Configure the Windows Azure Node Role in a Node Template

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

A Windows Azure node template provides settings to configure the Windows Azure role instances that will be added as Windows Azure nodes to the HPC cluster. Starting with HPC Pack 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1, HPC Pack supports the addition of worker role instances, which run a guest operating system that is substantially similar to Windows Server.

Important

  • Certain versions of HPC Pack include settings to add Windows Azure VM role instances as Windows Azure nodes. The VM Role feature (beta) in Windows Azure is being retired on May 15, 2013. Also now deprecated are the settings in Microsoft HPC Pack 2008 R2 and Microsoft HPC Pack 2012 to deploy a custom VHD to VM role nodes from a Windows HPC cluster. After the retirement date, VM role deployments from an HPC cluster will fail or be inaccessible. To add Windows Azure nodes to an HPC cluster, use the Windows Azure worker role.

  • The node template settings to select VM role instances for deployments of Windows Azure nodes are removed as of HPC Pack 2012 with SP1.

After you add the nodes to the cluster and provision them in Windows Azure, you can use the Windows Azure nodes to run many of the applications and jobs that can run in an on-premises Windows HPC cluster.

For more information about adding Windows Azure nodes to your HPC cluster, see Burst to Windows Azure with Microsoft HPC Pack in the Microsoft TechNet Library.

Guest operating systems for worker nodes

The following table indicates the support in HPC Pack for the Windows Server guest operating system on Windows Azure worker role instances. In HPC Pack 2012, you can choose one of the supported operating systems to run on the worker nodes. In HPC Pack 2008 R2, the supported operating system is installed by default.

Version of HPC Pack Guest operating system

HPC Pack 2012

  • Windows Server 2012 (Windows Azure Guest OS 3.x)

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 (Windows Azure Guest OS 2.x)

HPC Pack 2008 R2 (with at least SP1)

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 (Windows Azure Guest OS 2.x)

For more information about Windows Azure guest operating systems, see Windows Azure Guest OS Releases and SDK Compatibility Matrix.

Application VHD for worker nodes

Starting with HPC Pack 2012, you can optionally configure the node template to mount a durable VHD file (a Windows Azure drive) on each Windows Azure worker node. For more information, see Mount an Application VHD on Windows Azure Worker Nodes.

See Also

Concepts

Configuring a Windows Azure Node Template for Microsoft HPC Pack

Other Resources

Add Windows Azure Nodes