We will discuss the tools smaller shops or remote locations can use every day in the management of Dell PowerEdge servers. We will discuss the LifeCycle Controller, Repository Manager, and other systems management tools that make your job easier.


Technical Community - Background Reading



Chat Transcript



Dell-ScottH Today is all about Systems Management.
zerindube Scott, perfect timing for this. I need to figure out my management since we're used to the old HP SIM (Systems Insight Manager) stuff and our shiny new Dell servers deserve to be managed properly.
Chris_Muncy This is actually perfect timing as I was bugging Scott last week about Repository Manager.
Dell-ScottH Today's Topic is Systems Management on the Dell PowerEdge Servers. I will go through some of tools you can use to manager Dell Servers, give an overview of what's what and provide lots of links to resources to help you out.
Dell-ScottH We use Dell OpenManage as the umbrella term (branding is what the marketing people call it :-) for all the systems management stuff.
Dell-ScottH I keep this page updated as the main landing site on our site. http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/openmanage+systems+management
Dell-ScottH Under this umbrella you have things like Dell OMSA (Dell OpenManage Server Administrator).the agent that gets installed on the systems. http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/openmanage+server+administrator+-+omsa
Dell-ScottH Dell OMSA has a built-in web server. You can simply point browser at it and do 1:1 management.
Dell-ScottH It’s important to install the Storage Management piece by simply checking the box. This will allow you to do cool things with your RAID and storage like expand and change RAID levels, depending on which adapter you have in the system.
jefferson I've noticed with the new Dell OMSA’s you can separate the web server component from the actual management bits. Does that require 11g hardware or will that work with any hardware supported by Dell OMSA 6.2?
Dell-ScottH The Dell OMSA agent feeds up into two management consoles that we make. Dell ITA - IT Assistant - http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/dell+it+assistant+-+ita (still in existence and still updated). And DMC (Dell Management Console) - http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/dell+management+console
Dell-ScottH And DMC has a dedicated community monitored by all the developers. http://en.community.dell.com/groups/dell_management_console/default.aspx
Mr_Me Dell IT Assistant updates always seem to be horribly hard to find.
Dell-ScottH Jefferson, do you have any hardware supported by 6.2?
abartlett For a small firm looking to do systems management with servers (all Dell of course) for the first time, I'd assume Dell IT Assistant is a good starting point.
Dell-ScottH Mr_me, I typically drill through https://support.dell.com on the Dell PowerEdge R710 to find the updates. Yes, the naming could be better, which makes it tough to map over. For OMSA (which we all call it), they call it Server Managed Node.
Dell-ScottH In my opinion, Dell ITA is easier to understand and install, but will be phased out soon with DMC as the replacement.
Mr_Me So Server Managed Node = Dell IT Assistant?
jefferson I believe Server Managed Node is OMSA.
Mr_Me The thing most people miss on setting up ITA is the SNMP (Simple Network Management Program) configuration required for good reporting on failures and things.
Dell-ScottH Yes, there's some good support demos that walk through the SNMP. http://support.dell.com/support/richmedia/searchmedia.aspx?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz
aocts Most of our servers are VMWare ESXi (free edition, embedded). What we are needing is a way to update hardware firmware, and preferably ESXi updates. What is the best way to do this centralized 1 to many and 1 to 1?
mcowger Scott, are there plans to fix the reporting OMSA does on Linux Servers about firmware revisions? Right now, if you have firmware revision x.xx.xx on a storage controller, but your version of OMSA wants x.xx.yy, it reports the whole controller as degraded, which is ridiculous. Is this going to be fixed?
Dell-ScottH Aocts, right now Dell Repository Manager is the easiest 1:1. You can build bootable CD image with just the specific updates you need. http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/repository+manager
Chris_Muncy I'd like a good demo on the bootable CD. I never was able to get that going on Dell Repository Manager.
Dell-ScottH Mcgower, I'll bring that up. It's the same on Microsoft Windows, too. I agree that this can be annoying.
jefferson From what I've heard of VMware ESXi management, you need to install the management tools into VMWare and then you install the OMSA web server piece on a separate Microsoft Windows Server (it could be a virtual machine on top of that physical host). See http://www.excaliburtech.net/archives/92 for details. (That's using the 6.1 OMSA. There's a newer download from Dell that's 6.2.)
jefferson I tried with 6.1, but couldn't make it work. I haven't had a chance to try 6.2 yet.
Dell-ScottH Chris, I will do one on bootable using VMware ESXi as the example Os (even though this doesn't matter). I will even shout out a bunch of Twitter names in the demo :-)
Dell-ScottH Jeffreson, yes, you have to install a Windows Web Management server.It’s all spelled out here. http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/software/eslvmwre/sysman/4_xom.pdf
jefferson Support also couldn't make it work under 6.1. They said there were some known bugs in it.
Mr_Me I also have not had the best of luck installing Dell OMSA on VmWare ESXi.
Dell-ScottH On the support site, they call ITA == "OpenManage Management Station."
erson Any word on when you can generate a repository with repository manager that you can use with Dell USC (Dell Unified Server Configurator)?
Dell-ScottH And they call Dell OMSA == "OpenManage Server Administrator Managed Node."
mcowger Jefferson, Dell OMSA 6.1 was incredibly buggy overall. I recommend 6.2 to try.
Dell-ScottH Erson, it’s still in the works and I don't have an exact date yet. I think they are waiting to bundle some of it with the one to many Lifecycle Controller updates.
jefferson For those of us with Microsoft System Center (Configuration Manager and Operations Manager), can you put together some demos on the integration options for those managemen tools? (The docs on them seem sparse and we'd prefer not to set up an Altiris-based DMC environment in parallel with our system center set-up.)
Dell-ScottH Other tools you'll want in the toolbox are Dell Repository Manager. http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/repository+manager, which is great for building and keeping a local repository of Dell Update Package. I have several demos on the page and more coming for Chris.
erson Dell Repository Manager is great! Highly recommended.
Dell-ScottH Jefferson, we have a demo of DLC (Dell Lifecycle Controller) integration with SCCM (System Center Configuration Management). http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/lifecycle+controller+integration+for+microsoft+config+manager
Dell-ScottH Greg Ramsey (@ramseyg) works Dell IT and they extensively use SCCM (System Center Configuration Management) and SCOM (System Center Operations Management). Send him a private message, he's very helpful. They do all the Systems Center content on our site.
Dell-ScottH If you have the new 11G servers, Dell Lifecycle Controller is another great 1:1 tool. http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/lifecycle+controller.
Dell-ScottH We also have some user-contributed scripts on our site. http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/openmanage+scripts+and+tools
Dell-ScottH Alan Renouf did an excellent write-up and Powershell Script for VMware Esxi management. http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/esxi+management+and+powershell+install+script+by+alan+renouf
Dell-ScottH Also, awhile agoI did an OMSA ESXi script deployment that still has legs. http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/install+and+configure+omsa+on+esx
Dell-ScottH If you actually follow all those links, read all the content, and watch all the demos, it's at least a week’s worth of time. I expect full reports next week and there will be a quiz!
Dell-ScottH http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/win+a+trip+to+vmworld+2010
Dell-ScottH Here’s the link to all the OpenManage Docs. http://support.dell.com/support/systemsinfo/documentation.aspx?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz&~subcat=108&~cat=6
ceri The neat thing about installing OMSA on ESXi is that you can use it to configure IPMI (Intelligence Platform Management Interface) over LAN, which you'll want for DPM (Data Protection Manager): "/usr/sbin/racadm config -g cfgimpilam -o cfgipmilanenable 1"
ceri Other good stuff is that you can get iDRAC (integrated Remote Access Controller) to grab a screenshot of your PSOD’s (Purple Screen of Death) with "racadm config -g cfgractuning -o cfgractuneasrenable 1"
ceri That's about all I use, other than the MIBs (Management Information Database). And Storage Monitoring.
Dell-ScottH But VMware never gets PSOD’s. I’m not sure what you're talking about :-). I haven't seen one here in the lab for > 1.5 years.
ceri I've certainly never seen one on VMware vSphere. But it’s just a matter of time.
ceri The really neat thing that iDRAC does (maybe it’s done this for years) is capturing a movie of the system's boot sequence. I’m really impressed with that.
jefferson Ceri, I take it you've gotten the VIB working on ESXi4? Any tricks to doing so? I had no luck trying back in Dec/Jan time frame with OMSA 6.1.
jefferson The OMSA bits you install on the VMware ESXi server.
ceri Jefferson, I have VMware ESXi here, but see the link to Alan Renouf's script above. I'm told it works (and not just by folks here).
Dell-ScottH http://www.delltechcenter.com/page/esxi+management+and+powershell+install+script+by+alan+renouf
Chris_Muncy Will DMC cover what repository manager does, or will I still need both?
jefferson Aside from bandwidth savings, is there any significant advantage to using Dell Repository Manager rather than just downloading the full SUU (Dell OpenManage Server Update Utility) DVD?
Dell-ScottH Dell OpenManage SUU is updated "routinely." Dell Repository Manager uses the current catalog to build up-to-the-minute updates.
Dell-ScottH Dell Repository Manager is like creating your own Dell OpenManage SUU local repository. Then you can just build smaller packaged deployments.
Chris_Muncy I created one disc specific to Dell PowerEdge R710, Dell PowerEdge R300, and a Dell PowerEdge 2950. That worked well.
erson I've been using it like that, creating my own Dell OpenManage SUU with cherry-picked updates for the servers we have.
Dell-ScottH Chris, here's the FAQ on Patch MGMT with DMC. http://en.community.dell.com/dell-groups/dell-management-console/m/dell_management_console-mediagallery/19688585.aspx
Dell-ScottH Chris, the Patch MGMT solution is essential. It adds functionality similar to Dell Repository Manager to DMC, which allows it to download the updates. You can then use DMC and the agents on the servers for deployment.
Chris_Muncy Nice, but it looks like I'll still have to manually do my VMware ESXi server.
pete_cas I'm trying to find something useful on re-configuring my Dell CMC (Dell Chassis Management Controller).
pete_cas I had to reinstall my first Dell PowerEdge Blade Server and lost my configuration for my CMC (m1000 enclosure). Now I can't access CMC via browser only CLI (Command Line Interface). I tried everything from manual via CLI racadm.
pete_cas I can't ping CMC but can ping GW (GroupWise).
ceri Pete_cas, have you tried reconfiguring the CMC from the LED panel?
jefferson I believe the front LCD panel on the m1000e will let you view/set IP/gateway/etc. for the CMCs.
pete_cas I thought I could only do that on initial setup.
Dell-ScottH So the IP got horked ?
pete_cas I'll try that and see what happens. I agree that navigation is difficult on LCD.
erson If you want to do a factory reset, here is some information. http://en.community.dell.com//blades/f/4436/p/19417682/19982749.aspx
ceri If that doesn’t work, you can get on the CLI. You'll be wanting racadm config -g cfglannetworking -o cfgnicipaddress 10.2.3.4 and friends. Check the administrative guide or email me: ceri@submonkey.net
erson Dell-ScottH, what’s up with the release of 2TB drives for EqualLogic? And when are the update for AMD 6000-series 8/12-core CPUs coming? :)
pete_cas I had a nice rack recently setup with 6 Dell PowerEdge M600 blades and an AX4-5i SAN. One Win2003 server and 5 Linux Red Hat Servers. I'm in Belize, and a Dell guy came all the way here to do initial setup. Configured SAN but I've been able to access. Since this problem, I have also lost setup.
Dell-ScottH It looks like front panel won't let me reconfigure IPs.
Dell-ScottH Erson, May 18 on Dell PowerEdge R815 Magny Cours.
ceri Pete_cas, networking setup for a CMC on CLI at http://pastebin.com/jfwfkths.
erson If you Google for 96TB and Dell EqualLogic you will get a bunch of hits.
Dell-ScottH Pete, that link erson provided will help with the reset. You can get to the CLI from the Kvm, then can use CLI to configure IPs or front panel. It should be reset and waiting for input.
erson It looks like the pricing has been released for the 2TB drives.
ceri Is Dell EqualLogic ever going to do FC (Fiber Channel)? I realize that the industry is kind of heading away at this point.
erson Ceri, I don't think so.
Dell-ScottH Dell EqualLogic is iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface), forever and ever.
pete_cas Scott, thanks I'll try the reset. Does it matter which of my two NICs is on the same subnet?
erson It looks like they increased their workforce significantly and are going to do some work with Israeli Extranet that Dell bought about 2 months ago.
Dell-ScottH NICs on the Dell PowerEdge Blade Servers?
pete_cas Yes, I have the first as 10.1.1.5 and second as 192.168.4.2 and CMC as 192.168.4.22. Should the first NIC be 192?
ceri Pete_cas, I don't think it matters from the hardware POV. There is no logical connection between the Dell PowerEdge Blade Servers and the CMC; to get from a blade to the CMC you have to go out a switch at the back.
Dell-ScottH That all depends on how you have your networking set up.
Emptyone Does anyone have experience with TCP Acknowledgement Frequency with Dell Equallogic?
Dell-ScottH Pete,yes to what Ceri said.This doc might help. http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/pedge/en/blade_io_solutions_guide_v1.2_jn.pdf
erson Emptyone, is TCP Acknowledgement Frequency similar to TCP retransmits?
Dell-ScottH Emptyone, I don’t know about this. You might want to ping Jeff.
Emptyone Erson, http://sustainablesharepoint.wordpress.com/2010/03/10/best-practice-for-hyper-v-with-iscsi/
erson Emptyon, Google for TCP Acknowledgement Frequency and Dell EqualLogic and you get a couple of hits
Emptyone There are some, yes. I just wanted to get more confirmation from Dell before doing the changes.
erson Emptyone, get in contact with the Dell EqualLogic support. They are excellent.