HP XC System Software Installation Guide Version 3.2

DescriptionCommand or Utility Name
Populates the configuration and management 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
3.1.2 Internal Node Naming
It is important to understand how internal node names are assigned. The node naming scheme
differs if HP server blades and enclosures are present in the hardware configuration.
• When the hardware configuration does not contain enclosures and HP server blades, all
nodes connected directly to the root switches are named with a user-defined node prefix
and are numbered in descending order from the highest numbered node. All other nodes
connected to a branch switch are named with the node prefix and are numbered in ascending
order, starting at 1 on the first port of the first branch switch.
Internal node names are assigned in a dense fashion in which there are no missing numbers
in the node numbering scheme except for a possible missing number between the branch
nodes and those nodes that are connected to the root administration switch.
• In an enclosure-based system with HP server blades, the discover command uses a sparse
node numbering scheme. This means that internal node names are assigned based on the
enclosure in which the node is located and the bay the node is plugged into.
For example, if a node is plugged into bay 10 of enclosure 1, the node is numbered
{node_prefix}10. In a configuration with two enclosures in which there might be 16
nodes in each enclosure, the node in bay 10 in enclosure 2 is numbered {node_prefix}26.
In this release, the maximum number of server blade nodes in a real enclosureis 16. A real
enclosure is defined as an enclosure with one of more Onboard Administrators. The maximum
number of non-blade server nodes in a virtual enclosure is 48. A virtual enclosure is defined
as a ProCurve switch that has at least one console port from a non-blade server node plugged
into it.
3.1.2.1 Head Node Naming
The head node naming scheme differs if HP server blades and enclosures are present in the
hardware configuration.
• When the hardware configuration does not contain (real) enclosures and HP server blades,
the cluster_prep command determines and assigns the head node name by using the
number that represents the maximum number of nodes allowed in the hardware
configuration, which you supply. For example, if the maximum number of nodes allowed
in your hardware configuration is 128, the head node is node {node_prefix}128.
• When the hardware configuration contains HP server blades, the head node is named for
its location in the system just like every other node, as described in “Internal Node Naming”
(page 54). The only exception is when the head node is a non-blade server node whose
console port is not connected to the administration network ProCurve switch. In this case,
the head node is named {node_prefix}0.
3.1.3 System Imaging Process
The SystemImager, an open source software component of the HP XC software stack, 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 an HP XC system.
54 Configuring and Imaging the System