Step 4: Add Nodes for iSCSI Deployment

Applies To: Microsoft HPC Pack 2008 R2, Microsoft HPC Pack 2012, Microsoft HPC Pack 2012 R2, Windows HPC Server 2008 R2

After the iSCSI storage arrays are added to the head node, you need to add to your HPC cluster the node computers that you want to deploy as iSCSI boot nodes.

Important

You do not need to perform this step if you already added the iSCSI boot nodes manually to your cluster. If you performed this stop manually the Add nodes for iSCSI deployment step in the Required iSCSI Deployment Tasks list in iSCSI Deployment is marked as completed.

To add iSCSI boot nodes to your cluster, you can use the Add iSCSI Boot Nodes Wizard. The process that you need to follow depends on the type of network adapters that are installed on the iSCSI boot node computers and that are connected to the private HPC network:

  • If the network adapters can boot from Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE), you can add the nodes from bare metal simply by turning on the nodes and having them contact the head node during PXE boot.

  • If the network adapters can boot directly from iSCSI, you need to import a node XML file with information about the nodes.

  • If the network adapters can boot from PXE or directly from iSCSI, you can choose to add nodes by either of the previous two methods.

Important

The node XML file that you import to add iSCSI boot nodes to your cluster must contain only the information that is required for iSCSI deployment, as explained in Requirements for Deploying iSCSI Boot Nodes with Microsoft HPC Pack, earlier in this guide. If the node XML file contains additional information, your iSCSI deployment might fail.

The following procedures in this topic explain how to add the iSCSI boot node computers to your HPC cluster:

  • To add nodes for iSCSI deployment from bare metal

  • To add nodes for iSCSI deployment by importing a node XML file

To add nodes for iSCSI deployment from bare metal

  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 Add nodes for iSCSI deployment. The Add iSCSI Boot Nodes Wizard appears.

  3. On the Welcome page, click Next.

  4. On the Select Method to Add Nodes page, click From bare metal, and then click Next.

  5. Turn on the nodes that you want to add to the cluster, and wait until they are all listed on the Add iSCSI boot nodes page.

  6. After all the nodes that you want to add are listed, click Finish.

Important

Do not turn off the nodes for iSCSI deployment that you added to your cluster. They need to be turned on so that they can be deployed later on, as explained in Step 9: Deploy iSCSI Boot Nodes, in this guide.

To add nodes for iSCSI deployment by importing a node XML file

  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 Add nodes for iSCSI deployment. The Add iSCSI Boot Nodes Wizard appears.

  3. On the Welcome page, click Next.

  4. On the Select Method to Add Nodes page, click From a node XML file, type or browse to the location of the node XML file, and then click Next.

  5. On the Finishing options page, click Finish.

See Also

Concepts

Steps for Deploying iSCSI Boot Nodes with Microsoft HPC Pack