Sp Boot/Install Server Requirements - IBM RS/6000 SP Handbook

SP Boot/Install server requirements

For the SP Ethernet topology, you should consider your network install server
requirements. The network install process uses the SP Ethernet for transferring
the install image from the install server to the SP nodes. Running lots of
concurrent network installs can exceed the capacity of the SP Ethernet. The
following are suggested guidelines for designing the SP Ethernet topology for
efficient network installs. Many of the configuration options will require additional
network hardware beyond the minimal node and control workstation
requirements.There are also network addressing issues to consider.
The following requirements exist for all configurations:
Each boot-install server's en0 Ethernet adapter must be directly connected to
each of the control workstations' Ethernet adapters.
The Ethernet adapter configured as en0 must always be in the SP node's
lowest hardware slot of all Ethernets.
The NIM clients that are served by boot-install servers must be on the same
subnet as the boot-install server's Ethernet adapter.
NIM clients must have a route to the control workstation over the SP Ethernet.
The control workstation must have a route to the NIM clients over the SP
Ethernet.
Single frame systems
For small systems, you can use the control workstation as the network install
server. This means that the SP Ethernet is a single network connecting all nodes
to the control workstation. When installing the nodes, you should limit yourself to
installing eight nodes at a time because this is the limit of acceptable throughput
on the Ethernet. Figure B-6 on page 399 shows an Ethernet topology for a
single-frame system.
398 RS/6000 SP and Clustered IBM ^ pSeries Systems Handbook