Are you using the latest version of the Dell™ OpenManage™ suite of systems management tools? Join this discussion to learn how to locate the downloads you need, decipher the naming for OpenManage systems management tools, and deploy OpenManage in your environment. For those who may be new to OpenManage, join in to get links and access to some great articles, demos, and white papers.

Technical Community - Background Reading

Chat Transcript

DELL-ScottH We'll kick it off in a few minutes. I'm guessing all the regulars are at VMworld Europe—having tons of fun
DELL-ScottH Hello Eric! Good to see you
Dell-EricReed Thanks. And thanks for the tips on all the Twitter feeds
DELL-ScottH Well, not sure you should thank me for those :-) Some you probably shouldn't click on
Dell-EricReed Ha ha...couple of 'em get pretty raw, but I can handle it. Lots of chatter coming back across the pond from VMworld Europe
DELL-ScottH Yeah, seems like they are having fun; can't wait for VMworld in the U.S. Some good information coming across
Dell-EricReed Where's that going to be this year?
DELL-ScottH I think San Francisco
DELL-ScottH Hey Brace
brennels Hey guys, I thought you might be in Cannes with the rest of the virtual crazies
DELL-ScottH I wish :-) I think that's why we are a little light on attendance today. Okay, I'm going to kick off the official start. First thing is, feel free to jump in with questions at any time. It’s not rude to interrupt; it is expected. When you see a URL come across, right-click it, or you’ll exit from the chat. The chat is recorded, and you can read its transcript and all the previous chat transcripts here: www.delltechcenter.com/page/chat+topics+and+transcripts
DELL-ScottH No need to copy down any URLs, they'll be on the transcript
DELL-ScottH If you have follow up questions, simply post them on the transcript page, and we'll answer them
virtualTodd Hello OpenManage Geeks
DELL-ScottH Hey Todd!
DELL-ScottH Hey VMware geek
virtualTodd :)
DELL-ScottH So today's topic is OpenManage 5.5. Anyone have specific questions that need to be covered before I jump into generalities?
DELL-ScottH Where is my cricket sound button?
Dell-EricReed Ha ha
DELL-ScottH That's kind of close
Dell-EricReed How about the deltas between 5.4 and 5.5, for those who haven't studied?
DELL-ScottH Roger, have you studied up on the differences? I'll be honest that I really haven't; digging up a sheet right now. The main thing is support for the latest hardware releases. And actually, I think it is in the document from this link: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/software/smsom/5.5/en/index.htm
Dell-RogerF Not recently. I'll go look.
brennels I'll admit I don't know much about OpenManage 5.5. I can't say I'll be any help :)
Dell-EricReed Yeah, I wasn't sure if it was only adding new hardware, or if it was new OS adds or some new functionality, as well. I know they added an IT Assistant 8.3 in that release, when I was almost certain that 8.2 would be the final version before the Dell Management Console comes out
DELL-ScottH Ah yes, IT Assistant 8.3 is the new version
DELL-ScottH So sorry, phone call from customer that I thought would take two seconds…
DELL-ScottH So let me point you to some resources for OpenManage on our site that will help anyone here and anyone reading this transcript. First is the main OM page on the TechCenter site: www.delltechcenter.com/page/openmanage+systems+management
DELL-ScottH There are many links on that page, and it’s a little overwhelming at first, but some of the most helpful are, for documentation: http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/software/smsom/5.5/en/index.htm
DELL-ScottH If you're like me, you have a love/hate relationship with manuals, but they always have the right information once you dig far enough into them :-) We also have great demos if you don't like reading :-): www.delltechcenter.com/page/openmanage+demos
brennels Good stuff, thanks Scott
Dell-EricReed I highly recommend the demos, yes
DELL-ScottH And for those just getting started, the hardest thing is interpreting all the acronyms we use and figuring out what to download. For that beast, here is a great blog post: www.delltechcenter.com/page/2-8-2008+-+openmanage+download+-+comments
Dell-EricReed Especially the IT Assistant update-push demo
DELL-ScottH Which one is that?
DELL-ScottH Did I do that one?
Dell-EricReed I think you did
DELL-ScottH Looks like people are clicking on links
DELL-ScottH :-)
Dell-RogerF Got me
Dell-EricReed [chortle] It's all running together for him...he can't remember which demos he did anymore!
DELL-ScottH I'm really wanting to knock out this MD3000i/VMware demo...great stuff and fun, but just have to clear all these meetings off my calendar. :-) Another great resource that the Dell support people put on is the enterprise tutorials: http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/en/enterprise_videos_list?c=us&l=en&s=gen
DELL-ScottH Quick and easy to watch for learning how to install OMSA, set up SNMP on Windows, and so on. Good stuff
Dell-EricReed We keep getting him to click out somehow...welcome back!
DELL-ScottH Lol
Dell-EricReed Hmmm...when I right-click on these links, all I get is a Select All prompt. Using Firefox
wb-wpb Have to allow pop-ups, which then resets the page
DELL-ScottH So any questions? Is everyone a current OpenManage user? Or is this new to some?
Dell-EricReed Ah...gotcha
DELL-ScottH We can also dive off into other areas
jkrull New
wb-wpb Now I can right-click and not get bumped
DELL-ScottH Todd is from VMware, and we can go in that direction
wb-wpb I am new to OM
DELL-ScottH Jkrull, if you read all the links you'll be quickly up to speed and avoid reading a lot of documentation :-)
Dell-EricReed Ah, jkrull is new...are you using OMSA on your systems only, or are you using IT Assistant as well?
jkrull That's what I was hoping for
virtualTodd Any additional support for ESXi in OM 5.5?
DELL-ScottH Okay cool. How many systems and from what other hardware provider did you come from?
jkrull I'm still trying to get a handle on everything. We have Altiris and are looking at SCCM. Trying to figure out how it all works
virtualTodd I know that you will just love that question
DELL-ScottH Not yet...actually, we are baking in OMSA client in a yet-to-be-released update of ESXi
Dell-RogerF Got to run. Catch everyone next week
jkrull We switched to Dell about two years ago and finally got around to managing them
wb-wpb I installed ITA 8.3 and did a discovery, but everything shows under “unknown”
DELL-ScottH Ah, one thing I haven't mentioned is that we will soon be announcing our next generation of systems management called Dell Management Console (DMC). Ssshhh, it's based on Altiris framework
DELL-ScottH “Unknown” is usually an SNMP settings issue. Windows boxes?
Dell-EricReed I was thinking SNMP for that, too, yeah
DELL-ScottH There's a video to watch that will help
jkrull Yeah...Altiris is dragging their feet getting this new version out
DELL-ScottH Hold for link…
DELL-ScottH @jkrull, yeah tell me about it :-)
wb-wpb SNMP is what I was looking at next, trying to swim through the links
jkrull Thanks Symantec
DELL-ScottH Here's the link for video that will help with SNMP: javascript:winopen('/support/topics/global.aspx/support/entvideos/configuringsnmp_v2?c=us&l=en&s=gen','popup1000x700','width=1000,height=800,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes,toolbar=no,left=0,top=20');
DELL-ScottH Oh wow, that probably won't work
DELL-ScottH http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/en/enterprise_videos_list?c=us&l=en&s=gen
wb-wpb I see the SNMP video from the video list
jkrull I stumbled across this site and the chat about SCCM. Thought I would check out today’s
DELL-ScottH Link that says "SNMP configuration...blah blah, yes
DELL-ScottH Oh yeah, lots of great resources watching those SCCM pages; post a thread and Dell IT is watching and will help...great guys
DELL-ScottH Appreciate you stumbling in; you use Twitter?
wb-wpb We are running a few ESX hosts, so watching that area also
DELL-ScottH On Twitter @ramseyg is "the" man to follow for SCCM on the Dell IT team. I'm @dellservergeek, Todd is @virtualtodd. Eric, what is yours again?
DELL-ScottH There is a great resource for OpenManage on ESX. Hold for link…
Dell-EricReed @dellsdmericreed
DELL-ScottH http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/software/eslvmwre/?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz The Systems Management Guide section, step by step, will walk you through setting it up. After you understand how it all works, I wrote a script that will help you mass deploy if you have a large ESX installation
brennels Very cool
DELL-ScottH www.delltechcenter.com/page/install+and+configure+omsa+on+esx
DELL-ScottH But like it says at the top, walk before you run :-) Does that get you guys going in the right directions?
Dell-EricReed So the script will mass deploy on a standing set of ESX hosts, or are you talking about when you actually deploy the hosts?
DELL-ScottH It deploys on existing ESX hosts
wb-wpb I had seen the link for OM on ESX previously; I am trying the SNMP right now
Dell-EricReed Gotcha. Will that work for upgrading to the latest version, for hosts that already have an older version installed?
DELL-ScottH I haven't tested that scenario, but probably will work since action is to overwrite old files. I'd recommend stopping the services first; could easily add that into the script
Dell-EricReed Excellent
DELL-ScottH Another thing to add to my to-do list...hey Todd, you could use that as an excuse to come into the lab and hang out!
wb-wpb Success! (SNMP settings)
Dell-EricReed Fantastic!
DELL-ScottH Awesome! Love it when a plan comes together; now go tell everyone how great the TechCenter is :-)
wb-wpb They don't let me out much
DELL-ScottH Yeah, me either. Alright, any other things we should discuss? Do you guys have enough links to study up for the test? You did know there would be a test? Right?
Dell-EricReed *Looks for Cliff's Notes...*
DELL-ScottH Hey! Use your own notes; Cliff's are off limits
wb-wpb Is this an open-browser test?
DELL-ScottH Absooooolutely
brennels Thanks for the information, Scott; see you next week and still want to follow up with you on an iSCSI netboot chat some time
DELL-ScottH Okay, our topic next week is actually open; it was just changed. Can you pull it together in a week? Or do you need more time to pimp/promote?
brennels I was thinking March; I won't be able to pull it together by next week, but let me see what I can do
brennels What would you need from me?
Dell-EricReed Thanks, all...I'm ducking out
wb-wpb Bye all, thanks much
DELL-ScottH March is pretty full with some announcements (hint, hint to anyone paying attention), but April is good
DELL-ScottH Thanks for joining!
brennels April could work…thanks
DELL-ScottH Thanks, jkrull, for joining us again. If you have questions, just start a thread on the discussion forum or any of the pages
jkrull Thanks