Clustering Initial Setup

This page provides the initial setup steps for a CML cluster installation. For a standalone installation, skip this page and use Initial Set-up instead.

You should complete this initial setup on the controller before any of the computes. After you finish the CML installation, the first time you start the cluster controller or a cluster compute, it will start the initial configuration wizard for the application. You will see this wizard in the console for the CML server. For a VM installation, open the VMware console for the CML VM. For a bare metal installation, connect to the server’s console or remote console app, like CIMC’s remote KVM. You must complete the initial configuration wizard to create the initial user accounts and specify networking details before you can start using Cisco Modeling Labs’ web UI.

Note

The configuration wizard will not continue if the required CPU extensions have not been enabled. For the cluster controller, you should also ensure that the refplat ISO file has been connected as a CD/DVD drive before you start the initial setup.

Procedure

Confirm that you are setting up a CML cluster.

After the initial informational dialogs (Welcome, EULA, etc.), you will see a dialog that asks whether you are installing a CML cluster. Choose Cluster.

If you instead see a dialog that simply indicates that it is proceeding with a standalone deployment, it means that your CML server does not have two or more active network interfaces. Note that the controller and each compute member in your cluster must have at least two active network interfaces. See Cluster Requirements. Fix that problem first, and then restart the CML server to restart the initial setup.

Cluster Controller Setup

(Cluster Controller) Confirm that you are setting up a cluster controller.

Choose Controller.

(Cluster Controller) This setting determines whether your cluster will also run node VMs on the controller.

  • Choose Allow VM nodes if you want to allow the controller to act as a compute, too, running node VMs.

  • Choose Disallow if you want to create a dedicated cluster controller that does not run any node VMs for labs.

We recommend disallowing node VMs from running on the controller. Disallowing node VMs from running on the controller ensures that better resource availability for the critical CML services that run on the controller. It also enables you to use a smaller server or VM with fewer resources than the computes. The advantage of running node VMs on the controller is that CML can use any available resources on the controller to run additional node VMs for labs.

(Cluster Controller) Configure the controller’s internal hostname.

Enter a valid hostname.

You must provide a hostname for both the controller and the computes. Note that you will need to provide the controller’s hostname when setting up the compute members. The computes need the controller’s hostname to find and register with the controller.

(Cluster Controller) Set the controller’s secret passphrase.

Enter a passphrase.

Remember the passphrase. You’ll need to provide the same passphrase when you set up the computes so that they can register with the controller.

(Cluster Controller) Create a system administrator account.

Define the username and password for the system administrator account for the CML server. We recommend using a complex password for better security. The system administrator cannot be used to log into CML’s HTML5 UI, but it has permissions to manage the CML server itself. You can use the system administrator account to log into the System Administration Cockpit, which runs on the CML server’s management IP address on port 9090.

(Cluster Controller) Create an initial user account.

Define the username and password for the initial account for the CML application. We recommend using a complex password for better security. You can use this account to log into CML’s HTML5 UI or to authenticate with the web services API. The initial user will have application administrative access in the Dashboard but will not be able to make system changes with the System Administration Cockpit. The initial user account may also create labs and run simulations.

(Cluster Controller) Choose the interface for the CML UI / API access / management.

(Cluster Controller) Choose the interface for the intra-cluster network.

(Cluster Controller) Provide network information.

Choose Static or DHCP (default) addressing and provide the requested network information. The CML server addressing may also be changed after deployment. See the Cisco Modeling Labs Administrator’s Guide for detailed instructions on configuring networking and the management IP address for your installation.

(Cluster Controller) A confirmation dialog displays your settings. Verify the settings and press the Confirm button.

If any of the settings are incorrect, press the Back button to return to previous steps and make any required changes.

Cluster Compute Setup

(Cluster Compute) Confirm that you are setting up a cluster compute.

Choose compute Member.

(Cluster Compute) Configure the compute’s internal hostname.

Enter a valid hostname.

(Cluster Compute) Provide the controller’s internal hostname.

Enter the internal hostname of the cluster controller.

(Cluster Compute) Provide the controller’s secret passphrase.

Enter the secret passphrase that you created when setting up the controller.

(Cluster Compute) Create a system administrator account.

Define the username and password for the system administrator account for the CML server. We recommend using a complex password for better security. The system administrator cannot be used to log into CML’s HTML5 UI, but it has permissions to manage the CML server itself. You can use the system administrator account to log into the System Administration Cockpit, which runs on the CML server’s management IP address on port 9090.

(Cluster Compute) Create an initial user account.

Define the username and password for the initial account for the CML application. We recommend using a complex password for better security. You can use this account to log into CML’s HTML5 UI or to authenticate with the web services API. The initial user will have application administrative access in the Dashboard but will not be able to make system changes with the System Administration Cockpit. The initial user account may also create labs and run simulations.

(Cluster Compute) Choose the interface for the CML UI / API access / management.

(Cluster Compute) Choose the interface for the intra-cluster network.

(Cluster Compute) Provide network information.

Choose Static or DHCP (default) addressing and provide the requested network information. The CML server addressing may also be changed after deployment. See the Cisco Modeling Labs Administrator’s Guide for detailed instructions on configuring networking and the management IP address for your installation.

(Cluster Compute) A confirmation dialog displays your settings. Verify the settings and press the Confirm button.

If any of the settings are incorrect, press the Back button to return to previous steps and make any required changes.

The CML server is now available. You can log into the UI by visiting the URL that is displayed in the virtual machine’s console with a supported web browser. To manage the CML server, log into the System Administration Cockpit with the system administrator account. If the UI is available at https://nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn, then the System Administration Cockpit should be available at https://nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn:9090.

Before you can start any network simulations, you must complete Product Configuration and apply a registration token to activate your CML server.

If you are running a multi-user CML-Enterprise or CML-Education installation, you will also need to use your admin account to log into the CML UI and configure CML User Authentication. If you are using Local user authentication, you also need to create accounts for your users in the CML UI.

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