This guide contains information to help you install Dell OpenManage™ software on management stations and their managed systems. In addition, this guide provides information and instructions for configuring your systems before and during a deployment or upgrade. The following topics are covered:
Dell OpenManage systems management software is a suite of application programs for Dell™ PowerEdge™ systems. This software enables you to manage your systems with proactive monitoring, diagnosis, notification, and remote access.
Each system managed by Dell OpenManage systems management software is called a managed system. You can manage a management station either locally or remotely. Software applications that you may install onto the managed systems include Dell OpenManage Server Administrator (which includes the Storage Management Service, Online Diagnostic Service, Remote Access services, and the Server Administrator Web server), Dell OpenManage Array Manager, SNMP agents for Intel or Broadcom network interface cards (NIC), and remote access controller (RAC) software.
A management station can be used to remotely manage one or more managed systems from a central location. Dell OpenManage IT Assistant and the other management station applications enable you to manage from one to thousands of managed systems.
NOTE: If you install management station and managed system software on the same system, install
identical software versions to avoid system conflicts.
Figure 1-1 illustrates the relationship between a management station and its managed systems. Figure 1-1 also shows the operating systems and the Dell OpenManage software products that you can install on the managed systems. The documentation CD can be accessed from any system with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
NOTE: The Updates CD is included in the Subscription Service kit only; it is not included in the Server
Support kit.
Figure 1-1. Example of a Management Station and Managed Systems
Dell OpenManage Server Support Kit Contents
The Dell OpenManage Server Support Kit includes, but is not limited to, the following components:
Dell OpenManage Software Quick Installation Guide — Provides an overview of applications that you can install on your management station (console) and on your managed systems. This guide—located on the Documentation CD—also contains procedures for installing your console and managed system applications on systems running supported operating systems.
Dell Systems Management Consoles CD — Contains the Dell systems management console products for your management stations. The CD includes IT Assistant, Array Manager, and other management applications.
Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD — Provides the tools that you need to install operating systems and configure your managed systems including Server Administrator, diagnostics, storage management, and remote access service.
Dell PowerEdge Service and Diagnostic Utilities CD — Provides tools to configure your managed systems, and delivers the latest BIOS, firmware, diagnostics, and Dell-optimized drivers for your managed systems.
Dell PowerEdge Documentation CD — Helps you stay current with documentation for systems, systems management software products, peripherals, and RAID controllers.
Most of these CDs also contain readme files, which provide the latest product information.
NOTE: The Dell PowerEdge Updates CD ships only with the Subscription Service kit and provides newer
versions of software for your system for both management stations and managed systems.
Compare the contents of your system accessories box with the packing slip or invoice enclosed with your system. If any components are missing or damaged, call Dell within 30 days of the invoice date for a free replacement. For more information, see "Obtaining Technical Assistance."
What's New
The Dell OpenManage version 4.4 Server Support kit provides the following new or updated features or products:
Added support for Microsoft® Windows® Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 SP1
Added support for Windows Server™ 2003 x64 (includes Standard and Enterprise editions)
Added support for Red Hat® Enterprise Linux (version 3) for Intel® Extended Memory 64 Technology (Intel EM64T)
Added support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (version 4) for Intel x86
Added support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (version 4) for Intel EM64T
Added support to upgrade systems management software using the Windows Installer Patch (MSP) file
Dell OpenManage Version 4.4 Features and Enhancements
The Dell OpenManage version 4.4 server support kit implements native operating system installation tools to install systems management software on your PowerEdge system (for example, Microsoft Installer Utility [MSI], Red Hat Package Manager [RPM], and Novell® IPS). The installation procedure provides faster software installations and smaller package sizes, as well as dependency checking and native operating system installation features. Additionally, you can automatically update Dell OpenManage products through future service pack releases of Microsoft Windows operating systems (Standard and Enterprise editions).
For more information, see the Dell OpenManage website at www.dell.com/openmanage.
Integrated Features
Deployment Software (Installation and Server Management CD)
Dell Server Assistant provides streamlined operating system installation, reducing the time required for the installation of Microsoft Windows, Novell NetWare®, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating systems by guiding you through an easy-to-follow, step-by-step process.
In addition, Server Assistant provides the necessary tools for setting up and configuring PowerEdge systems and software. The tools permit automatic discovery and configuration of Dell-provided RAID controllers and network adapters.
Management Station Software (Systems Management Consoles CD)
IT Assistant
IT Assistant is a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) that provides a central point of access to monitor and manage systems on a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). By providing a comprehensive view across the enterprise, IT Assistant can increase system uptime, reduce repetitive tasks, and prevent interruption during critical business operations.
Using IT Assistant, you can:
Identify the groups of systems that you want to manage remotely.
Consolidate your view of all systems, providing a central launch point for systems management.
Create alert filters and actions that will automatically notify you when system uptime is affected.
Create custom enterprise-wide reports that show the status of each system.
Create customized tasks that allow you to coordinate configuration management across the entire enterprise, including performing software updates, shutdown and wakeup, and command-line execution.
Dell Remote Access Controller
The Dell Remote Access Controller (DRAC) is a systems management hardware and software solution designed to provide remote management capabilities for Dell PowerEdge systems. The DRAC features include:
High performance console redirection
Hardware sensor monitors, such as temperature, voltage, and fans
Access to hardware and alert logs
Ability to generate alerts, even when the system is down
The BMC Management Utility provides a command-line based remote management station to manage all supported BMC functions. Use the BMC Management Utility to manage your BMC from a remote management station, and as your managed system's emergency management console. The utility gives you the option of using either a command-line interface (Intelligent Platform Management Interface [IPMI Shell]) or a Serial-Over-LAN proxy (SOL Proxy) to access and manage the BMC.
The BMC monitors the system for critical events by communicating with various sensors on the system board, and sending alerts and logs events when certain parameters exceed their preset thresholds. The BMC supports the industry-standard IPMI specification, enabling you to configure, monitor, and recover systems remotely.
The BMC provides the following features:
Management access through the system's serial port and integrated NIC
Fault logging and SNMP alerting
Access to the system event log (SEL) and sensor status
System function controls, including power on and off
Support that is independent of the system's power or operating state
Text console redirection for system setup, text-based utilities, and operating system consoles
Access to Red Hat Enterprise Linux serial console interfaces using SOL
Array Manager Console
The Array Manager console or client provides the GUI. The console is installed on the management station and can connect to remote systems for remote storage management. The Array Manager console displays the physical and logical storage attached to the system. Using the console, you can identify the storage components and their relationships. For example, you can identify the system's storage controllers, the virtual disks on each controller, and the array disks included in each virtual disk.
The Array Manager console provides the following features:
A display of physical and logical storage devices attached to the system
Pop-up menus to perform different functions
Pull-down menus and an icon bar for implementing functions
Wizards to assist you with common storage tasks
A property page to display information related to each storage device
Error icons for quick identification of an error condition
A property page displaying alert notifications and system events
Tabs displayed in the right pane of the GUI that contain additional information on storage devices
Active Directory Snap-in
The Active Directory Snap-in utility provides an extension snap-in to the Microsoft Active Directory Users Active Directory and Computers snap-in, which allows you to manage Dell-specific Active Directory objects.
You can use this option when the Dell-specific schema classes have been added to the Active Directory schema.
Managed System Software (Installation and Server Management CD)
Server Administrator
Server Administrator provides a comprehensive, one-to-one systems management solution using an integrated Web browser-based GUI (the Server Administrator home page) or a command-line interface (CLI).
The Instrumentation Service provides rapid access to detailed fault and performance information gathered by systems management agents and allows remote administration of monitored systems, including shutdown, startup, and security.
Remote Access Controller Service
NOTE: The Remote Access Controller Service is not available on modular systems. You must directly
connect to the remote access controller (RAC) on a modular system. See the Dell Embedded Remote
Access/MC User's Guide or the Dell Remote Access Controller 4 User's Guide for more information.
The Remote Access Controller Service accesses your RAC solution interface to provide a complete, remote system management solution for systems equipped with a RAC.
The Remote Access Controller Service provides the following features:
Remote access to an inoperable system, allowing you to shut down, restart, and get the system up and running as quickly as possible
Alert notification when a system is down
System crash logs that record the probable cause of system crashes and saves the most recent crash screen
Server Administrator is not required on your system to install the Remote Access Controller Service.
NOTE: On systems running Windows and Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating systems, RAC managed
system and management station cannot be installed on the same system.
Storage Management Service
The Storage Management Service provides storage management information in an integrated graphical view.
The Storage Management Service provides the following features:
Enables you to view the status of local and remote storage attached to a monitored system.
Supports SCSI, SATA, and ATA, but does not support Fibre Channel.
Allows you to perform controller and enclosure functions for all supported RAID and non-RAID controllers and enclosures from a single graphical or command-line interface, without the use of the controller BIOS utilities.
Protects your data by configuring data redundancy, assigning hot spares, or rebuilding failed drives.
NOTE: Array Manager is included on the CD. This application is an alternative to Server Administrator's
Storage Management Service for those who need Dell PowerVault™ 660 or NetWare support. Server
Administrator's Storage Management Service does not support NetWare.
Online Diagnostic Service
NOTE: The Online Diagnostic Service is not available on modular systems.
The Online Diagnostic Service provides a suite of diagnostic programs that run locally on your system or are controlled remotely by a management station connected to the network. The Online Diagnostic Service diagnoses problems on individual systems and runs concurrently with all other applications running on the tested system.
Array Manager
Array Manager enables you to configure the storage components attached to your system. These components include RAID and non-RAID controllers and the channels, enclosures, and disks attached to them. Using Array Manager, you can implement controller functions without requiring access to the BIOS. These functions include configuring virtual disks and applying RAID levels and hot spares for data protection. Most functions can be implemented while the server remains online and continues to process requests.
Array Manager performs the following functions:
Obtains information about storage devices attached to the server, including controllers and array disks, enclosures, channels, and other physical components
Obtains information on the storage system's logical components, such as virtual disks and volumes, and displays the connections among the logical and physical storage components
Creates and deletes virtual disks on the storage system
Rebuilds and reconstructs data on a system's locally attached RAID storage
Diagnostics (Services and Diagnostic Utilities CD)
The Dell PowerEdge Diagnostics is a suite of diagnostic programs, or test modules, that run locally on your system. You can select the appropriate diagnostics tests to run from the Diagnostic Selection tree containing the hardware that PowerEdge Diagnostics discovers on your system.
Drivers, Firmware, and BIOS (Services and Diagnostic Utilities CD)
The Extraction Utility enables you to view and create Dell software driver and diagnostic floppy diskettes.
Change Management (Dell PowerEdge Updates CD)
SUU is a CD-ROM based application for identifying and applying updates to your server. SUU is a dual-purpose application and is easy to use. You can use SUU to update your PowerEdge server or to view the updates available for any server listed in the Repository.
SUU allows you to update server components using an application that compares the version of currently installed components with updated components packaged on a CD-ROM and stored in a Repository. A full session of SUU would typically run an inventory of installed components and their versions, provide a comparison report between what is installed currently on the server and what the latest component versions are in the Repository, and leave to you the decision whether to apply the Dell component System Update Set to update the server or not.
Other Documents You Might Need
Besides this guide, you can find the following guides either on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com or on the documentation CD:
The Dell OpenManage Software Quick Installation Guide provides an overview of applications that you can install on your management station, or console, and on your managed systems. It also has procedures for installing your console and managed system applications.
The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator User's Guide describes the installation and use of Server Administrator. Server Administrator is a suite of management agents, installed on the managed system, that provide fault management information, prefailure information, and asset and inventory information to management console applications such as Server Administrator and IT Assistant.
The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Compatibility Guide provides compatibility information about Server Administrator installation and operation on various hardware platforms running supported Microsoft Windows, Novell NetWare, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating systems.
The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator SNMP Reference Guide documents the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) management information base (MIB). The SNMP MIB defines variables that extend the standard MIB to cover the capabilities of systems management agents.
The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator CIM Reference Guide documents the Common Information Model (CIM) provider, which is an extension of the standard management object format (MOF) file. This guide explains the supported classes of management objects.
The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Messages Reference Guide lists the messages that are displayed in the Server Administrator home page Alert log, or on your operating system's event viewer. This guide explains the text, severity, and cause of each alert message that Server Administrator issues.
The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Command Line Interface User's Guide documents the complete command-line interface for Server Administrator, including an explanation of CLI commands to view system status, access logs, create reports, configure various component parameters, and set critical thresholds.
The Dell OpenManage IT Assistant User's Guide has information about installing, configuring, and using IT Assistant, which is one of the software products installed with Dell OpenManage software products.
The Dell OpenManage Array Manager User's Guide is a comprehensive reference guide for configuring and managing local and remote storage attached to a system. This document is also available in HTML and PDF formats on the Installation and Server Management CD, and from the Array Manager console as online help.
The Dell Remote Access Controller 4 User's Guide provides complete information about installing and configuring a DRAC 4 controller and using DRAC 4 to remotely access an inoperable system.
The Dell Remote Access Controller/MC User's Guide provides complete information about installing and configuring a DRAC /MC controller and using DRAC/MC to remotely access an inoperable system.
The Dell Remote Access Controller Installation and Setup Guide provides complete information about installing and configuring a DRAC III, DRAC III/XT, or ERA/O controller, configuring an ERA controller, and using a RAC to remotely access an inoperable system.
The Dell Remote Access Controller Racadm User's Guide provides information about using the racadm command-line utility.
The Dell Embedded Remote Access/MC Controller User's Guide provides complete information about configuring and using an ERA/MC controller to remotely manage and monitor your modular system and its shared resources through a network.
The Dell Update Packages User's Guide provides information about obtaining and using Dell Update Packages as part of your system update strategy.
The Dell PowerEdge 1655MC Systems — System Configuration Guide provides an overview of initially setting up a modular system.
The Installation and Server Management and Systems Management Consoles CDs contain readmes files for most applications found on the CDs.
Obtaining Technical Assistance
If at any time you do not understand a procedure described in this guide, or if your product does not perform as expected, different types of help are available. For more information, see "Getting Help" in your system's Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.
Additionally, Dell Enterprise Training and Certification is available; see www.dell.com/training for more information. This service might not be offered in all locations.
