Step 1: Create a Workstation Node Template

  • Article

Before workstation nodes can be added, you must create a workstation node template. A workstation node template is used to do the following:

  • Add workstation computers to the cluster as workstation nodes

  • Specify the availability policy of the workstation nodes (that is, how and when workstation nodes are available to run cluster jobs)

In a cluster running at least HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP1, user activity detection settings can be configured in a workstation node template that do the following:

  • Restrict the workstation nodes that are brought online to run HPC jobs during an online time block only to those workstation computers where the keyboard and mouse have been inactive for a specified period of time

  • Further restrict the workstation nodes that are used to those computers where CPU usage is below a specified level

Note

If your cluster is running at least HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP3, you can use the identical procedure to create a node template to add unmanaged servers (computers that run the Windows Server operating system but are not dedicated cluster resources) to the cluster. For more information, see Adding Unmanaged Servers to a Windows HPC Cluster.

To create a workstation node template

  1. If HPC Cluster Manager is not already open on the head node, open it.

  2. In Configuration, in the Navigation Pane, click Node Templates.

  3. In the Actions pane, click New. The Create Node Template Wizard appears.

  4. On the Choose Node Template Type page, click Workstation and unmanaged server node template, and then click Next.

  5. On the Specify Template Name page, type a name for the new workstation node template, and optionally type a description for it. Click Next to continue.

  6. On the Configure Availability Policy page, select how you want workstation nodes to be brought online and offline:

    1. If you want the nodes to be brought online and offline manually, select that option, and then click Next. Go to the last step in this procedure.

    2. If you want the nodes to be brought online and offline automatically, select that option, and then click Configure Availability Policy. The Configure Workstation Availability Policy dialog box appears.

    3. In the Configure Workstation Availability Policy dialog box, click and drag the mouse to select the days and hours at which nodes are online (available to run cluster jobs) and offline (not available to run cluster jobs).

    4. Optionally, specify the number of minutes before the nodes are taken offline, when no new jobs will be started on the workstation nodes.

    5. Optionally, if you are creating the node template by using at least HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP1 and you want to configure user activity detection settings to restrict the workstation nodes that are brought online during an online time block, do the following:

      1. If you are running at least HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP2, first click the User Activity Detection tab. Otherwise, continue following the steps in this procedure.

      2. Select the option to only use workstation nodes if no keyboard or mouse input is detected for a specified number of minutes, and select the number of minutes of inactivity before the workstations can run jobs.

      3. To further restrict the workstations nodes that are used by their level of CPU usage, select that option and specify the CPU usage percentage below which the nodes can run jobs.

      Important

      User activity detection settings should only be configured in a cluster that contains workstation nodes on which at least HPC Pack 2008 R2 with SP1 is or will be installed.

    6. To save your settings, click OK, and then click Next.

  7. To create the workstation node template, on the Review page, click Create.

See Also

Adding Workstation Nodes to a Windows HPC Cluster
Steps for Adding Workstation Nodes to a Windows HPC Cluster
Understanding the Workstation Node and Unmanaged Server Node Availability Policy
Understanding User Activity Detection