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Migrate a Cluster to HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012

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Applies To: Microsoft HPC Pack 2012, Microsoft HPC Pack 2012 R2

This topic describes the process of migrating an existing Microsoft® HPC Pack 2008 R2 with Service Pack 4 (SP4) cluster to a newly installed Microsoft® HPC Pack 2012 R2 or Microsoft® HPC Pack 2012 cluster. The guide provides links and instructions to export and import the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster configuration settings and data, install HPC Pack on a new head node, and move resources to the new head node and point clients to the new system.

The following table shows the possible migration paths that you can follow by using the procedures in this topic.

From this version

To this version

HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4

HPC Pack 2012 R2

HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4

HPC Pack 2012 with SP1

HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4

HPC Pack 2012

Note

  • You can also migrate an existing HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster in which the head node is configured for high availability in a failover cluster. The general steps to migrate to an HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012 cluster with a high availability head node are very similar to those for a cluster with a single head node. However, detailed procedures to install a new high availability HPC Pack head node are not included in this topic.

  • You cannot perform an in-place upgrade (on the same head node computer) from HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 to HPC Pack 2012 R2, HPC Pack 2012 with SP1, or HPC Pack 2012.

  • You can perform an in-place upgrade of a cluster running HPC Pack 2012 with SP1 to HPC Pack 2012 R2. For upgrade information and procedures, see Release Notes for Microsoft HPC Pack 2012 R2.

Before migrating to HPC Pack 2012, see:

In this topic:

  • Software requirements

  • Data preserved during the migration process

  • Steps to migrate to HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012

  • Troubleshooting

Software requirements

The following software components are necessary to migrate your cluster to HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012:

  • HPC Pack 2008 R2 Service Pack 4 The head node in your existing HPC Pack 2008 R2 cluster must be running or upgraded to SP4. To confirm this by using HPC Cluster Manager on the head node, on the Help menu, click About. The version numbers shown will be similar to 3.4.xxxx.x. If you have not yet installed SP4 on your HPC cluster, you can download HPC Pack 2008 R2 Service Pack 4 from the Microsoft Download Center. For instructions to install HPC Pack 2008 R2 SP4, see Release Notes for Microsoft HPC Pack 2008 R2 Service Pack 4.

    Note

    HPC Pack 2008 R2 service packs must be applied sequentially. If you need to apply an earlier service pack for HPC Pack 2008 R2, see the release notes in Windows HPC Server 2008 R2: Getting Started.

  • HPC Pack 2012 or HPC Pack 2012 installation files You must download the installation files from the Microsoft Download Center or access the installation files from a network location. For example, you can download installation files for HPC Pack 2012 R2. The installation files include command-line scripts to migrate the cluster data and settings from HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4.

  • Windows Server installation media You must have the installation media for a supported version of Windows Server (for example, Windows Server 2012 R2 for HPC Pack 2012 R2), or access to the installation files from a network location.

For detailed software and system requirements and options to install HPC Pack 2012 R2 and HPC Pack 2012, see System Requirements for Microsoft HPC Pack 2012 R2 and HPC Pack 2012.

Data preserved during the migration process

The data in the following table is automatically imported to the new cluster during the migration process.

Category

Data

Cluster-wide

Configuration settings for reporting, management, and scheduling.

Management

  • Users and administrators for the cluster (excluding computer accounts)

  • Images and drivers

  • Node templates

  • Performance metrics

  • Reporting data (including performance metric history)

  • Node groups

    Note

    Node lists are exported to a file for the administrator to reference later when adding nodes to the new cluster. Nodes are not imported automatically.

  • Customized management settings including CollectCounter and customized Windows Deployment Services (WDS) settings

Job scheduler

  • Job templates and job template access control lists (ACLs)

  • Job scheduler configuration settings

  • Job history

  • Job queue

    Note

    Depending on the configuration of a queued job and the availability of resources in the new cluster, a job in the queue might fail.

SOA

SOA service registration files

Steps to migrate to HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012

  • Step 1: Deploy the new HPC Pack cluster head node

  • Step 2: Configure the new HPC Pack cluster head node

  • Step 3: Export settings and data from an HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster

  • Step 4: Import settings and data into the new HPC Pack cluster head node

  • Step 5: Move computing resources to the new HPC Pack cluster

  • Step 6: Point clients to the HPC Pack 2012 cluster

Step 1: Deploy the new HPC Pack cluster head node

In this step, install a supported version of Windows Server (such as Windows Server 2012 R2 for HPC Pack 2012 R2) on the computer that will be the new head node, join the computer to the domain, and install HPC Pack. For more information about how to deploy the HPC Pack head node, see Step 2: Deploy the Head Node in the Getting Started Guide for Microsoft HPC Pack 2012 R2 and HPC Pack 2012.

Important

  • To minimize system downtime, we recommend that you give the new head node a different name than the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 head node. This enables access to the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 head node computer and allows the clusters to co-exist during the migration process.

  • If you deploy a single head node, you can use the same name for the new head node and the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 head node. However, if you choose this option, you will need to remove the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 head node computer from the domain before joining the HPC Pack 2012 head node computer to the domain. If you plan to do this, first complete Step 3: Export settings and data from an HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster before performing the steps to deploy and configure the new head node.

  • If you are migrating an HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster with a head node that is configured for high availability, you must choose a different name for the clustered instance of the HPC Pack 2012 head node.

Step 2: Configure the new HPC Pack cluster head node

In this step, configure the head node by following the Deployment To-do List in HPC Cluster Manager. These steps are necessary to configure some cluster settings that are not migrated from the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster, including the cluster network configuration and installation credentials for compute nodes. For an overview of the steps to configure the head node, see Step 3: Configure the Head Node in the Getting Started Guide for Microsoft HPC Pack 2012 R2 and HPC Pack 2012.

Note

If the network topology for the new cluster will include a private or application network, before configuring the new cluster network for HPC Pack, you should first stop the DHCP Server service and the Windows Deployment Services Server service on the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 head node computer, if it is still running.

Step 3: Export settings and data from an HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster

In this step, export data and settings from the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster by using the export.cmd tool from the HPC Pack installation files. Data can be exported from HPC cluster databases that are located either on the HPC Pack 2008 R2 head node computer or on a remote server that is running SQL Server. You can later import the data to any database that is supported by HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012.

Note

  • Before exporting HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster data and settings, make sure there are no queued or running jobs in the cluster. This ensures the consistency of the data after exporting.

  • If you are exporting data from an HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 head node configured for high availability, run export.cmd on the active head node in the failover cluster.

To export from an HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster with local databases

  1. Create a shared folder that will be used to export and import the data (for example, \\ServerName\ExportedData).

    Note

    Ensure that the shared folder can be accessed by the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 head node and the new HPC Pack head node.

  2. Log on to the head node of the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster as a user with HPC cluster administrator privileges.

  3. Click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

  4. To export configuration settings and data to the UNC path of the shared folder, run export.cmd from the Setup\Migration folder of the new HPC Pack installation files. For example, type the following command:

    export.cmd \\ServerName\ExportedData

To export from an HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster with remote databases

  1. Create a shared folder that will be used to export and import the data (for example, \\ServerName\ExportedData).

    Important

    • Before running export.cmd, Read and Write permissions must be granted to the account running SQL Server for HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4. Read and Write permissions must be applied on both the Sharing and Security properties of the folder.

    • Ensure that the shared folder can be accessed by the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 head node and the new HPC Pack head node.

  2. Add the user running export.cmd to be the Database Owner (dbo) on the remote SQL Server instance.

  3. Click Start, point to All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

  4. To export configuration settings and data to the shared folder, run export.cmd from the Setup\Migration folder of the new HPC Pack installation files. For example, type the following command:

    export.cmd \\ServerName\ExportedData

Step 4: Import settings and data into the new HPC Pack cluster head node

In this step, import the data and settings into the HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012 cluster by using the import.cmd tool from the new HPC Pack installation files. You can import data to HPC cluster databases that are located either on the new HPC Pack head node computer or on a remote server that is running Microsoft SQL Server, depending on the database configuration that was selected during installation of the HPC Pack head node.

The new HPC Pack head node must have access to the shared folder with the exported HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 data and settings that was used in Step 3: Export settings and data from an HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster.

Note

If you are importing data into a new HPC Pack cluster with a head node configured for high availability, run import.cmd on the active head node in the failover cluster.

Important

Before running import.cmd on a new HPC Pack cluster with remote databases, ensure the following:

  • Read and Write permissions must be granted to the account running SQL Server for HPC Pack. Read and Write permissions must be applied on both the Sharing and Security properties of the folder.

  • The HPC Pack cluster administrator must be added as a Database Owner (dbo) on the remote SQL Server instance.

To import settings and data from a HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster

  1. Open an elevated command prompt.

  2. To import the data and settings to the newly set up HPC Pack cluster, run import.cmd from the Setup\Migration folder of the new HPC Pack installation files. For example, type the following command:

    import.cmd \\ServerName\ExportedData

After importing, the administrator needs to manually perform steps such as the following:

  • Provide credentials for email, diagnostics, SOA sessions, and node templates.

  • Add custom diagnostic tests (that are compatible with the newly installed HPC Pack).

  • Copy SOA service DLLs (that are compatible with the newly installed HPC Pack) to the folder that the SOA service configuration file points to.

  • Install job submission and activation filter programs in the new HPC Pack cluster and ensure that they have the correct dependent assemblies.

Important

Custom diagnostic tests and some SOA service DLLs from HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cannot run in HPC Pack 2012 R2or HPC Pack 2012 unless specifically modified. For more information, see Compatibility of Microsoft HPC Pack 2012 R2 and HPC Pack 2012 with Previous Versions of HPC Pack.

Step 5: Move computing resources to the new HPC Pack cluster

You can migrate compute nodes, Windows Communications Foundation (WCF) broker nodes, workstation nodes, and unmanaged server nodes to the new HPC Pack cluster.

First, import the node list (HpcNode.xml) that was exported from the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster. The node list is not imported automatically. HpcNode.xml is located in the Backup\Configuration\Management subfolder of the folder used to export the cluster data and settings (for example, \\ServerName\ExportedData\Backup\Configuration\Management). You can use the Add Node Wizard in HPC Cluster Manager to import the file.

Then, an administrator has two options for moving computing resources to the HPC Pack 2012 cluster:

  • Reimage compute and broker nodes to point them to the new HPC Pack 2012 cluster. You can do this if the nodes were deployed using a node template that includes a step to deploy an operating system image, and the operating system is supported by HPC Pack 2012. For more information, see Reimage Compute Nodes.

  • Reinstall HPC Pack 2012 on compute nodes, broker nodes, workstation nodes, and unmanaged server nodes to point them to the new HPC Pack 2012 cluster.

Note

Windows Azure nodes cannot be migrated to HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012. Existing Windows Azure nodes must be stopped, and the deployments need to be reinitiated from the new HPC Pack head node.

For more information about adding nodes to a cluster, see Step 5: Add Nodes to the Cluster in the Getting Started Guide for Microsoft HPC Pack 2012.

Step 6: Point clients to the HPC Pack 2012 cluster

The last step is to point client computers or applications to the new HPC Pack 2012 R2 or HPC Pack 2012 cluster.

If the new HPC Pack cluster has a different name than the previous HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster (which is recommended), the administrator can perform one of the following tasks:

  • Create a CNAME alias in DNS to redirect client requests to the new cluster.

  • Modify the code or configuration of the client to point to the new cluster.

If the new HPC Pack 2012 cluster has the same name as the previous HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster, no changes are necessary.

Troubleshooting

Log files that are generated during the export and import of cluster configuration settings and data are written to the Log folder of the folder that you used to export the data from the HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP4 cluster (for example, \\ServerName\ExportedData\Log).

Note

If you need to run export.cmd or import.cmd again, you should back up the Log folder to another location and delete it before running the command. Otherwise, the export or import might not run completely.

See also