Configuration Constraints

The configuration of an HP Cluster Platform is flexible, so that it can support several different operating environments. To support HPCS, a cluster must have the following specific characteristics:

The cluster consists of a single head node and a number of compute nodes.
Only servers (not workstations) are supported as the head node or compute nodes.
The head node requires an optical drive.
Nodes can differ by model, providing the models have identical CPU type and memory and I/O configurations, compliant with the basic system requirements for HP Cluster Platform. Clusters configured this way can support the concept of grouping servers into pools of up to four pools (pool one through pool four).
Only the following types of system interconnects are supported as the high-speed Message Passing Interface (MPI) network:
- InfiniBand, which is typically employed in clusters that require a dedicated high-speed MPI network, segregating job traffic from cluster administration and job management traffic.
- Gigabit Ethernet, which might be employed for a dedicated MPI network, or as an in-band network where cluster administration and job management traffic passes over the same network used for the MPI traffic.
The HP Cluster Platform concept of separate console and administrative networks does not apply where HPCS is employed as the operating environment.

Maximum System Limits

In this release of HPCS, supported HP Cluster Platform configurations are constrained as follows:

HP Cluster Platform Express is constrained to clusters ranging from 5 to 33 nodes.
HP Cluster Platform is constrained to clusters ranging from 5 to 512 nodes for CP3000 and CP4000 models. Models employing blade and c-Class blade servers are constrained to 1024 nodes.
InfiniBand interconnect Single Data Rate (SDR) and Double Data Rate (DDR).

Configuration Constraints

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Maximum System Limits