HP XC System Software Installation Guide Version 3.1

1 Preparing for a New Installation
This chapter describes preinstallation tasks to perform before you install HP XC System Software Version
3.1. Perform the tasks in the following sequence:
• “Task 1: Read Related Documentation” (page 23)
• “Task 2: Plan for Future HP XC Releases” (page 23)
• “Task 3: Prepare Existing HP XC Systems” (page 24)
• “Task 4: Prepare the Hardware” (page 24)
• “Task 5: Verify Firmware Versions” (page 24)
• “Task 6: Arrange for IP Address Assignments and Host Names” (page 24)
• “Task 7: Have the License Key File Ready” (page 25)
• “Task 8: Purchase Additional Software from HP and Third-Party Vendors” (page 26)
• “Task 9: Plan a Service Availability Strategy” (page 26)
1.1 Task 1: Read Related Documentation
Read the following documentation before beginning the installation procedure:
• HP XC System Software Release Notes
This document describes known problems and solutions and late-breaking information about the
HP XC System Software that are not documented elsewhere. The information contained in the release
notes might affect the successful installation or configuration of the system.
The HP XC System Software Release Notes for each XC software release are available at:
http://www.docs.hp.com/en/highperfcomp.html
• If the hardware configuration contains HP server blades and enclosures, download the HP XC Systems
With HP Server Blades and Enclosures HowTo from the following Web site:
http://www.docs.hp.com/en/highperfcomp.html
Use this HowTo as a companion document because it contains essential information about hardware
preparation tasks, installation instructions, and special considerations that was not available at the
time of publication. HP recommends that you download and print the HowTo because you are
instructed to refer to it several times during the installation and configuration of the HP XC system.
1.2 Task 2: Plan for Future HP XC Releases
Before installing this release of the HP XC System Software, think about how you plan to customize your
system. HP recommends that you keep detailed records about those customizations because having these
records makes the next installation easier to manage, especially when a software upgrade is not the
recommended method to install the next supported release.
The following practices can help to facilitate an easy transition to a future HP XC release:
• Install all additional third-party or site-specific software and utilities under one file system, perhaps
in a mounted /custom file system.
• Maintain an up-to-date list of additional software you install, including where the software is installed,
the installed version numbers, and anything you had to customize for HP XC.
• Consider creating shell scripts to handle system customizations, thus creating a permanent record
of everything you do. Keep the shell scripts in a common, accessible location where you store
administrative information.
Also consider invoking the script command to keep a record of your keystrokes and computer
output to maintain a record of everything you customize. Keep the scripts in a common, accessible
location where you store administrative information.
• Maintain a list of customizations you make to HP XC and Linux configuration files.
• Store a copy of the HP XC license and third-party software licenses on systems that are not in the HP
XC system, and record the location of these files.
1.1 Task 1: Read Related Documentation 23