5.1. Adding Packages to Compute Nodes

Put the package you want to add in:

/export/rocks/install/contrib/6.2/arch/RPMS

Where arch is your architecture ("i386" or "x86_64").

Create a new XML configuration file that will extend the current compute.xml configuration file:

# cd /export/rocks/install/site-profiles/6.2/nodes
# cp skeleton.xml extend-compute.xml

Caution

If you use extend-compute.xml your packages will be installed only on your computed nodes. If you want your packages to be installed on all other appliances (e.g. login nodes, nas nodes, etc.) you should use extend-base.xml instead of extend-compute.xml.

Inside extend-compute.xml, add the package name by changing the section from:

<package> <!-- insert your package name here --> </package>

to:

<package> your package  </package>

Caution

It is important that you enter the base name of the package in extend-compute.xml and not the full name.

For example, if the package you are adding is named XFree86-100dpi-fonts-4.2.0-6.47.i386.rpm, input XFree86-100dpi-fonts as the package name in extend-compute.xml.

<package>XFree86-100dpi-fonts</package>

If you have multiple packages you'd like to add, you'll need a separate <package> tag for each. For example, to add both the 100 and 75 dpi fonts, the following lines should be in extend-compute.xml:

<package>XFree86-100dpi-fonts</package>
<package>XFree86-75dpi-fonts</package>

Also, make sure that you remove any package lines which do not have a package in them. For example, the file should NOT contain any lines such as:

<package> <!-- insert your package name here --> </package>

Now build a new Rocks distribution. This will bind the new package into a RedHat compatible distribution in the directory /export/rocks/install/rocks-dist/....

# cd /export/rocks/install
# rocks create distro

Now, reinstall your compute nodes.

5.1.1. Adding Specific Architecture Packages to Compute Nodes

Often on x86_64-based clusters, one wants to add the x86_64 and i386 version of a package to compute nodes. To do this, in your extend-compute.xml file, supply the section:

<package>pkg.x86_64</package>
<package>pkg.i386</package>

Where pkg is the basename of the package.

Now build a new Rocks distribution.

# cd /export/rocks/install
# rocks create distro

Now, reinstall your compute nodes.