Step 3: Configure the Head Node

After you have deployed the head node of your HPC cluster, you must configure the head node by following the configuration to-do list in HPC Cluster Manager.

Checklist: Configure the head node

The following checklist includes the items in the configuration to-do list in HPC Cluster Manager that you need to complete in order to configure your head node.

3.1. Configure the HPC cluster network

The HPC cluster network configuration is the first step in the configuration process of your head node. The HPC cluster network is configured by following the Network Configuration Wizard in HPC Cluster Manager. When configuring the HPC cluster network, you must choose the network topology that you have selected for your cluster, as described in “1.5. Choose a network topology for your cluster”, in Step 1: Prepare for Your Deployment.

To configure the HPC cluster network

1. If HPC Cluster Manager is not already open on the head node, open it. Click Start, point to All Programs, click Microsoft HPC Pack, and then click HPC Cluster Manager.

2. In the To-do List, click Configure your network. The Network Configuration Wizard appears.

3. On the Network Topology Selection page, click the topology that you have chosen for your cluster, and then click Next.

4. On the Enterprise Network Adapter Selection page, in the Network adapter list, click the name of the network adapter that is physically connected to your enterprise network, and then click Next.

   Important

   To ensure that you are selecting the correct network adapter, use the information displayed on this wizard page after you select a network adapter from the list. Use the IP address, domain information, and Media Access Control (MAC) address of each adapter as a reference.

5. If you chose topology number 5 for your cluster, jump to step 9 in this procedure. Otherwise, repeat step 4 for the private network adapter.

6. On the Private Network Configuration page, type a static IP address and a subnet mask for the head node. Optionally, select network services for that network:

   1. To give access to resources on the enterprise network to compute nodes that are connected to this network, select the Enable network address translation (NAT) on the head node check box.
   2. To enable DHCP services for the nodes connected to this network, select the Enable DHCP and define a scope check box, and then type the starting and ending IP addresses for the DHCP scope. If the Gateway and DNS server IP addresses have not been automatically detected, type each of these addresses.

   Note

   For more information about enabling NAT and DHCP on your cluster network, see “HPC network services” in Appendix 1: HPC Cluster Networking.

7. Click Next after you are done configuring the private network.

8. Repeat steps 4, 6, and 7 for the application network adapter. Click Next after you are done configuring the application network.

9. On the Firewall Setup page, select the firewall setting for the cluster:

   1. To apply firewall settings automatically to head nodes and compute nodes on each network, click ON for that network.
   2. To disable the firewall on a network, click OFF.
   3. If you do not want to change any firewall settings, click Do not manage firewall settings.

   Note

   For more information about firewall settings for your cluster, see “Windows Firewall configuration” in Appendix 1: HPC Cluster Networking.

10. On the Review page, verify your settings and click Configure. If you want to change any of the settings, navigate to the appropriate wizard page by clicking it on the navigation pane or by clicking Previous.

11. After the network configuration process is completed, on the Configuration Summary page, review the list of configuration items. If you want to save a report of the network configuration, click Save the configuration report.

12. To close the wizard, click Finish.

3.2. Provide installation credentials

Installation credentials must be provided in order to configure new compute nodes. These credentials will be used when installing the operating system, applications, and when adding nodes to the Active Directory domain. Also, these same credentials will be used when running diagnostic tests on the cluster nodes. For more information, see “1.4. Choose a user account for installation and diagnostics” in Step 1: Prepare for Your Deployment.

To provide installation credentials

1. In the To-do List, click Provide installation credentials. The Installation Credentials dialog box appears.

2. Type the user name, including the domain (DOMAIN\User), and then the password for the domain user account you will use to deploy compute nodes and to run diagnostic tests.

   Important

   The account must be a domain account with enough privileges to create Active Directory computer accounts for the compute nodes. Alternatively, you can create the computer accounts manually or ask your domain administrator to create them for you.

   Important

   If part of your deployment requires access to resources on the enterprise network, the account should have the necessary permissions to access those resources.

   Important

   If you want to restart nodes remotely from the cluster administration console (HPC Cluster Manager), the account must be added as an HPC cluster administrator on the head node. This requirement is only necessary if you do not have scripted power control tools that you can use to remotely restart the compute nodes.

3. To save the specified credentials, click OK.

3.3. Configure the naming of new nodes

If you deploy compute nodes from bare metal, and you are not using a node XML file to import nodes to the cluster, Windows HPC Server 2008 will automatically generate computer names for the new nodes that are being deployed. You need to specify how those names will be generated, by defining a naming series.

The naming series is defined by selecting a root name and the starting number that will accompany that name. The starting number is enclosed in percentage signs (%). For example: ClusterNode%1000%.

When you deploy compute nodes from bare metal, nodes will be named in sequence, as they become available. For example, if you deploy three nodes after specifying the following naming series: ClusterNode-%100%, those nodes will be assigned these names:

• ClusterNode-100
• ClusterNode-101
• ClusterNode-102

To specify the compute node naming series

1. In the To-do List, click Configure the naming of new nodes. The Specify Compute Node Naming Series dialog box appears.

2. Type the naming series that you want to use. The preview helps you to see an example of how the naming series will be applied to the names of the compute nodes.

   Note

   You cannot specify a compute node naming series that consists only of numbers.

3. To save the compute node naming series that you have specified, click OK.

3.4. Create a node template

Node templates are new in Windows HPC Server 2008. They define the necessary tasks for configuring and adding compute nodes to your cluster. With a node template, you can deploy an operating system image, add specific drivers and software to compute nodes, or simply add a preconfigured node to your cluster. Because you might have more than one type of compute node, or you may be adding compute nodes to your cluster in different ways, you can create different templates that apply to different nodes or situations.

You can create two types of node templates:

• With an operating system image. This type of template includes a step to deploy an operating system on the compute nodes. Use this type of template when adding compute nodes from bare metal.
• Without an operating system image. This type of template is used to add preconfigured compute nodes to the cluster, or to update existing nodes.

The type of template that you create for the initial deployment of your HPC cluster depends on how you decided to add compute nodes to your cluster. For more information, see “1.2. Decide how to add compute nodes to your cluster” in Step 1: Prepare for Your Deployment.

To create a node template

1. In the To-do List, click Create a node template. The Create Node Template Wizard appears.

2. On the Specify Template Name page, type a descriptive name for the template, and then click Next.

3. If you will be adding compute nodes to your cluster from bare metal:

   1. On the Select Deployment Type page, click With operating system, and then click Next.
   2. If the operating system image that you want to use for your deployment is already listed in the Image Name list, click that image and then jump to step 3.f. If you want to use a different operating system image, on the Select Operating System Image page, click Add Image.
   3. On the Add Operating System Image window, click Create a new operating system image, and then type or browse to the location of the Windows setup file for one of the 64-bit editions of Windows Server 2008.
   4. Type a descriptive name for the new operating system image, and then click OK.
   5. After the image is added, in the Image Name list, click the image that you want to use with the template.
   6. Optionally, specify if you want to multicast the operating system image during deployment. For more information, see “1.6. Prepare for multicast (optional)” in Step 1: Prepare for Your Deployment.
   7. Optionally, specify if you want to include a product key to activate the operating system on the compute nodes, and then type the product key that should be used.
   8. Click Next to continue.
   9. On the Specify Local Administrator Password for Compute Node page, click Use a specific password, and then type and confirm the password that you want to use.
   10. Click Next to continue, and then jump to step 5 in this procedure.

4. If you will be adding preconfigured compute nodes to your cluster, on the Select Deployment Type page, click Without operating system, and then click Next.

5. On the Specify Windows Updates page, specify if you want to add a step in the template to download and install updates using Microsoft Update or the enterprise Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). Also, you can specify specific updates to be added to the template. Click Next to continue.

6. On the Review page, click Create.

3.5. Add drivers for the operating system images (optional)

If you will be deploying compute nodes from bare metal and those nodes require special device drivers, you will need to add those drivers during the configuration process of your head node. Drivers must be in the .inf format, and must be accessible from the head node.

To add drivers for the operating system images

1. In the To-do List, click Manage drivers. The Manage Drivers dialog box appears.

2. To add a driver, click Add.

3. Type or browse to the location of the setup information file for the driver that you want to add (.inf format), and then click Open.

4. Repeat the two previous steps for all the drivers that you want to add.

5. After you are done adding drivers, click Close.

3.6. Add or remove users (optional)

If you will be giving access to the cluster to other members of your organization, you need to add them as HPC cluster users or HPC cluster administrators. Also, you can remove users or administrators that were added by default during installation.

To add or remove users for the cluster

1. In the To-do List, click Add or remove users.

2. To add a user to the cluster:

   1. In the Actions pane, click Add User. The Select Users or Groups dialog box appears.
   2. Type the user name of the user that you want to add, and then click Check Names. For more information, on the Select Users or Groups window, click examples.
   3. Repeat the previous step for all users that you want to add.
   4. After you are done adding users, click OK.

3. To add an administrator to the cluster:

   1. In the Actions pane, click Add Administrator. The Select Users or Groups dialog box appears.
   2. Type the user name of the administrator that you want to add, and then click Check Names. For more information, on the Select Users or Groups window, click examples.
   3. Repeat the previous step for all administrators that you want to add.
   4. After you are done adding administrators, click OK.

4. To remove a user or administrator, select it on the Users list, and then click Remove.

   Note

   You cannot remove the domain Administrator account from the list of cluster administrators.