Understanding Node Configuration and Management: Manual Discovery
Intended for use with Cassatt Active Response V5.0.
Automatic node discovery is a key time-saving feature of Cassatt Active Response utility computing (and is described in Understanding Automation: Node Discovery, Inventory, and Quarantine). However, the hardware you are using may prohibit you from taking advantage of automatic discovery. Similarly, your site may have other requirements that prohibit your using automatic discovery; in either case, you can use the manual discovery method to get hardware under Cassatt Active Response management.
This article describes when and why you'd use manual discovery and how it works.
If you are creating manually-allocated tiers, procedures for getting nodes and power controllers under Cassatt Active Response management are quite different; for instructions, see Manually Allocated Tiers: Configuration and Management.
Automatic versus manual discovery
With the automatic discovery option enabled in the Controller, Cassatt Active Response automatically responds to DHCP requests from integrated power controllers on application nodes and "discovers" hardware without user intervention. When you disable automatic discovery, you can use the manual discovery method; this involves manually adding nodes and power controller information in the Controller. As a manual process, it is more time-consuming, and puts the responsibility on you to correctly enter hardware information (IP addresses, MAC addresses, number of outlets, user names, and passwords). However, Cassatt Active Response supports adding hardware using a configuration file, so the process is less burdensome. After Cassatt Active Response discovers the hardware you've entered manually, Cassatt Active Response acts as the DHCP server and dynamically allocates IP addresses for node management—just as it does for automatic discovery.
Manual discovery is always an option when using Cassatt Active Response, and is required in the following circumstances:
- Nodes with external power controllers – Cassatt Active Response can manage nodes with external power controllers after you manually enter power controller IP addresses, outlets, and user names and passwords in the Controller. Cassatt Active Response discovers the power controllers, you add nodes, and then associate the nodes with the power controllers.
- Nodes without power controllers – Cassatt Active Response manages nodes without power controllers by creating a "virtual" power controller on the application node. Although this solution is useful for utilizing old hardware, and may be acceptable for specific machines, the downside is that Cassatt Active Response cannot turn off the nodes—so power savings cannot be realized.
- You don't want Cassatt Active Response to dynamically allocate IP addresses to the power controller interface – when Cassatt Active Response acts as the
DHCP server, it answers DHCP requests
and uses this information to discover and pool server
resources. If your site prohibits Cassatt Active Response from dynamically allocating IP addresses to the power controller interface to manage application nodes, automatic discovery must be turned off. Not only are you then required to use manual discovery, but it also means that you must manually handle all incoming hardware, replacement hardware, and updated hardware components across your Cassatt Active Response environment. This certainly works, but it bypasses much of the cost savings associated with utility computing.
Manual discovery steps: nodes with power controllers
This section describes the high-level steps for manual discovery for application nodes with integrated power controllers or external power controllers.
Steps |
Main task |
What's Involved |
1 |
Turn off automatic discovery |
In the Controller, go to: Discovered Pool > Properties and turn off automatic discovery. |
2 |
Set up networks and IP addresses |
- In the Controller, set up networks where power controllers will reside. You can use any network outside Cassatt Active Response, or any network that has been defined in Cassatt Active Response with a gateway address.
- If the IP address of the node is inside the Cassatt Active Response network DHCP range or in another network managed by Cassatt Active Response, reserve the IP address in the Controller so that Cassatt Active Response does not assign it to another device.
|
3 |
Cable and connect hardware |
- If using external power controllers, connect application nodes to the power controller.
- Connect application nodes to the appropriate network switch.
|
4 |
Configure power controllers and application nodes for Cassatt Active Response management |
Configuration of power controllers and application nodes for management by Cassatt Active Response varies by type of power controllers (integrated or external) and by vendor. The following settings are typical of what you'll configure on the power controller/application node: network access (SNMP), user authentication (username and password), enable DHCP, enable PXE, "network" set first in the boot order. |
5 |
Enter power controller data in the Controller and verify that Cassatt Active Response discovers the power controller(s) |
- In the Controller, go to: Discovered Pool > Power Controllers > New Power Controller. If you are adding a number of power controllers, you can save time by importing them in a comma-separated configuration file.
- Complete the New Power Controller wizard. During the wizard, you'll specify the power controller type (for example: APC, Cyber Switching Dualcom, Dell DRAC/ERA, HP iLO, IBM BCMM, IBM RSA2), and the MAC address or IP address of the power controller.
- On the Power Controller page, verify that Cassatt Active Response has finished discovering each power controller.
|
6 |
(External power controllers only)
Add application nodes to power controllers
|
- In the Controller, go to: Discovered Pool > Power Controllers.
- Select power controller link > Associated Nodes > Add Nodes and complete the wizard.
- On the Nodes list, verify that the nodes are discovered.
The nodes are now ready for inventory.
|
Manual discovery steps: nodes without power controllers
This section describes the high-level steps for manual discovery of application nodes without power controllers. Note that application nodes
using the virtual power image consume electricity continuously, even when they are not performing
useful work.
Steps |
Main task |
What's Involved |
1 |
Enter virtual power controller data into the Controller and verify that Cassatt Active Response discovers the power controller(s) |
- In the Controller, create the virtual power controller: Discovered Pool > Power Controllers > New Power Controller.
- In the wizard, specify "Virtual" for Type, and for the "MAC address," specify the MAC address for the boot NIC on the application node.
- Verify that the virtual power controller completes discovery.
|
2 |
Connect hardware |
Connect application nodes to the appropriate network switch. |
3 |
Configure application nodes |
Configure application nodes to DCHP, enable PXE, "network" first in the boot sequence. |
4 |
Add application nodes to virtual power controllers |
- From the Power Controllers tab, select virtual power controller link > Nodes > Associated Nodes > Add Node(s) and complete the wizard.
- Boot or reboot the node(s).
- On the Nodes list, verify that nodes are discovered.
Nodes are now ready for inventory.
|
Where to go next?
If your site policies or hardware dictate using manual discovery, detailed instructions are available in: Application Node Setup: Nodes that Use External Power Controllers and Application Node Setup: Virtual Power Controllers.
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