HP XC System Software Installation Guide Version 3.2.1

2 Installing Software on the Head Node
This chapter contains an overview of the software installation process and describes software
installation tasks. These tasks must be performed in the following order:
• “Task 1: Gather Information Required for the Installation” (page 39)
• “Task 2: Start the Installation Process” (page 42)
• “Task 3: Install Additional RPMs from the HP XC DVD” (page 47)
2.1 Software Installation Overview
This section provides a summary of the software installation process, a description of the software
stack, information about the Kickstart installation file, and a description of the default file system
layout that is applied to the installation disk.
2.1.1 Kickstart Installation Process
The XC software installation process begins on the head node and is based on the Kickstart
automated installation process. The HP XC Kickstart process uses a predefined configuration
file that contains the answers to many of the questions required to install the base operating
system for an HP XC system.
The single HP XC DVD software distribution contains a bootable installation image and an
embedded Kickstart file. When you issue the command to initiate a Kickstart installation, the
installation process finds the Kickstart file on the DVD, and the Kickstart file then controls the
base operating system installation after you provide a few required responses.
After the head node is installed, it eventually also becomes the golden client, which is the node
that represents the configuration from which all other nodes are replicated.
Log Files
A record of the HP XC installation process and the installed HP XC RPMs is stored in the
/var/log/postinstall.log file. A record of the base Gnu/Linux system installation is stored
in the /root/install.log file.
2.1.2 HP XC Software Stack
The HP XC software stack consists of a combination of HP proprietary, third-party, and open
source software products. Table 2-1 alphabetically lists the software products that are contained
in the HP XC software stack. These software products are contained on a single DVD and are
installed by the HP XC software installation process.
2.1 Software Installation Overview 35