HP XC System Software Administration Guide Version 4.0

11 Distributing Software Throughout the System
This chapter addresses the following topics:
• “Overview of the Image Replication and Distribution Environment” (page 141)
• “Installing and Distributing Software Patches” (page 142)
• “Adding Software or Modifying Files on the Golden Client” (page 143)
• “Determining Which Nodes Will Be Imaged” (page 147)
• “Updating the Golden Image” (page 147)
• “Propagating the Golden Image to All Nodes” (page 151)
• “Maintaining a Global Service Configuration” (page 151)
11.1 Overview of the Image Replication and Distribution Environment
The image replication and distribution environment is responsible for keeping the software on
all client nodes synchronized with the golden client. The image replication and distribution
environment is automatically configured on the HP XC system during the initial system
configuration step, which is described in the HP XC System Software Installation Guide.
Image replication and distribution environment involves the following concepts:
Golden client The node from which a standard file system image is created.
The golden client represents the configuration from which all other nodes
are replicated. In terms of hardware, the golden client is representative of
(ideally, identical to) all nodes in the system.
The head node is the golden client in the HP XC system.
Golden image A collection of files, created from the golden client file system, to be
distributed to one or more client systems. You can exclude specific files on
the golden client from the golden image if they are not appropriate for
replication. The golden image is a replication of the golden client's local
file systems, starting from the root directory (/).
Note:
You want the golden image to contain only those files and directories that
are appropriate for distribution to all client nodes. Keep the golden image
free of node-specific content, such as node-specific subdirectories of /var.
Exclusion files list files and directories to exclude from the golden image;
these files are discussed in “Exclusion Files” (page 150).
Image server The node specifically designated to hold the images to be distributed to
client systems. The image server distributes the golden image.
The head node is the image server in the HP XC system.
You synchronize client nodes to the golden client by distributing the golden image. When you
update nodes with a new golden image, only files that have changed in the golden image between
the current installation and the new image are distributed; this saves time and network bandwidth.
This chapter describes how to manage the image replication and distribution environment, and
how to use it to distribute software (including configuration changes) to all nodes in the HP XC
system. The basic procedure is as follows:
1. Install software or modify files on the golden client. See “Adding Software or Modifying
Files on the Golden Client” (page 143).
2. Update the golden image. See “Updating the Golden Image” (page 147).
11.1 Overview of the Image Replication and Distribution Environment 141