Sun HPC ClusterTools 3.0 Administrator's Guide: With CRE

The `hpc_config` File

Many aspects of the Sun HPC ClusterTools 3.0 installation process are controlled by a configuration file called hpc_config, which is similar to the lsf_config file used to install LSF 3.2.3.

Instructions for accessing and editing hpc_config are provided in "Accessing hpc_config" and "Editing hpc_config".

Accessing `hpc_config`

Use a text editor to edit the hpc_config file directly. This file must be located in a directory within a file system that is mounted read/write/execute accessible on all the other nodes in the cluster. A template for hpc_config is provided on the Sun HPC ClusterTools 3.0 distribution CD-ROM to simplify creation of this file.

Before starting the installation process, you should copy this template to a directory on the node chosen to be the installation platform and edit it so that it satisfies your site-specific installation requirements. Choose a node to function as the installation platform and a home directory on that node for hpc_config.

Note -

The directory containing hpc_config must be read/write/execute accessible (777 permissions) by all the nodes in the cluster.

The hpc_config template is located in

/cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct/Product/Install_Utilities/config_dir/hpc_config

To access hpc_config on the distribution CD-ROM, perform the following steps on the node chosen to be the installation platform:

Mount the CD-ROM path on all the nodes in the cluster.

Load the Sun HPC ClusterTools distribution CD-ROM in the CD-ROM drawer.

Copy the configuration template onto the node.
# cd config_dir_install # cp /cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct/Product/Install_Utilities/config_dir/hpc_config .
config_dir_install is a variable representing the directory where the configuration files will reside; all cluster nodes must be able to read from and write to this directory.

Edit the hpc_config file according to the instructions provided in the next section.

If You Have Already Installed the Software

If you have already installed the software, you can find a copy of the hpc_config template in the directory /opt/SUNWhpc/bin/Install_Utililites/config_dir.

If you are editing an existing hpc_config file after installing the software using the graphical installation tool, the hpc_config file created by the tool will not contain the comment lines included in the template.

Editing `hpc_config`

Example A-1 shows the basic hpc_config template, but without most of the comment lines provided in the online template. The template is simplified here to make it easier to read and because each section is discussed in detail following Example A-1. Two examples of edited hpc_config files follow the general description of the template.

The template comprises five sections:

Supported Software Installation - All installations must complete this first section. Since you will be using LSF, complete only Part A of this section.

General installation information - All installations must complete this section. If you are installing the software locally on a single-node cluster, you can stop after completing this section.

Information for NFS and cluster-local installations - If you are installing the software either on an NFS server for remote mounting or locally on each node of a multinode cluster, you need to complete this section, too.

Example A-1 hpc_config Template (With Most Comment Lines Removed)

Section I - Supported Software Information

LSF_SUPPORT="<choice>"

# PART A: Running HPC 3.0 ClusterTools software with LSF software. 

# Do you want to modify LSF parameters to optimize HPC job launches? 

MODIFY_LSF_PARAM="<choice>"

# Name of the LSF Cluster
LSF_CLUSTER_NAME="<clustername>"

# Section II - General Installation Information
# Type of Installation Configuration
INSTALL_CONFIG="<choice>"

# Installation Location
INSTALL_LOC="/opt"

# CD-ROM Mount Point
CD_MOUNT_PT="/cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct"

#Section III - For Cluster-Local and NFS Installation 

# Installation Method
INSTALL_METHOD="<method>"

# Hardware Information
NODES="<hostname1> <hostname2> <hostname3>"

# SCI Support
INSTALL_SCI="<choice>"

# Section IV - For NFS Installation

# NFS Server NFS_SERVER=""

# Location of the Software Installed on the NFS ServerINSTALL_LOC_SERVER=""

Information for NFS installations - You need to complete this section only if you are installing the software on an NFS server.

For the purposes of initial installation, ignore the fifth section.

Supported Software Installation

LSF Support

You will be using the software with LSF, so enter yes here.

LSF_SUPPORT="yes"

Since you will be using LSF, complete only Part A of this section.

LSF Parameter Modification

Allowing the Sun HPC installation script to modify LSF parameters optimizes HPC job launches. Your choice for this variable must be yes or no.

MODIFY_LSF_PARAM="choice"

Name of the LSF Cluster

Before installing Sun HPC ClusterTools software, you must have installed LSF 3.2.3. When you installed the LSF software, you selected a name for the LSF cluster. Enter this name in the LSF_CLUSTER_NAME field.

LSF_CLUSTER_NAME="clustername"

General Installation Information

All installations must complete this section. If you are installing the software locally on a single-node cluster, you can stop after completing this section.

Type of Installation

Three types of installation are possible for Sun HPC ClusterTools 3.0 software:

nfs - Install the software on an NFS server for remote mounting.

smp-local - For single-node clusters only: Install the software locally on the node.

cluster-local - For multinode clusters only: Install the software locally on every node in the cluster.

Specify one of the installation types: nfs, smp-local, or cluster-local. There is no default type of installation.

INSTALL_CONFIG="config_choice"

Installation Location

The way the INSTALL_LOC path is used varies, depending on which type of installation you have chosen.

Local Installations - For local installations ( smp-local or cluster-local), INSTALL_LOC is the path where the packages will actually be installed.

NFS installations - For NFS installations ( nfs), INSTALL_LOC is the mount point for the software on the NFS clients.

You must enter a full path name. The default location is /opt. The location must have set (or mounted, if this is an NFS installation) read/write (755) permission on all the nodes in the cluster.

INSTALL_LOC="/opt"

If you choose an installation directory other than the default /opt, a symbolic link is created from /opt/SUNWhpc to the chosen installation point.

CD-ROM Mount Point

Specify a mount point for the CD-ROM. This mount point must be mounted on (that is, NFS-accessible to) all the nodes in the cluster. The default mount point is /cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct. For example:

CD_MOUNT_PT="/cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct"

Information for NFS and Cluster-Local Installations

If you are installing the software either on an NFS server for remote mounting or locally on each node of a multinode cluster, you need to complete this section.

Installation Method Options

Specify either rsh or cluster-tool as the method for propagating the installation to all the nodes in the cluster.

cluster-tool - If you choose the cluster-tool option, you will be able to use one of the Cluster Console Manager (CCM) applications, cconsole, ctelnet, or crlogin, to greatly facilitate the installation of Sun HPC ClusterTools 3.0 software on all of the nodes in your cluster in parallel. See Appendix B for information about using CCM tools.

Note -
You can use the CCM tools to install on up to 16 nodes at a time. For clusters with more than 16 nodes, you will have to repeat the installation process on groups of up to 16 nodes at a time until you have installed the software on the entire cluster.

rsh - If you choose the rsh method, the software will be installed serially on the cluster notes in the order in which they are listed in hpc_config. The CCM applications cannot be used to install the software in rsh mode.

Also note that this method requires that all nodes are trusted hosts--at least during the installation process.

INSTALL_METHOD="method"

Hardware Information

There are two ways to enter information in this section:

If the cluster nodes are connected to a terminal concentrator, list each node in the following triplet format.
NODES="hostname1/termcon_name/port_id hostname2/termcon_name/port_id ..."

In each triplet, specify the host name of a node, followed by the host name of the terminal concentrator and the port ID on the terminal concentrator to which that node is connected. Separate the triplet fields with virgules (/). Use spaces between node triplets.

If the cluster nodes are not connected to a terminal concentrator, simply list the node host names, separated by spaces, as follows.
NODES="hostname1 hostname2 hostname3 ..."

Every node in your Sun HPC cluster must also be in the corresponding LSF cluster. See the discussion of the lsf.cluster.clustername configuration file in the LSF Batch Administrator's Guide for information on LSF clusters.

Note -

If you will not be using the CCM tools, you can allow the installation script to derive the node list from the LSF configuration file lsf.cluster.clustername. To do this, either set the NODES variable to NULL or leave the line commented out. You must be installing from one of the nodes in the LSF cluster.

SCI Support

This section tells the script whether to install the SCI-related packages. If your cluster includes SCI, replace choice with yes; otherwise, replace it with no.

INSTALL_SCI="yes"

A yes entry causes the three SCI packages and two RSM packages to be installed in the /opt directory. A no causes the installation script to skip the SCI and RSM packages.

Note -

The SCI and RSM packages are installed locally on every node, not on an NFS server.

Information for NFS Installations Only

You need to complete this section only if you are installing the software on an NFS server.

NFS Server Host Name

The format for setting the NFS server host name is the same as for setting the host names for the nodes in the cluster. There are two ways to define the host name of the NFS server:

If you have a terminal concentrator, describe the NFS server in the following triplet format.
NFS_SERVER="hostname/termcon_name/port_id"

If you do not have a terminal concentrator, simply specify the host name of the NFS server.
NFS_SERVER="hostname"

The NFS server can be one of the cluster nodes or it can be external (but connected) to the cluster. If the server will be part of the cluster--that is, will also be an execution host for the Sun HPC ClusterTools software--it must be included in the NODES field described in "Hardware Information". If the NFS server will not be part of the cluster, it must be available from all the hosts listed in NODES, but it should not be included in the NODES field.

Location of the Software on the Server

If you want to install the software on the NFS server in the same directory as the one specified in INSTALL_LOC, leave INSTALL_LOC_SERVER empty (""). If you prefer, you can override INSTALL_LOC by specifying an alternative directory in INSTALL_LOC_SERVER.

INSTALL_LOC_SERVER="directory"

Recall that the directory specified in INSTALL_LOC defines the mount point for INSTALL_LOC_SERVER on each NFS client.

Sample `hpc_config` Files

Example A-2 and Example A-3 illustrate the general descriptions in the preceding sections with edited hpc_config files representing two different types of installations.

Local Install - Example A-2 shows how the file would be edited for a local installation on every node in a cluster. The main characteristics of the installation illustrated by Example A-2 are summarized below:

Section 1:

The software will be used with LSF.

Example A-2 Sample Completed hpc_config File--Local Install via rsh

Section I - Supported Software Information

LSF_SUPPORT="yes"

# PART A: Running the software with LSF

# Do you want to modify LSF parameters to optimize HPC job
launches? 
MODIFY_LSF_PARAM="yes"

# Name of the LSF Cluster
LSF_CLUSTER_NAME="italy"

#
Section II - General Installation Information

# Type of Installation Configuration
INSTALL_CONFIG="cluster-local"

# Installation Location
INSTALL_LOC="/export/home/opt2"

# CD-ROM Mount Point
CD_MOUNT_PT="/cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct"

#
Section III - For Cluster-Local and NFS Installation 

# Installation Method
INSTALL_METHOD="rsh"

# Hardware Information
NODES="napoli pisa milano"

# SCI Support
INSTALL_SCI="no"#Section IV - For NFS Installation

# NFS Server
NFS_SERVER=""

# Location of the Software Installed on the NFS Server
INSTALL_LOC_SERVER=""

The installation script will modify LSF parameters to optimize HPC launches.

The set of clustered nodes that will be running LSF jobs is named italy.

Section 2:
- The packages will be installed locally. This means every node in the system will contain a copy of the packages that make up Sun HPC ClusterTools 3.0 software.
- The base directory where the software will be installed is /export/home/opt2/.
- The mount point for the software CD-ROM is /cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct.

Section 3:
- The software will be installed using the UNIX utility rsh.
- The nodes are not connected to a terminal concentrator, so only the node host names are listed in the Hardware Information section.
- The cluster in this example does not include SCI hardware.

Section 4 is not completed, as the software is being installed locally on every node.

For the purposes of initial installation, ignore the fifth section.

NFS Install - Example A-3 shows an hpc_config file for an NFS installation. The main features of this installation example are summarized below:

Section 1:
- The software will be used with LSF.
- The installation script will modify LSF parameters to optimize HPC launches.
- The set of clustered nodes that will be running LSF jobs is named italy.

Section 2:
- The packages are being installed on an NFS server.
- The mount point for the software on the NFS clients is /opt/.
- The mount point for the software CD-ROM is /cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct.

Section 3:
- The software will be installed using Cluster Console Manager tools.
- The nodes are connected to a terminal concentrator, and the cluster console facility will be used. Consequently, each host name must be part of a triplet entry that also includes the name of the terminal concentrator and the ID of the terminal concentrator port to which the node is connected.

This example shows the nodes venice, napoli, and pisa all connected to the terminal concentrator rome via ports 5002, 5003, and 5004.

The cluster in this example does not include SCI hardware.

Example A-3 Sample Completed hpc_config File--NFS Install via cluster-tool

Section I - Supported Software Information

LSF_SUPPORT="yes"

# PART A: Running the software with LSF

# Do you want to modify LSF parameters to optimize HPC job launches? 
MODIFY_LSF_PARAM="yes"

# Name of the LSF Cluster
LSF_CLUSTER_NAME="italy"

#
Section II - General Installation Information
# Type of Installation Configuration
INSTALL_CONFIG="nfs"

# Installation Location
INSTALL_LOC="/opt"

# CD-ROM Mount Point
CD_MOUNT_PT="/cdrom/hpc_3_0_ct"

#
Section III - For Cluster-Local and NFS Installation 

# Installation Method
INSTALL_METHOD="cluster-tool"

# Hardware Information
NODES="venice/rome/5002 napoli/rome/5003 pisa/rome/5004"

# SCI Support
INSTALL_SCI="no"

#
Section IV - For NFS Installation

# NFS Server
NFS_SERVER="mars/rome/5005"

# Location of the Software Installed on the NFS Server
INSTALL_LOC_SERVER="/export/home/opt2"

Section 4:
- The host name of the NFS server must be supplied (in this example, mars). Because the NFS server is connected to a terminal concentrator, its host name must also be part of a triplet entry analogous to the entries in NODES.

In this case, the NFS server is not one of the nodes in the Sun HPC cluster. All the nodes in the cluster must be able to communicate with it over a network.

The software will be installed on mars in the directory /export/home/opt2.

For the purposes of initial installation, ignore the fifth section.

The hpc_config File

Accessing hpc_config

If You Have Already Installed the Software

Editing hpc_config

Example A-1 hpc_config Template (With Most Comment Lines Removed)

Supported Software Installation

LSF Support

LSF Parameter Modification

Name of the LSF Cluster

General Installation Information

Type of Installation

Installation Location

CD-ROM Mount Point

Information for NFS and Cluster-Local Installations

Installation Method Options

Hardware Information

SCI Support

Information for NFS Installations Only

NFS Server Host Name

Location of the Software on the Server

Sample hpc_config Files

Example A-2 Sample Completed hpc_config File--Local Install via rsh

Example A-3 Sample Completed hpc_config File--NFS Install via cluster-tool

The `hpc_config` File

Accessing `hpc_config`

Editing `hpc_config`

Sample `hpc_config` Files