HP XC System Software Installation Guide Version 4.0

3 Preparing to Configure the System
This chapter provides an overview of the system configuration process and describes the tasks
required to prepare for the system configuration, which you must perform in the following order:
1. “Preparing to Answer cluster_prep Questions” (page 54)
2. “Changing the Default IP Address Base (Optional)” (page 55)
3. “Running the cluster_prep Command to Prepare the System” (page 57)
4. “Installing Patches or RPM Updates” (page 59)
5. “Creating or Mounting the /hptc_cluster File System (Optional)” (page 61)
6. “Changing MP Settings on Console Switches (Optional)” (page 62)
3.1 System Configuration and Imaging Overview
This section provides an overview of the system configuration and imaging process.
3.1.1 System Configuration Process
The system configuration process is the method by which the topology of the system is
automatically discovered, applied, and stored in the configuration and management database
after the installation of the head node has been completed.
The system topology is defined based on the manner in which the head and client nodes are
connected to the administration network when the nodes are cabled into the appropriate switches.
The system configuration procedure consists of running the following HP XC commands and
utilities:
Documented InDescription
Command or Utility
Name
This chapterPrepares the system for discovery and configuration and configures
the external Ethernet device on the head node, thus enabling
network connectivity
cluster_prep
Chapter 4 (page 63)Discovers and enables all hardware components and populates the
/etc/hosts and /etc/dhcp.conf files
discover
Chapter 6 (page 95)Populates the configuration and management database with node
role assignments, starts all services on the head node, and creates
the golden system image
cluster_config
Chapter 6 (page 95)Turns on power to each node and downloads the SystemImager
automatic installation environment to install and configure each
node from the golden image
startsys
3.1.2 Internal Node Naming
It is important to understand how internal node names are assigned. The node naming scheme
differs if HP server blades and enclosures are present in the hardware configuration and whether
or not the server blades are single or double density.
• When the hardware configuration does not contain enclosures and HP server blades, all
nodes connected directly to the root switches are named with a user-defined node prefix
and are numbered in descending order from the highest numbered node. All other nodes
connected to a branch switch are named with the node prefix and are numbered in ascending
order, starting at 1 on the first port of the first branch switch.
Internal node names are assigned in a dense fashion in which there are no missing numbers
in the node numbering scheme except for a possible missing number between the branch
nodes and those nodes that are connected to the root administration switch.
3.1 System Configuration and Imaging Overview 51