Now that you have created the prototype node, you need to modify a number of files on it, prior to copying the disk onto the /nfsr partition of the master (from which it will be used to clone additional nodes.

This is a listing of the files that have been changed in building the master node (front end) of the beowulf system.

etc/passwd This file was modified by adding our users and the other standard password information. Note that we ensure that this file is identical on the master and the other nodes. Copy this file from the master, please!

etc/group This file was modified by adding our standard groups. As with the password file, it is identical on the master and the other nodes. Copy this file from the master, please!

etc/hosts This file has a list of all the IP numbers assigned to the machines in our private network. Notice that there are NO entries for any IP numbers that are NOT in the private subnet domain.

etc/host.conf This is modified to turn off "bind" so that there is no attempt to use a name-server. This is because the private subnet has no nameservices.

etc/hosts.equiv This file permits users from any of the nodes, to have instant access to the master through rlogin, rsh, and other commands without having to give a login password. This is particularly important for running mpi and mpich code which uses rsh to start processes on different machines.

etc/resolv.conf Make sure that this file does NOT exist!

etc/sysconfig/network This is standard file produced the a RedHat installation. The HOSTNAME line will get over-written when a node is cloned.

etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 This is a standard file produced by a normal linux installation, and is used by ifconfig to configure the eth0 100-base T card network interface. The IPADDR line will get over-written when a node is cloned.

etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-lo Standard loopback device file produced by a normal RedHat installation.

etc/fstab Local and NFS mounted disks and partitions. The local file systems include:

root: /

/dos is DOS disk partition (the only type that can be recognized by the Windows-NT firmware to run linload.exe)

NFS mounted file systems include:

/home is a large disk for users home directories

/data is large disk for data that is exported to the other nodes

/usr/local is used for any locally installed software. It is also exported to all the nodes.

etc/rc.d/rc.local Lines have been added which set the date using the master node to get them time, and then start the time daemon to synchronize times with the time on the master node.

etc/pam.d/login Modified so that root can login from non-console locations.

etc/pam.d/rlogin Ditto from rlogin

etc/pam.d/rexec Ditto for rexec

root/.rhosts A list of all the beowulf nodes, placed in root's home directory, allows root login without a password from any node.

Some comments:

To create a partition table containing the exact partition structure of a disk, use:

dd ibs=512 count=1 if=/dev/sda of=file.ptable

etc/passwd	This file was modified by adding our users and the other standard password information. Note that we ensure that this file is identical on the master and the other nodes. Copy this file from the master, please!
etc/group	This file was modified by adding our standard groups. As with the password file, it is identical on the master and the other nodes. Copy this file from the master, please!
etc/hosts	This file has a list of all the IP numbers assigned to the machines in our private network. Notice that there are NO entries for any IP numbers that are NOT in the private subnet domain.
etc/host.conf	This is modified to turn off "bind" so that there is no attempt to use a name-server. This is because the private subnet has no nameservices.
etc/hosts.equiv	This file permits users from any of the nodes, to have instant access to the master through rlogin, rsh, and other commands without having to give a login password. This is particularly important for running mpi and mpich code which uses rsh to start processes on different machines.
etc/resolv.conf	Make sure that this file does NOT exist!
etc/sysconfig/network	This is standard file produced the a RedHat installation. The HOSTNAME line will get over-written when a node is cloned.
etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0	This is a standard file produced by a normal linux installation, and is used by ifconfig to configure the eth0 100-base T card network interface. The IPADDR line will get over-written when a node is cloned.
etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-lo	Standard loopback device file produced by a normal RedHat installation.
etc/fstab	Local and NFS mounted disks and partitions. The local file systems include: root: / /dos is DOS disk partition (the only type that can be recognized by the Windows-NT firmware to run linload.exe) NFS mounted file systems include: /home is a large disk for users home directories /data is large disk for data that is exported to the other nodes /usr/local is used for any locally installed software. It is also exported to all the nodes.
etc/rc.d/rc.local	Lines have been added which set the date using the master node to get them time, and then start the time daemon to synchronize times with the time on the master node.
etc/pam.d/login	Modified so that root can login from non-console locations.
etc/pam.d/rlogin	Ditto from rlogin
etc/pam.d/rexec	Ditto for rexec
root/.rhosts	A list of all the beowulf nodes, placed in root's home directory, allows root login without a password from any node.