Step 5: Deploy the Base Node

  • Article

After you have added the iSCSI boot nodes to your cluster, the next step is to deploy one of those nodes over iSCSI, so that it can become the base node. To deploy the base node, use the Deploy Base Node Wizard to do the following:

  • Create a base node template

  • Select or create the operating system image to use

  • Specify the iSCSI boot configuration of the base node

  • Deploy the base node with these settings

Caution

An operating system image is deployed to the computer that you use as the base node, and all data on that computer might be lost. Before you create the base node on that computer, you should back up any valued data that is stored on it.

Important

  • Before following this procedure, ensure that the computer that you want to deploy as the base node is turned on.
  • To deploy the base node using this procedure, use a computer that does not have a hard disk drive, or a computer on which the hard disk drive is disabled in the system BIOS. If you want to deploy the base node on a computer that has one or more existing hard disk drives, you must perform additional steps to configure the base node template that is used to deploy the base node. These steps are not included in this guide.
  • If you are adding a new or existing Windows Server 2012 base node image, ensure that the update KB2822241 is applied. For more information, see Requirements for Deploying iSCSI Boot Nodes with Microsoft HPC Pack.

To deploy the base node

  1. In HPC Cluster Manager, in Configuration, in the Navigation Pane, click iSCSI Deployment.

  2. In the Required iSCSI Deployment Tasks list, under Base node image creation, click Deploy the base node. The Deploy Base Node Wizard appears.

  3. On the Select Computer page, click Select Node. The Select Node dialog box appears.

  4. In the list of nodes, select the node that you want to use as the base node, and then click OK. Click Next to continue.

  5. On the Specify Template Name page, type a name for the base node template that will be created to deploy the base node, and optionally type a description for it. Click Next to continue.

    Important

    The node template that you create with the Deploy Base Node Wizard can only be used to deploy the base node for iSCSI deployment.

  6. On the Select Operating System Image page, in the Image Name list, select the operating system image that you want to use to deploy the base node, and then click Next.

    Use the following procedure if you have not yet added an operating system image, or if you want to use a different operating system image:

    1. Click Add Image. The Add Operating System Image dialog box opens.

    2. On the Add Operating System Image dialog box, click Create a new operating system image, and then type or browse to the location of the Windows setup file for Windows Server 2008 R2 HPC Edition, another edition of Windows Server 2008 R2, or a 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008.

    3. Type a descriptive name for the new operating system image, and then click OK.

    4. After the image is added, in the Image Name list, click the image that you want to use to deploy the base node.

  7. Select the Include a product key to activate the operating system on the nodes check box, and then type the product key for the operating system image that you selected in Image Name. Click Next to continue.

    Important

    A product key might not be required for deployment, depending on the version of the operating system that you used when the operating system image was created. You must specify a product key if you used a retail or evaluation version of Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008.

  8. On the iSCSI Boot Configuration page, select the iSCSI boot configuration for the base node in your cluster.

    Important

    You must select the same iSCSI boot configuration for the base node and, in a later step, for the iSCSI boot nodes. (See Step 8: Create a Node Template for the iSCSI Boot Nodes, in this guide.) If you do not select the same iSCSI boot configuration for the base node and later for the iSCSI boot nodes, your deployment will fail.

    Use the following procedure if the private network adapter is configured for PXE boot, and you select to provide a network boot program (NBP) to initiate the iSCSI boot:

    1. Copy the NBP file to the %CCP_DATA%\Boot folder, for example: c:\Program Files\Microsoft HPC Pack 2012\Data\Boot.

    2. On the iSCSI Boot Configuration page, in the NBP File Path box, type the name of the NBP file that you copied, and in the NBP DHCP Client Class box, type the DHCP client class for the NBP. For example, if your NBP is for gPXE, type the name of the gPXE file, and type gPXE as the class. Click Next to continue.

  9. On the iSCSI Qualified Name Configuration page, select how to assign the iSCSI Qualified Name (IQN) to the base node, and then click Next.

    Important

    • If you are providing an NBP, you must select to assign the IQN dynamically. For example, if you are using gPXE, use DHCP option ID 203 (the default value).
    • If you are using a network adapter that can boot from iSCSI, you must determine which DHCP option is required by reviewing the documentation for the adapter, or by contacting your hardware vendor.

  10. On the Specify Local Administrator Password for Node page, select if you want to specify a password for the local administrator account on the base node, and then click Next.

  11. On the Specify Windows Updates page, specify if you want to add a step in the template to download and install updates by 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.

  12. On the Review page, click Deploy.

See Also

Steps for Deploying iSCSI Boot Nodes with Microsoft HPC Pack