HP XC System Software Installation Guide Version 3.0

4 Configuring and Imaging the System
This chapter contains an overview of the initial system configuration and imaging process (System
Configuration and Imaging Overview) and describes system configuration tasks, which must be performed
in the following order:
• Task 1: Prepare for the System Configuration (page 36)
• Task 2: Change the Default IP Address Base (Optional) (page 39)
• Task 3: Run the cluster_prep Command to Prepare the System (page 40)
• Task 4: Run the discover Command to Discover System Components (page 41)
• Task 5: Define and Set Up Your System Environment (page 45)
• Task 6: Run the cluster_config Utility to Configure the System (page 51)
• Task 7: Respond to Configuration Questions (page 53)
• Task 8: Modify SLURM Characteristics (Optional) (page 59)
• Task 9: Run the startsys Utility To Start the System and Propagate the Golden Image (page 60)
• Task 10: Confirm Compute Resources (page 63)
System Configuration and Imaging Overview
This section provides an overview of the initial system configuration and imaging process.
System Configuration Process
The system configuration process, developed by HP, is the method by which the topology of the system is
automatically discovered, applied, and stored in the configuration database after the installation of the head
node has been completed.
The system topology is defined based on the manner in which the head and client nodes are connected to
the administration network when the nodes are cabled into the appropriate switches.
The system configuration procedure described in this chapter consists of running the following HP XC
commands and utilities:
DescriptionCommand/Utility Name
Prepares the system for discovery and configuration and configures the external
Ethernet device on the head node
cluster_prep
Automatically discovers and enables the hardware components and populates the
/etc/hosts and /etc/dhcp.conf files
discover
Populates the system configuration database with node role assignments, starts all
services on the head node, and creates the golden system image
cluster_config
Turns on power to each node and downloads the SystemImager automatic installation
environment to install and configure each node from the golden image
startsys
System Imaging Process
The SystemImager, an open source software component of the HP XC system, provides a simplified method
for automating the installation of large Linux clusters. SystemImager provides the foundation for the image
replication and distribution environment used to install client nodes in HP XC system.
As part of the initial software installation, the head node is configured as the golden client, which is the node
that represents the configuration from which all other nodes are replicated. Next, a golden image is created
from the golden client, which is a replication of the local file system directories and files, starting from root
(/). The golden image is stored on the image server, which is also resident on the head node in this release.
When nodes are instructed to PXE or network boot from their network adapter attached to the administration
network, the nodes automatically proceed through an installation process that replicates the golden client
and does the following:
System Configuration and Imaging Overview 35