The integrated cluster and frontend installation is the default operation of SIA, but can be specified explicitly with the --install-all option. It works as follows:

For other operation modes, such to install specific components on the local machine, please refer to Appendix A, Self-Installing Archive (SIA) Reference.

Log into the chosen installation machine, become root and make sure that the SIA file is stored in a directory with write access (/tmp is fine). Execute the script:

# sh DIS_install_<version>.sh

The script will ask questions to retrieve information for the installation. You will notice that all questions are Yes/no questions, and that the default answer is marked by a capital letter, which can be chosen by just pressing Enter. A typical installation looks like this:

[root@scimple tmp]# sh DIS_install_3.3.0.sh
Verifying archive integrity... All good.
Uncompressing Dolphin DIS 3.3.0
#* Logfile is /tmp/DIS_install.log_140 on tiger-0

#*
#+ Dolphin ICS - Software installation (version: 1.52 $ of: 2007/11/09 16:31:32 $)
#+

#* Installing a full cluster (nodes and frontend) .

#* This script will install Dolphin Express drivers, tools and services
#+ on all nodes of the cluster and on the frontend node.
#+
#+ All available options of this script are shown with option '--help'

# >>> OK to proceed with cluster installation? [Y/n]y

# >>> Will the local machine <tiger-0> serve as frontend? [Y/n]y

The default choice is to use the local machine as frontend. If you answer n, the installer will ask you for the hostname of the designated frontend machine. Each cluster needs its own frontend machine.

Please note that the complete installation is logged to a file which is shown at the very top (here: /tmp/DIS_install.log_140). In case of installation problems, this file is very useful to Dolphin support.

#* NOTE: Cluster configuration files can be specified now, or be generated
#+ ..... during the installation.
# >>> Do you have a 'dishosts.conf' file that you want to use for installation? [y/N]n

Because this is the initial installation, no installed configuration files could be found. If you have prepared or received configuration files, they can be specified now by answering y. In this case, no GUI application needs to run during the installation, allowing for a shell-only installation.

For the default answer, the hostnames of the nodes need to be specified (see below), and the cluster configuration is created later on using the GUI application dishostseditor.

#* NOTE:
#+ No cluster configuration file (dishosts.conf) available.
#+ You can now specify the nodes that are attached to the Dolphin
#+ Express interconnect. The necessary configuration files can then
#+ be created based on this list of nodes.
#+
#+ Please enter hostname or IP addresses of the nodes one per line.
#* When done, enter a single full period ('.').
#+ (proposed hostname is given in [brackets])
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> []tiger-1
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-2]
-> tiger-2
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-3]
-> tiger-3
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-4]
-> tiger-4
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-5]
-> tiger-5
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-6]
-> tiger-6
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-7]
-> tiger-7
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-8]
-> tiger-8
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-9]
-> tiger-9
# >>> node hostname/IP address <full period '.' when done> [tiger-10].

The hostnames or IP-addresses of all nodes need to be entered. The installer suggests the hostnames if possible in brackets. To accept a suggestion, just press Enter. Otherwise, enter the hostname or IP address. The data entered is verified to represent an accessible hostname. If a node has multiple IP addresses / hostnames, make sure you specify the one that is visible for the installation machine and the frontend.

When all hostnames are entered, enter a single full period . to finish.

#* NOTE:
#+ The kernel modules need to be built on a machine with the same kernel
#* version and architecture of the interconnect node. By default, the first
#* given interconnect node is used for this. You can specify another build
#* machine now.
# >>> Build kernel modules on node tiger-1 ? [Y/n]y

If you answer n at this point, you can enter the hostname of another machine on which the kernel modules are built. Make sure it matches the nodes for CPU architecture and kernel version.

# >>> Can you access all machines (local and remote) via password-less ssh? [Y/n]y

The installer will later on verify if the password-less ssh access actually works. If you answer n, the installer will set up password-less ssh for you on all nodes and the frontend. You will need to enter the root password once for each node and the password.

The password-less ssh access remain active after the installation. To disable it again, remove the file /root/.ssh/authorized_keys from all nodes and the frontend.

#* NOTE:
#+ It is recommnended that interconnect nodes are rebooted after the
#+ initial driver installation to ensure that large memory allocations will succeed.
#+ You can omitt this reboot, or do it anytime later if necesary.
# >>> Reboot all interconnect nodes (tiger-1 tiger-2 tiger-3 tiger-4 tiger-5 tiger-6 tiger-7 tiger-8 tiger-9)? [y/N]n

For optimal performance, the low-level driver needs to allocate some amount of kernel memory. This allocation can fail on a system that has been under load for a long time. If you are not installing on a live system, rebooting the nodes is therefore offered here. You can perform the reboot manually later on to achieve the same effect.

If chosen, the reboot will be performed by the installer without interrupting the installation procedure.

#* NOTE:
#+ About to INSTALL Dolphin Express interconnect drivers on these nodes:
... tiger-1
... tiger-2
... tiger-3
... tiger-4
... tiger-5
... tiger-6
... tiger-7
... tiger-8
... tiger-9
#+ About to BUILD Dolphin Express interconnect drivers on this node:
... tiger-1
#+ About to install management and control services on the frontend machine:
... tiger-0
#* Installing to default target path /opt/DIS on all machines
.. (or the current installation path if this is an update installation).
# >>> OK to proceed? [Y/n]y

The installer presents an installation summary and asks for confirmation. If you answer n at this point, the installer will exit and the installation needs to be restarted.

#* NOTE:
#+ Testing ssh-access to all cluster nodes and gathering configuration.
#+
#+ If you are asked for a password, the ssh access to this node without
#+ password is not working. In this case, you need to interrupt with CTRL-c
#+ and restart the script answering 'no' to the intial question about ssh.
... testing ssh to tiger-1
... testing ssh to tiger-2
... testing ssh to tiger-3
... testing ssh to tiger-4
... testing ssh to tiger-5
... testing ssh to tiger-6
... testing ssh to tiger-7
... testing ssh to tiger-8
... testing ssh to tiger-9
#+ OK: ssh access is working
#+ OK: nodes are homogenous
#* OK: found 1 interconnect fabric(s).

#* Testing ssh to other nodes
... testing ssh to tiger-1
... testing ssh to tiger-0
... testing ssh to tiger-0
#* OK.

The ssh-access is tested, and some basic information is gathered from the nodes to verify that the nodes are homogeneous and equipped with at least on Dolphin Express adapter and meet the other requirements. If a required RPM package was missing, it would be indicated here with the option to install it (if yum can be used), or to fix the problem manually and retry.

If the test for homogeneous nodes failes, please refer to section Section 2, “Installation of a Heterogeneous Cluster” for information on how to install the software stack.

#* Building node RPM packages on tiger-1 in /tmp/tmp.AEgiO27908
#+ This will take some minutes...
#* Logfile is /tmp/DIS_install.log_983 on tiger-1

#* OK, node RPMs have been built.

#* Building frontend RPM packages on scimple in /tmp/tmp.dQdwS17511
#+ This will take some minutes...
#* Logfile is /tmp/DIS_install.log_607 on scimple

#* OK, frontend RPMs have been built.

#* Copying RPMs that have been built:
/tmp/frontend_RPMS/Dolphin-NetworkAdmin-3.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm
/tmp/frontend_RPMS/Dolphin-NetworkHosts-3.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm
/tmp/frontend_RPMS/Dolphin-SISCI-devel-3.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm
/tmp/frontend_RPMS/Dolphin-NetworkManager-3.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm
/tmp/node_RPMS/Dolphin-SISCI-3.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm
/tmp/node_RPMS/Dolphin-SISCI-devel-3.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm
/tmp/node_RPMS/Dolphin-SCI-3.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm
/tmp/node_RPMS/Dolphin-SuperSockets-3.3.0-1.x86_64.rpm

The binary RPM packages matching the nodes and frontend are built and copied to the directory from where the installer was invoked. They are placed into the subdirectories node_RPMS and frontend_RPMS for later use (see the SIA option --use-rpms).

#* To install/update the Dolphin Express services like SuperSockets, all running
#+ Dolphin Express services needs to be stopped. This requires that all user
#+ applications using SuperSockets (if any) need to be stopped NOW.
# >>> Stop all DolpinExpress services (SuperSockets) NOW? [Y/n]y

#* OK: all Dolphin Express services (if any) stopped for upgrade.

On an initial installation, there will be no user applications using SuperSockets, so you can easily answer y right away.

#* Installing node tiger-1
#* OK.
#* Installing node tiger-2
#* OK.
#* Installing node tiger-3
#* OK.
#* Installing node tiger-4
#* OK.
#* Installing node tiger-5
#* OK.
#* Installing node tiger-6
#* OK.
#* Installing node tiger-7
#* OK.
#* Installing node tiger-8
#* OK.
#* Installing node tiger-9
#* OK.
#* Installing machine scimple as frontend.
#* NOTE:
#+ You need to create the cluster configuration files 'dishosts.conf'
#+ and 'networkmanager.conf' using the graphical tool 'dishostseditor'
#+ which will be launched now.
#+
#+ If the interconnect cables are not yet installed, you can create
#+ detailed cabling instruction within this tool (File -> Get Cabling Instructions).
#+ Then install the cables while this script is waiting.

# >>> Are all cables connected, and do all LEDs on the SCI adapters light green? [Y/n]

The nodes get installed and drivers and the node manager are started. Then, the basic packages are installed on the frontend, and the dishostseditor application is launched to create the required configuration files /etc/dis/dishosts.conf and /etc/dis/networkmanager.conf if they do not already exist. The script will wait at this point until the configuration files have been created with disthostseditor, and until you confirm that all cables have been connected according to the cabling instructions. This is described in the next section.

For typical problems at this point of the installation, please refer to Chapter 11, FAQ.

dishostseditor is a GUI tool that helps gathering the cluster configuration (and is used to create the cluster configuration file /etc/dis/dishosts.conf and the network manager configuration file /etc/dis/networkmanager.conf). A few global interconnect properties need to be set, and the position of each node within the interconnect topology needs to be specified.

3.3.1. Cluster Edit

When dishostseditor is launched, it first displays a dialog box where the global interconnect properties need to be specified (see Figure 4.1, “Cluster Edit dialog of dishostseditor”).

Figure 4.1. Cluster Edit dialog of dishostseditor

3.3.1.1. Topology

The dialog will let you enter the selected topology information (number of nodes in X-, Y- and Z- dimension) according to the topology type you selected. The product of all nodes in every dimension needs to be equal (for regular topologies) or less (for irregular topology variants).

The number of fabrics needs to be set to the minimum number of adapters in every node.

The topology settings should already be correct by default if dishostseditor is launched by the installation script. If the cables are not yet mounted (which is the recommended way of doing it), you simply choose the settings that matches the way you plan to install.

However, if the cables are already in place, it is critical to verify that the actual cable installation matches the dimensions shown here if you install a cluster with a 2D- or 3D-torus interconnect topology. I.e., a 12 node cluster can be set up as 3 by 4 or 4 by 3 or even 2 by 6, the setup script cannot verify that the cabling matches the dimensions that you selected. Remember that link 0 on the adapter boards (the one where the plug is right on the PCB of the adapter board) is mapped to the X-dimension, and link 1 on the adapter board (the one where the plug is on the piggy-back board) is mapped to the Y-dimension.

3.3.1.. SuperSockets Network Address

If your cluster operates within its own subnet and you want all nodes within this subnet to use SuperSockets (having Dolphin Express installed), you can simplify the configuration by specifying the address of this subnet in this dialog. To do so, activate the Network Address field and enter the cluster IP subnet address including the mask. I.e., if all your node communicate via an IP interface with the address 192.168.4.*, you would enter 192.168.4.0/8 here.

SuperSockets will try to use the Dolphin Express for any node in this subnet when it connects to another node of this subnet. If using Dolphin Express is not possible, i.e. because one or both nodes are only equipped with an Ethernet interface, SuperSockets will automatically fall back to Ethernet. Also, if a node gets assigned a new IP address within this subnet, you don't need to change the SuperSockets configuration. Assigning more than one subnet to SuperSockets is also possible, but this type of configuration is not yet supported by dishostseditor. See section ??? on how to edit dishosts.conf accordingly.

This type of configuration is required if the same node can be assigned varying IP addresses over time, as it is done for fail-over purposes where one machine takes over the identity of a machine that has failed. For standard setups where the assignment of IP addresses to nodes is static, it is recommended to not use this type of configuration, but instead use the default static SuperSockets configuration type.

3.3.1.3. Status Notification

In case you want to be informed on any change of the interconnect status (i.e. an interconnect link was disabled due to errors, or a node has gone down and the interconnect traffic was rerouted), active the checkbox Alert target and enter the alert target and the alert script to be executed. The default alert script is alert.sh and will send an e-mail to the address specified as alert target.

Other alert scripts can be created and used, which may require another type of alert target (i.e. a cell phone number to send an SMS). For more information on using status notification, please refer to Chapter 10, Advanced Topics,Section 1, “Notification on Interconnect Status Changes”.

3.3.2. Node Arrangement

In the next step, the main pane of the dishostseditor will present the nodes in the cluster arranged in the topology that was selected in the previous dialog. To change this topology and other general interconnect settings, you can always click Edit in the Cluster Configuration area which will bring up the Cluster Edit dialog again.

If the font settings of your X server cause dishostseditor to print unreadable characters, you can change the font size and the type with the drop-down box at the top of the windows, next to the floppy disk icon.

Figure 4.2. Main dialog of dishostseditor

At this point, you need to arrange the nodes (marked by their hostnames) such that the placement of each node in the torus as shown by dishostseditor matches its placement in the physical torus. You do this by assigning the correct hostname for each node by double-clicking its node icon which will open the configuration dialog of this node. In this dialog, select the correct machine name, which is the hostname as seen from the frontend, from the drop-down list. You can also type a hostname if a hostname that you specified during the installation was wrong.

Figure 4.3. Node dialog of dishostseditor

After you have assigned the correct hostname to this machine, you may need to configure SuperSockets on this node. If you selected the Network Address in the cluster configuration dialog (see above), then SuperSockets will use this subnet address and will not allow for editing this property on the nodes. Otherwise, you can choose between 3 different options for each of the currently supported 2 SuperSockets-accelerated IP interfaces per node:

disable

Do not use SuperSockets. If you set this option for both fields, SuperSockets can not be used with this node, although the related kernel modules will still be loaded.

static

Enter the hostname or IP address for which SuperSockets should be used. This hostname or IP address will be statically assigned to this physical node (its Dolphin Express interconnect adapter).

Choosing a static socket means that the mapping between the node (its adapters) and the specified hostname/IP address is static and will be specified within the configuration file dishosts.conf. All nodes will use this identical file (which is automatically distributed from the frontend to the nodes by the network manager) to perform this mapping.

This option works fine if the nodes in your cluster don't change their IP addresses over time and is recommend as it does not incur any name resolution overhead.

dynamic

Enter the hostname or IP address for which SuperSockets should be used. This hostname or IP address will be dynamically resolved to the Dolphin Express interconnect adapter that is installed in the machine with this hostname/IP address. SuperSockets will therefore resolve the mapping between adapters and hostnames/IP addresses dynamically. This incurs a certain initial overhead when the first connection between two nodes is set up and in some other specific cases.

This option is similar to using a subnet (see Section 3.3.1., “SuperSockets Network Address”), but resolves only the explicitly specified IP addresses (for all nodes) and not all possible IP addresses of a subnet. Use this option if nodes change their IP addresses or node identities move between physical machines, i.e. in a fail-over setup.

If the cables are already connected, please proceed with section Section 3.4.2, “Verifying the Cabling”.

The cables can be installed while nodes are powered up. The setup script will wait with a question for you to continue:

# >>> Are all cables connected, and do all LEDs on the SCI adapters ligtht green? [Y/n] 

3.4.1. Connecting the Dolphin D cables

Please proceed by connecting the nodes as described by the cabling instructions generated by the dishostseditor. The cabling instructions refer to link 0 and link 1 if you are using D352 adapters (for 2D-torus topology), and channel A and channel B in case of D350 adapters being used (for dual-channel operation). Each of the two links/channels will form an independent ring with its adjacent adapters, and thus has an IN and OUT connector to connect to these adjacent adapters. It is critical that you correctly locate the different links/channels on the back of the card, and the IN and OUT connectors.

For D352 (D350), link 0 (channel A) is formed by the connectors that are directly connected to the PCB (printed circuit board) of the adapter, while the connectors for link 1 (channel B) are located on the piggy-back board. This is illustrated in Figure 4.4, “Location of link 0 and link 1 on D352 adapter”and Figure 4.5, “Location of channel A and channel B on D350 adapter”, respectively. For both links (channels), the IN connectors are located at the lower end of the adapter, and the OUT connectors at the top of the adapter. The D351 adapter has only a single link (0), and the same location of IN and OUT connectors.

Figure 4.4. Location of link 0 and link 1 on D352 adapter

Figure 4.5. Location of channel A and channel B on D350 adapter

Please consider the hints below for connecting the cables:

• Never apply force:

  • The plugs of the cable will move into the sockets easily. Make sure the orientation is correct.

  • The cables have a minimum bend diameter of 5cm.

    Note

    This specification applies to black All-Best cables (part number D706), but not to the grey CHH cables (part number D707). With the CHH cables, the minimum bend diameter is 10cm.

• Fasten evenly. When fastening the screws of the plugs, make sure you fasten both lightly before tightening them. Do not tighten only one screw of the plug, and then the other one, as this is likely to tilt the plug within the connector.

• Fasten gently. Use a torque screw driver if possible, and apply a maximum of 0.4 Nm. As a rule of thumb: do not apply more torque with the screw driver than you possibly could using only your finger (if there was enough space to grip the screw).

• Observe LEDs: When an adapter has both input and output of a link connected to it's neighboring adapter, the LED should turn green and emit a steady light (not blinking).

• Don't mix up links: When using a 2D-torus topology, it is important not to connect link 0 of one adapter with link 1 of another adapter. As decribed above, link 0 is the left pair of connectors on the Dolphin Express SCI interconnect adapter when the adapter is placed in a vertical position. In order to determine a left side this you may hold the Dolphin Express interconnect adapter in a vertical position:

  • the blue "O" (indicating the OUT port) should be located at the top.

  • LEDs are also placed on the top of the adapter

  • the PCI/PCI-X/PCI-Express bus connector is mounted on the lower side of the adapter

  The left pair of connectors on the Dolphin Express interconnect adapter is what we refer to as Link 0. Link 1 is the right pair of connectors on the Dolphin Express interconnect adapter when the adapter is placed in a vertical position.

  Note

  If the links have been mixed up, the LED will still turn green, but packet routing will fail. The cabling test of sciadmin will reveal such cabling errors.

Once the cables are connected, no more user interaction is required. Please confirm that all cables are connected and all LEDs are green, and the installation will proceed. The network manager will be started on the frontend, configuring all cluster nodes according to the configuration specified in dishosts.conf. After this, a number of tests are run on the cluster to verify that the interconnect was set up correctly and delivers the expected performance. You will see output like this:

#* NOTE: checking for cluster configuration to take effect:
... node tiger-1:
... node tiger-2:
... node tiger-3:
... node tiger-4:
... node tiger-5:
... node tiger-6:
... node tiger-7:
... node tiger-8:
... node tiger-9:
#* OK. 

#* Installing remaining frontend packages

#* NOTE:
#+ To compile SISCI applications (like NMPI), the SISCI-devel RPM needs to be
#+ installed. It is located in the frontend_RPMS and node_RPMS directories.

#* OK. 

If no problems are reported (like in the example above), you are done with the installation and can start to use your Dolphin Express accelerated cluster. Otherwise, refer to the next subsections and Section 3.7, “Interconnect Validation using the management GUI” to learn about the individual tests and how to fix problems reported by each test.

#* NOTE: Testing static interconnect connectivity between nodes.
... node tiger-1:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED*
... node tiger-2:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED*
... node tiger-3:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED*
... node tiger-4:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED*
... node tiger-5:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED*
... node tiger-6:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED*
... node tiger-7:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED*
... node tiger-8:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED*
... node tiger-9:
TEST RESULT: *PASSED* 

#* NOTE: Verifying SuperSockets configuration on all nodes.
#+ No SuperSocket configuration problems found.

#* NOTE:
#+ Verifying SuperSockets performance for tiger-2 (testing via tiger-1).
#+ Checking Ethernet performance
... single-byte latency: 56.63 us
#+ Checking Dolphin Express SuperSockets performance
... single-byte latency: 3.00 us
... Latency rating: Very good. SuperSockets are working well.
#+ SuperSockets performance tests done. 

#* OK: Cluster installation completed.

#+ Remember to use LD_PRELOAD=libksupersockets.so for all applications that
#+ should use Dolphin Express SuperSockets.
# >>> Do you want to start the GUI tool for interconnect adminstration (sciadmin)? [y/N]n

#* RPM packages that were used for installation are stored in
#+ /tmp/node_PRMS and /tmp/frontend_PRMS. 

If for some reason the installation was not successful, you can easily and safely repeat it by simply invoking the SIA again. Please consider:

If you still fail to install the software successfully, you should contact Dolphin support. Please provide all installation logfiles. Every installation attempt creates a differently named logfile; it's name is printed at the very beginning of the installation. Please also include the configuration files that can be found in /etc/dis on the frontend.

Dolphin provides a graphical tool named sciadmin. sciadmin serves as a single-point-of-control and manage the Dolphin Express interconnect in your cluster. It shows an overview of the status of all adapters and links of a cluster and allows to perform detailed status queries. It also provides means to manually control the interconnect, inspect and set options and perform interconnect tests. For a complete description of sciadmin, please refer to Appendix B, sciadmin Reference. Here, we will only describe how to use sciadmin to verify the newly installed Dolphin Express interconnect.

After the Dolphin Express hard- and software has been installed and tested, you will want your cluster application to make use of the increased performance.

dis_ssocks_run netperf 

dis_ssocks_run netperf -h server_name

export LD_PRELOAD=libksupersockets.so