Free open-source foundational libraries
What to know first
- Some diagnostics and tests are proprietary
- Requires at least 16 GB host memory
- TCP protocol lacks authentication and encryption
- Feature availability varies by GPU class
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| DCGM open-source product | Foundational libraries and building blocks are open source; some features, including diagnostics and tests, remain proprietary. | Free |
As developer.nvidia.com lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
DCGM combines GPU telemetry, health controls, APIs, and cluster integrations for Linux infrastructure. Keep its deployment requirements and TCP security limitation in mind when planning use.
Facts from NVIDIA Data Center GPU Manager's own pages
- APIs
- The installer packages include C and Python API examples, and NVIDIA links to open-source Go bindings. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Deployment requirements
- The getting-started guide specifies at least 16 GB of host memory and a minimum number of CPU cores equal to the number of GPUs. · docs.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 1993 · developer.nvidia.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · developer.nvidia.com, 24 Sept 2026
- GPU support
- The current getting-started guide lists NVIDIA Kepler and newer data center GPUs, plus Maxwell and newer non-data-center GPUs, with some feature availability varying by GPU class. · docs.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Santa Clara, California, United States · developer.nvidia.com, 19 Oct 2026
- Health and diagnostics
- It includes active health monitoring, diagnostics, system alerts, and power and clock management policies. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- NVIDIA describes infrastructure teams using DCGM standalone or integrating it with cluster management, scheduling, and monitoring products. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Kubernetes and Prometheus
- DCGM-Exporter provides GPU telemetry in Kubernetes environments, and NVIDIA lists out-of-the-box integration with Prometheus. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Low overhead
- Its active health monitoring is described as low-overhead and non-invasive while jobs run. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Operating modes
- DCGM can run as a service through HostEngine or be incorporated directly into a standalone application. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Operating system and architecture
- The product page lists Linux support for x86_64 and aarch64 (sbsa). · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Other integrations
- NVIDIA lists Bright Cluster Manager and IBM Spectrum LSF among its integrations with management and scheduling tools. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- DCGM provides tools for managing and monitoring NVIDIA data center GPUs in cluster environments. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Remote monitoring
- Yes · developer.nvidia.com, 24 Sept 2026
- Security limitation
- DCGM does not add authentication, authorization, or encryption to its TCP protocol, and NVIDIA advises keeping TCP access on a trusted management network. · docs.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
- Supported platforms
- Linux; API; self-hosted · developer.nvidia.com, 24 Sept 2026
- Telemetry
- DCGM collects GPU telemetry to help explain job behavior, utilization, and application performance issues. · developer.nvidia.com, 4 Oct 2026
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