Initiating cluster creation from the front panel

After you have installed a pair of nodes, you can use the front panel of one of the SAN Volume Controller nodes to initiate the creation of the cluster. To create a cluster, you do not need to repeat these instructions on more than one node. After you complete the steps for initiating cluster creation from the front panel, you can use the SAN Volume Controller Console to create the cluster and add additional nodes to complete cluster configuration.

Before you create a cluster, ensure that you verify the SAN Volume Controller installation after the installation has completed.

When you create the cluster, you must specify either an IPv4 or an IPv6 cluster address for port 1. After the cluster is created, you can specify additional IP addresses for port 1 and port 2 until both ports have an IPv4 address and an IPv6 address.

If you choose to have the IBM® service representative or IBM Business Partner initially create the cluster, you must provide the following information prior to configuring the cluster:

For a cluster with an IPv4 address:
- Cluster IPv4 address
- Subnet mask
- Gateway IPv4 address
For a cluster with an IPv6 address
- Cluster IPv6 address
- IPv6 prefix
- Gateway IPv6 address

These addresses should be defined on the Configuration Data Table planning chart which is used when installing a cluster.

Attention: The Cluster IPv4 address and the IPv6 address must not be the same as any other device accessible on the network.

The IBM service representative or IBM Business Partner uses the front panel of the node to enter the information that you have provided. The node generates a random password on the display panel. The IBM service representative or IBM Business Partner gives you this password. You must record the password and the IPv4 address or the IPv6 address. The password and the IP address are used to connect to the node and to create the cluster.

Using the front panel, follow these steps to create and configure the cluster:

Choose a node that you want to make a member of the cluster that you are creating.
Note: You can add additional nodes after you have successfully created and initialized the cluster.
Press and release the up or down button until Node: is displayed on the node service panel.
Press and release the left or right button until Create Cluster? is displayed.
Figure 1. Create Cluster? navigation
Press and release the select button.
- If Delete Cluster? is displayed on the first line of the service display panel, this node is already a member of a cluster. Press and release the Up button until Cluster: is displayed on the service display panel. The name of the cluster the node belongs to is displayed on line 2 of the service display panel. If you want to delete the node from this cluster, refer to the instructions in Deleting a node from a cluster using the SAN Volume Controller Console. If you do not want to delete this node from the cluster, review the situation and determine the correct nodes to include in the new cluster. Then go to step 1 and begin again.
- If you are creating a cluster with an IPv4 address and IPv4 Address: is displayed on line 1 of the panel, go to Creating a cluster with an IPv4 address.
- If you are creating a cluster with an IPv6 address, press and release the down button to see IPv6 Address: on line 1 of the panel. Go to Creating a cluster with an IPv6 address.

Creating a cluster with an IPv4 address

Your cluster IP address can be an IPv4 or IPv6 address.

To create a cluster with an IPv4 address, complete the following steps:

Put the panel into edit mode by pressing and releasing the select button. The first IPv4 address number is highlighted.
Press the up button if you want to increase the value that is displayed; press the down button if you want to decrease that value. If you want to quickly increase the highlighted value, hold the up button. If you want to quickly decrease the highlighted value, hold the down button.
Note: To change the address scrolling speed, see the note at the end of this section.
Press the right or left buttons to move to the number field that you want to update.
Use the right button to move to the next field and use the up or down button to change the value of this field.
Repeat step 4 for each of the remaining fields of the IPv4 Address.
After you have changed the last field of the IPv4 Address, press and release the select button to put the data in view rather than edit mode.
Press the right button. IPv4 Subnet: is displayed.
Press and release the select button.
Use the up or down button to quickly increase or decrease the value of the first field of the IPv4 Subnet to the value that you have chosen.
Note: To change the address scrolling speed, see the note at the end of this section.
Use the right button to move to the next field and use the up or down buttons to change the value of this field.
Repeat step 10 for each of the remaining fields of the IPv4 Subnet.
After you have changed the last field of IPv4 Subnet, press the select button to put the data in view mode.
Press the right button. IPv4 Gateway: is displayed.
Press and release the select button.
Press the up button if you want to increase the value that is displayed; press the down button if you want to decrease that value. If you want to quickly increase the highlighted value, hold the up button. If you want to quickly decrease the highlighted value, hold the down button.
Note: To change the address scrolling speed, see the note at the end of this section.
Use the right button to move to the next field and use the up or down button to change the value of this field.
Repeat step 16 for each of the remaining fields of the IPv4 Gateway.
After you have changed the last field of IPv4 Gateway, press the select button to put the data in view mode.
Press and release the right button until IPv4 Create Now? is displayed.
Ensure that you have a pen and paper to record the cluster superuser password before you create the cluster.
Attention: The password is displayed for 60 seconds, or until the up, down, left or right button is pressed, which deletes it. You must be ready to record the password before you select one of the following actions:
- If you want to review your settings before you create the cluster, use the right and left buttons to review those settings. Make any necessary changes, return to IPv4 Create Now?, and then press the select button.
- If you are satisfied with your settings, press the select button. If the cluster is created successfully, Password: is displayed on line 1 of the service display screen. Line 2 contains a password that you can use to access the cluster. Record this password now.
  Important: If you do not record the password, you must restart the cluster configuration procedure. After you have recorded the password, press the up, down, left, or right button to clear the password from the screen.

After you complete this task, the following information is displayed on the service display screen:

Cluster: is displayed on line 1.
A temporary, system-assigned cluster name that is based on the IP address is displayed on line 2.

Note: To disable the fast increase and decrease address scrolling speed function using the front panel, press and hold the down arrow button, press and release the select button, and then release the down arrow button. The disabling of the fast increase and decrease function lasts until cluster creation is completed or until the feature is enabled again. If you press and hold the up or down arrow button while the function is disabled, the value increases or decreases once every two seconds. To enable the fast increase and decrease function again, press and hold the up arrow button, press and release the select button, and then release the up arrow button.

After you have created the cluster on the front panel with the correct IP address format, you can finish the cluster configuration by accessing the SAN Volume Controller Console, completing the Create Cluster wizard, and adding additional nodes to the cluster.

Creating a cluster with an IPv6 address

Your cluster IP address can be an IPv4 or IPv6 address.

To create the cluster with an IPv6 address, complete the following steps:

From the IPv4 Address panel, press the down button. The IPv6 Address option is displayed.
Press the select button again to put the panel into edit mode. The IPv6 address and the IPv6 gateway address consist of eight 4-digit hexadecimal values. Enter the full address by working across a series of four panels to update each of the 4-digit hexadecimal values that make up the IPv6 addresses. The panels consists of eight fields, where each field is a 4-digit hexadecimal value.
Press the right button or left button to move to the number field that you want to set.
Use the right button to move to the next field and use the up or down button to change the value of this field.
Repeat step 4 for each of the remaining fields of the IPv6 Address.
After you have changed the last field of the IPv6 Address, press and release the select button to put the data in view mode.
Press and release the right button until IPv6 Prefix: is displayed.
Press and release the select button.
Use the up or down button to quickly increase or decrease the value of the first field of the IPv6 Prefix to the value that you have chosen.
Note: To change the address scrolling speed, see the note at the end of this section.
Press the select button to put the data in view mode.
Press the right button. IPv6 Gateway: is displayed.
Press and release the select button.
Use the right button to move to the next field and use the up or down button to change the value of this field.
Repeat step 13 for each of the remaining fields of the IPv6 Gateway.
After you have changed the last field of IPv6 Gateway, press the select button to put the data in view mode.
Press and release the right button until IPv6 Create Now? is displayed.
Ensure that you have a pen and paper to record the cluster superuser password before you create the cluster.
Attention: The password is displayed for 60 seconds, or until the up, down, left or right button is pressed, which deletes it. You must be ready to record the password before you select one of the following actions:
- If you want to review your settings before you create the cluster, use the right and left buttons to review those settings. Make any necessary changes, return to IPv6 Create Now?, and then press the select button.
- If you are satisfied with your settings, press the select button. If the cluster is created successfully, Password: is displayed on line 1 of the service display panel. Line 2 contains a password that you must use when you first access the cluster. Record this password now.
  Important: If you do not record the password, you must restart the cluster configuration procedure. After you have recorded the password, press the up, down, left, or right button to clear the password from the screen.

After you complete this task, the following information is displayed on the service display screen:

Cluster: is displayed on line 1.
A temporary, system-assigned cluster name that is based on the IP address is displayed on line 2.