KestrelHPC

Documentation - Installation

Minimum Requirements

• A minimum of 1 computer with Debian or Ubuntu installed to act a the frontend of the Cluster. This frontend, needs at least 1 Net interface. The tipical case is to have 2 NET interfaces. 1 NET interface for the internal NET and the other interface to have an exit to the world, Internet.

  This frontend will have a DHCP server for the internat NET so an extra care is needed in order not to have problems between the different DHCP servers

• The computers that are going to be slave nodes, don't have to be homogeneus (same hardware) don't need even a HD. They need a NET interface and have the BIOS configured to boot from it.

Installation

• Download and install

Configuration

• Edit the KestrelHPC config file

  $ sudo editor /etc/kestrel/kestrel.conf

  # Frontend's ip
  FRONTEND_IP=192.168.30.1
  FRONTEND_NETMASK=255.255.255.0
  
  # IP range of the DHCP service
  DHCP_STARTING_IP=192.168.30.2
  DHCP_ENDING_IP=192.168.30.255

  Note: The frontend's IP should be static.

  • Set up with the Network Manager (Graphical User Interface) on a Desktop computer
  • Set up with /etc/network/interfaces

• Available options : See Configuration page

• Apply the new configuration

  $ sudo kestrel-reconfigure --all

Create a node image

• Create an image for the nodes :

  $ sudo kestrel-images --new image1

  Detecting host :
  [...]
  Creating image
  [...]
  Installing extra software
  [...]
  Executing install scripts
  [...]
  Executing configure scripts
  [...]
  

Register users

• Add a user to the cluster :

  $ sudo kestrel-users --add-to-cluster jonan

  Adding user `jonan' to group `kestrel' ...
  Adding user jonan to group kestrel
  Done.

Register nodes

• Register some nodes :
  1. Turn on the slave nodes that we want to add to this group.
  2. Press control+c to finish

  $ sudo kestrel-control --register group1

  Turn now on the nodes to add them to the group "image1"
  
  Press crtl+c when you are done
  
  The node "kestrel-group1-1" was already registered
  
  	mac : 08:00:27:08:f3:b6
  	ip  : 192.168.30.226
  
  The node "kestrel-group1-2" was already registered
  
  	mac : 1b:52:27:b6:5c:f3
  	ip  : 192.168.30.227
  
  ^C

  Configure the BIOS of each node to boot from PXE.

At this point you should now have a functional Beowulf cluster. You can test it with

Jump into the Tutorial to learn the basics