Integrating Dell iDRAC into ConfigMgr 2012

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This post describes how to capture the Dell iDRAC IP address with ConfigMgr hardware inventory, and create a right-click extension to allow you to launch the iDRAC from the ConfigMgr admin console. If your Dell PowerEdge servers include the Dell Lifcecycle Controller, carefully review the Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration for System Center Configuration Manager to determine if that integration pack fits your needs.
 

What is an iDRAC?

The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) is designed to make server administrators more productive and improve the overall availability of Dell servers. iDRAC alerts administrators to server issues, helps them perform remote server management, and reduces the need for physical access to the server.
 

Prerequisites

In order to properly capture DRAC information, the following configuration is required:

• Dell PowerEdge Server – The target server must be a Dell PowerEdge Server licensed to use the virtual console, running a supported version of Microsoft Windows Server.
• Dell OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA) must be installed on each server – the OMSA client must be installed on the server, as it is used to populate the OMSA information into WMI.
• System Center 2012 Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr), although similar methods to capture the iDRAC IP address can be used by other enterprise systems management tools.

Configuring Hardware Inventory to Capture the iDRAC IP Address

ConfigMgr uses hardware inventory to capture information from the Windows registry as well as from Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). OMSA populates the iDRAC IP information into WMI. This example modifies the hardware inventory configuration for the Default Client Settings. Review additional steps for extending hardware inventory on Microsoft TechNet.

To enable hardware inventory to capture Dell iDRAC IP information:

• From the Primary or Central site, launch the ConfigMgr console, and navigate to Administration->Client Settings.
• Select Default Client Settings and choose Properties from the ribbon.
• In the Default Settings dialog, select Hardware Inventory, and then choose the Set Classes button.
• Choose Add from the Hardware Inventory Classes dialog.
• From the Add Hardware Inventory Class dialog, choose the Connect button, and enter the computer name of a server that has Dell OMSA installed, and enter root\cimv2\dell for the namespace. Enable the Recursive checkbox and click OK.
• Type RemoteAccess into the search bar, and then enable the checkbox for the Dell_RemoteAccessServicePort, and then click OK. Click OK again to save changes to the Hardware Inventory Classes configuration and finally click OK again on the Default Settings Dialog to save all changes from the previous child dialogs.

Figure 1: RemoteAccess

You have successfully enabled hardware inventory on the Dell_RemoteAccessServicePort class to capture the iDRAC IP. Servers with OMSA installed will begin sending information for this new hardware information back via hardware inventory on the defined inventory interval (by default, 7 days). You can expedite this process from the ConfigMgr control panel applet by refreshing Machine Policy action, followed by initiating a hardware inventory. This process will run for approximately five minutes. You can confirm the information has been successfully inventoried by viewing Resource Explorer.

Extending the ConfigMgr Console to launch iDRAC

Now that you have the data in ConfigMgr, follow these steps to launch the iDRAC for a device in the ConfigMgr admin console.

• Close any existing instances of the ConfigMgr Console.
• Download LaunchDelliDrac.zip Extract DellLaunchiDrac.ps1 and copy to C:\PowerShell\CM12RClickTools\DellLaunchiDRAC.PS1.
• Extract Dell.xml from the .zip previously downloaded and coy to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Configuration Manager\AdminConsole\XmlStorage\Extensions\Actions\3fd01cd1-9e01-461e-92cd-94866b8d1f39\Dell.xml" (you may need to create the Actions and GUID folder). Depending on your admin console installation, the path may need to be modified.
• Copy that same Dell.xml to C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Configuration Manager\AdminConsole\XmlStorage\Extensions\Actions\ed9dee86-eadd-4ac8-82a1-7234a4646e62\ (you may need to create the Actions and GUID folder).
• Launch the ConfigMgr console.
• Navigate to a device, right-click and choose the option to launch the iDRAC under the new custom menu, as shown here:

Figure 2: Launch iDRAC

Congrats! You now have a right-click tool to easily launch the iDRAC! You can find more information about adding additional extensions (aka right-click tools) on TechNet.

Greg