Deploying iSCSI Boot Nodes in a Windows HPC Cluster

Starting in Microsoft HPC Pack 2008 R2, you can centralize the storage of boot images of your HPC cluster compute nodes by using iSCSI storage arrays. An iSCSI storage array is a computer, storage system, or appliance that provides storage resources over a network connection, using the iSCSI protocol.

By using iSCSI storage arrays, the compute nodes in your cluster do not require a local hard disk drive to serve as a system disk. Instead, the nodes can use the storage resources on the storage arrays to boot a Windows operating system running HPC Pack over the network. Compute nodes that use the storage resources on the storage array to boot over iSCSI are called iSCSI boot nodes.

This guide provides step-by-step procedures for deploying iSCSI boot nodes in your HPC cluster.

In this guide

This guide includes the following sections:

• Requirements for Deploying iSCSI Boot Nodes with Microsoft HPC Pack

• Steps for Deploying iSCSI Boot Nodes with Microsoft HPC Pack

  • Step 1: Install the iSCSI Provider on the Head Node

  • Step 2: Configure the iSCSI Provider

  • Step 3: Add the iSCSI Storage Arrays

  • Step 4: Add Nodes for iSCSI Deployment

  • Step 5: Deploy the Base Node

  • Step 6: Modify the Base Node

  • Step 7: Create a Base Node Image

  • Step 8: Create a Node Template for the iSCSI Boot Nodes

  • Step 9: Deploy iSCSI Boot Nodes