# Creating the cluster
Create the cluster

You must create the networks, clusters, nodes, and SDI sources that you identified when you [designed](#emla-setup-cluster) the AWS Elemental MediaLive Anywhere cluster. 

Create the networks first, then the clusters, then the nodes. There are no other rules about order of work. For example, you could create all the networks, then create all the clusters, then create all the nodes. Or you could create the networks for one cluster, then create the cluster, then create the nodes for that cluster.

**Topics**
+ [

# Create the networks
](emla-setup-cl-networks.md)
+ [

# Create the clusters
](emla-setup-cl-create.md)
+ [

# Create the nodes
](emla-setup-cl-nodes-create.md)
+ [

# Create SDI sources
](emla-setup-cl-sdi.md)
+ [

# Result of this setup
](emla-setup-cl-result.md)

# Create the networks


Create the networks that you identified when you [designed the cluster](emla-deploy-design-cluster.md). Creating the network integrates the [resources that you identified](emla-deploy-identify-network-requirements.md) into AWS Elemental MediaLive Anywhere. You must create the networks before you create other MediaLive Anywhere resources.

1. Open the MediaLive console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/medialive/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/medialive/).

1. In the navigation bar, choose MediaLive Anywhere, then choose **Networks**. On the **Networks** page, choose **Create network**. 

1. Complete the fields with the information that the network engineer provided you with in [Identifying network resources](emla-deploy-identify-network-requirements.md).

1. Choose **Create**. MediaLive Anywhere creates the network and adds it to the list of networks.

# Create the clusters


Create the clusters after you have created the networks. 

1. In the navigation bar, choose MediaLive Anywhere, then choose **Cluster**. On the **Cluster** page, choose **Create cluster**. 

1. Complete the fields:
   + **Name**: We recommend that you assign a name that hints at the types of nodes in the cluster.
   + **Instance role ARN**: You must choose an instance role for MediaLive. Obtain the ARN from the AWS administrative user for your organization. For information about this instance role, see [Creating the instance role](emla-deploy-instance-role.md). 
   + **Interface mappings**: See [Designing mappings for node interfaces](emla-design-mappings.md).
   + **Default route**: Select the logical interface name (from the **Interface mappings**) that is the default that the network engineer identified in [Identifying network resources](emla-deploy-identify-network-requirements.md).

1. Choose Create. MediaLive Anywhere creates the cluster and adds it to the list of clusters. 

# Create the nodes


Create all the nodes for one cluster. Create them after you've created the cluster, and after you've finalized the cluster and network configurations. 

**Important**  
You won't be able to modify the network after you've added nodes to any cluster associated with the network.

To create a node, you create a node registration script then run the script on each node hardware unit. You then run the script on each hardware unit. 

## Prepare the node hardware


You should have already obtained the hardware for the MediaLive Anywhere nodes. 

Install the RHEL 9.5 operating system on each node. RHEL 9.5 is the only supported version.

## Create the node registration script


1. In the navigation bar, choose MediaLive Anywhere, then choose **Clusters**. In the list of clusters, select the name of the cluster where you want to add the nodes. The **Details** page appears.

1. Scroll down and select the **Nodes** tab. Choose **Create node**. 

1. In the **Create node** page, complete the following fields. The script uses the values that you enter here.
   + **Name**: The name that you want to permanently assign to this node. 
   + **Node role**: Choose **Active** or **Backup**. You should have identified these roles when you [designed the cluster](emla-deploy-design-cluster.md#emla-deploy-design-organize-cluster).
   + **Node interface mappings**: Create the mappings that you identified in [Designing mappings for node interfaces](emla-design-mappings.md).

1. Choose **Create**.

1. Scroll to the top of the page on the Console. If the request to add the node has succeeded, the banner displays a message and the contents of the registration script. 

1. Choose **Copy script** to copy the script to the clipboard on the computer where you are using the Console. Then go to the next step to run the script.

## Activate the node


You must run the node registration script within 24 hours of the script's creation. You must run each script on only one node because the script includes data such as a node name that must be unique in the cluster of nodes.

1. Start an SSH session on the node.

1. At the prompt, paste the node registration script for this node and press **Enter**. The script performs the following actions:
   + It binds the node identity (that you specified when you created the node) to this node hardware. 
   + It then activates the node hardware for use with MediaLive Anywhere. This activation takes approximately 1 minute.

## Verify the node state


1. On the MediaLive console, in the navigation bar, choose **Nodes**. (Don't choose **Cluster**.)

1. In the **Nodes** list, verify that the node state is **Registering**. After a short time, the state changes to **Active**. 

# Create SDI sources


If some of the nodes in a cluster include SDI cards and ports, you must create SDI sources and SDI mappings:
+ SDI sources: MediaLive Anywhere supports single-link and quad-link SDI interfaces, assuming that you have nodes that have the corresponding cards. For quad-link sources, MediaLive Anywhere supports quadrant or interleave mode.
+ SDI mappings: Create an SDI mapping for each port on the SDI cards. The mappings let you configure MediaLive Anywhere to connect an SDI source to the physical SDI card and port that is the connection point for that source. 

## Plan for SDI inputs


1. Identify your SDI sources and give each one a name that is unique in the AWS account. We recommend you assign a name that describes the source, for example **curling-cameraA**.

1. Identify the type of each source (single-link or quad-link) and the mode for any quad-link source (interleave or quadrant).

1. Plan how your SDI sources will be connected to the node. Specifically, identify any source that is quad-link and assign four contiguous ports for that source. 

1. Identify the card number and port (or ports) for each SDI source. For information about how physical cards and ports are identified on your node hardware, see the documentation for your node hardware. 

You will end up with a mapping for each SDI source. Each mapping consists of the source name, a card number, and a port number. 

## Create an SDI source


You must set up each SDI source that you plan to use in MediaLive Anywhere. You will reference this source when you create an SDI input in MediaLive. 

1. In the navigation bar, choose MediaLive Anywhere, then choose **SDI sources**. On the **SDI sources** page, choose **Create SDI source**.

1. Complete the fields to provide a name, the interface, and the mode (for quad-link only).

1. Choose **Create**.

## Create SDI mappings


Create SDI mappings on each node that has SDI cables connected. You perform this task by editing the existing node.

1. In the MediaLive navigation bar, choose **Nodes**.

1. Select the node and choose **Edit**. On the **Edit** page. In the **SDI source mappings** field, choose **Add mapping**.

1. Complete the three fields to map a source to the SDI card and port (channel number). 

# Result of this setup


You have now performed the hardware and network setup for the MediaLive Anywhere deployment. The cluster is now ready for the video engineer to create channel placement groups in each cluster and to create channels to add to a channel placement group.