Step 3: Create and Configure the Node Template

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Applies To: Windows HPC Server 2008 R2, Windows HPC Server 2008

After you have performed Step 2: Deploy and Configure the Head Node in this guide, you are ready to create and configure the node template that will be used to deploy the InfiniBand device drivers. The following procedure explains how to create a new node template by using the Create Node Template Wizard in HPC Cluster Manager in Windows HPC Server 2008 R2, and then how to configure the template to include the necessary tasks to install and register the InfiniBand device drivers.

Note


If you are using Windows HPC Server 2008, the general procedure is similar. However, there are small differences in the user interface.

To create and configure the node template

  1. If HPC Cluster Manager is not already open on the head node, open it. Click Start, point to All Programs, click Microsoft HPC Pack, and then click HPC Cluster Manager.

  2. In the Deployment To-do List, click Create a node template. The Create Node Template Wizard appears.

  3. On the Choose Node Template Type page, select Compute node template, and then click Next.

  4. On the Specify Template Name page, type a descriptive name for the template, and then click Next.

  5. On the Select Deployment Type page, click With operating system, and then click Next.

  6. If the operating system image that you want to use for your deployment is already listed in the Image Name list, click that image and then jump to step 10. If you want to use a different operating system image, on the Select Operating System Image page, click Add Image.

    Important


    If you have a Windows HPC Server 2008 cluster, you must choose an operating system image for your deployment that is based on Windows Server 2008 HPC Edition, or another 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008. If you have a Windows HPC Server 2008 R2 cluster, you can choose an operating system image for your deployment that is based on Windows Server 2008 R2 or on a 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008.

  7. In 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 the edition of Windows Server that you want to use for your deployment.

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

  9. After the image is added, in the Image Name list, click the image that you want to use with the template.

  10. Optionally, specify if you want to multicast the operating system image during deployment. For information about how to prepare for multicast, see Step 1: Prepare for Your Deployment (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=201563), in the Design and Deployment Guide for Windows HPC Server 2008 R2.

  11. Optionally, specify if you want to include a product key to activate the operating system on the nodes, and then type the product key that should be used.

  12. On the Specify Local Administrator Password for Compute Node page, select if you want to specify a password for the local administrator account on the compute nodes, and then click Next.

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

  14. On the Review page, click Create.

  15. After the new node template has been created, in Configuration, in the Navigation Pane, click Node Templates.

  16. In the views pane, double-click the node template that you created. The Node Template Editor dialog box appears.

  17. To add a task that will register the NetworkDirect device driver on each compute node, click Add Task, point to Deployment, and then click Run OS command.

  18. Specify the following properties for the new task:

    • Set the Continue On Failure property to True.

    • Optionally, in the text box for the Comment property, type a description for the task. For example: Installs NetworkDirect provider.

    • In the text box for the Command property, type the following command:

      C:\Windows\System32\ndinstall -i

    The following image shows a node template after it has been configured:

    Node template properties after configuration

  19. To save the node template with the new task, click Save.