Feature Overview (mandatory - Complete while in New status)

DeepEP is required to be able to do cluster scale expert parallel serving, which is relevant for llm-d serving of deepseek expert models. It needs to be built and available for inclusion in an image variant.

Build instructions: https://github.com/deepseek-ai/DeepEP/blob/main/third-party/README.md

Goals (mandatory - Complete while in New status)
Provide high-level goal statement, providing user context and expected user outcome(s) for this Feature

• Build deepEP as a wheel

Requirements (mandatory -_ Complete while in Refinement status):
A list of specific needs, capabilities, or objectives that a Feature must deliver to satisfy the Feature. Some requirements will be flagged as MVP. If an MVP gets shifted, the Feature shifts. If a non MVP requirement slips, it does not shift the feature.

Done - Acceptance Criteria (mandatory - Complete while in Refinement status):
Acceptance Criteria articulates and defines the value proposition - what is required to meet the goal and intent of this Feature. The Acceptance Criteria provides a detailed definition of scope and the expected outcomes - from a users point of view
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A wheel collection owner can add a supported version of nixl to their collection. Runtime image is updated to support minimal working config deepEP.

Use Cases - i.e. User Experience & Workflow: (Initial completion while in Refinement status):

vllm-d builds will include this package

Out of Scope _{}(Initial completion while in Refinement status):{_}
High-level list of items or persona’s that are out of scope.
<your text here>

Documentation Considerations _{}(Initial completion while in Refinement status):{_}
Provide information that needs to be considered and planned so that documentation will meet customer needs. If the feature extends existing functionality, provide a link to its current documentation..
<your text here>

Questions to Answer _{}(Initial completion while in Refinement status):{_}
Include a list of refinement / architectural questions that may need to be answered before coding can begin.
<your text here>

Background and Strategic Fit (Initial completion while in Refinement status):
Provide any additional context is needed to frame the feature.

https://github.com/deepseek-ai/DeepEP

Customer Considerations _{}(Initial completion while in Refinement status):{_}
Provide any additional customer-specific considerations that must be made when designing and delivering the Feature.
<your text here>

Team Sign Off (Completion while in Refinement status)

• All required Epics (known at the time) are linked to the this Feature
• All required Stories, Tasks (known at the time) for the most immediate Epics have been created and estimated
• Add - Reviewers name, Team Name
• Acceptance == Feature as “Ready” - well understood and scope is clear - Acceptance Criteria (scope) is elaborated, well defined, and understood
• Note: Only set FixVersion/s: on a Feature if the delivery team agrees they have the capacity and have committed that capability for that milestone

*An engineer or tech lead from the product requesting this feature is required for the signoff below.

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