HP XC System Software Installation Guide Version 4.0

E Customizing Client Node Disks
Use the information in this appendix to customize the disk partition layout on client node disk
devices. It addresses the following topics:
• “Overview of Client Node Disk Imaging” (page 205)
• “Dynamically Configuring Client Node Disks” (page 205)
• “Statically Configuring Client Node Disks ” (page 211)
E.1 Overview of Client Node Disk Imaging
The HP XC client node imaging process requires at least a single system disk on each client node
on which the operating system is installed. Client node disk devices are partitioned automatically
as part of the automated client imaging process. Table 5-4 (page 90) lists the default disk partition
layout for client disks.
HP does not recommend creating user data partitions on the client system disk that contains the
operating system because the system disk is subject to a complete re-creation (new partitions
and new file systems) during the imaging installation process. HP recommends that you use a
separate disk device on client systems where user data is required. Non-system disk devices are
not subject to re-creation as part of the imaging installation process.
You can use the following methods to modify client disks:
• Dynamic disk configuration
Dynamic disk configuration identifies the actual client disk device type and size during the
actual autoinstallation operation. Identification is based on a list of possible disk architectures
supported within an HP XC system configuration. With one master autoinstallation script,
any supported disk device can be automatically configured (with partitions and file systems)
based on dynamic logic to identify disk type and size, using the default partition layout
based on a percentage of disk size. Dynamic disk configuration is the default method used
during the HP XC imaging installation.
For information about using the dynamic configuration procedure to customize the client
disk partitions, see “Dynamically Configuring Client Node Disks” (page 205).
• Static disk configuration
Static disk configuration relies on preconfigured (static) disk configuration files that describe
the disk type, size, desired partition layout, and file system type of the disks in the client
nodes. Static disk configuration files must follow a particular template, as described in
autoinstallscript.conf(5).
Several predefined static disk configuration files are shipped as part of the HP XC software
distribution and are available for your use and modification. These files are located in the
/opt/hptc/systemimager/etc directory and have a .conf file extension.
For information about using static configuration files to customize client node disk partitions,
see “Statically Configuring Client Node Disks ” (page 211).
HP recommends the following guidelines:
• Use the procedure in “Dynamically Configuring Client Node Disks” (page 205) when you
want to change the size of the existing default partitions or swap space on the client disks.
• Use the procedure in “Statically Configuring Client Node Disks ” (page 211) when you want
to create partitions other than the default or if you want to create file system types other
than the default on the client disks.
E.2 Dynamically Configuring Client Node Disks
Dynamic disk configuration identifies the actual client disk device type and size during the actual
autoinstallation operation based on a list of possible disk architectures supported within an HP
XC configuration. This method provides an alternative to attempting to predefine a static client
disk configuration based on the golden client (head) node. Configuring disks dynamically avoids
E.1 Overview of Client Node Disk Imaging 205