HP XC System Software Administration Guide Version 3.0

Using the Full Imaging Installation
A recommended procedure to propagate the golden image is to install all client nodes automatically. This
ensures that they receive the updated image and any updated configuration information automatically.
When all nodes are set to network boot, a reboot of each client node starts the automatic installation. After
each node completes its installation, it automatically reboots and is available for service.
Use the stopsys and startsys commands to reboot all the client nodes:
# stopsys
# startsys --image_and_boot
Using the si_updateclient Utility
Another recommended procedure is to use the si_updateclient utility to propagate the golden image
to all client nodes. The si_updateclient utility eliminates the need to reinstall all nodes.
The si_updateclient command's --quiet option suppresses the display of the transferred file names
when you run this command.
Alternatively, the --dry-run option enables you to verify which files would be updated and deleted without
performing the operation.
The following is a general procedure for distributing the golden image to all client nodes using the
si_updateclient utility:
1. Log in as superuser on the head node.
2. Ensure that the HP XC system is relatively inactive (quiesced).
Use the appropriate drain utility to drain jobs from the node. For example, “Draining Nodes” (page 113)
describes how to drain jobs from a node using SLURM.
3. Run the updateimage utility on the head node to update the golden image. Be sure to use the
--no-netboot option so that the client nodes are not set to network boot the next time they are
rebooted:
# updateimage --gc `nodename` --no-netboot
For more information on the updateimage utility, see “The updateimage Command” (page 85) and
updateimage(8).
4. Run the si_updateclient utility in conjunction with the cexec command to distribute the golden
image to all client nodes:
# cexec -x `nodename` -a "si_updateclient \
--quiet --server nh --image base_image --no-bootloader\
--override base_image"
If you have additional site-specific overrides that you need to deliver, use the following cexec command
instead:
# cexec -x `nodename` -a "si_updateclient \
--quiet --server nh --image base_image --no-bootloader\
--override base_image --override site-override-dir"
The site-override-dir parameter in this command refers to a site-specific directory under
/var/lib/systemimager/overrides.
For more information on file overrides of the golden image, see “Using File Overrides to the Golden
Image” (page 80). For information on the --override option, see si_updateclient(8).
Note
You can monitor the results of the si_updateclient command with the following command; it
provides additional execution details and any error information:
# tail -f /var/log/systemimager/rsyncd
5. Run the per-node configuration service on the head node to update it:
Propagating the Golden Image to All Nodes 87