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Introduction

Dell™ OpenManage™ Server Administrator Version 5.2 Compatibility Guide

Overview

Dell™ OpenManage™ Server Administrator provides a powerful, integrated set of systems management applications for keeping the systems on your network healthy. Server Administrator provides fault management information, prefailure information, and asset and inventory information to management applications. You can install Server Administrator from the Dell PowerEdge™ Installation and Server Management CD provided with your system. In addition to supporting systems management industry standards, Server Administrator also provides additional systems management information about the components of your specific system. Server Administrator can also configure BIOS and system settings.

NOTE: Starting with Dell OpenManage version 4.3, the Systems Management CD has been replaced by the Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD. References in this guide to the Systems Management CD are for Dell OpenManage versions 3.0 through 4.2.

Server Administrator's integrated security draws on the system's operating system security. Server Administrator uses the secure socket layer (SSL) encryption protocol.

NOTE: For more information on the secure socket layer, see the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.

What's New in Dell OpenManage Version 5.2?

The following changes in Dell OpenManage version 5.2 (Dell OpenManage Server Administrator version 5.2) affect this Compatibility Guide:

• Added support for the following Dell PowerEdge system: 2970
  
  
• Added support for Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® 5 (x86) and (x86_64)
  
  
• Added support for Microsoft® Windows Server® 2003 R2 Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter x64 Editions with SP2
  
  
• Added support for Mozilla Firefox version 2.0
  
  

Purpose of This Guide

Server Administrator operates on many Dell hardware platforms (hereafter called systems) with operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. To use the systems management features of Server Administrator fully, you must understand which features of Server Administrator match your system's hardware configuration and operating system.

Update of Compatibility Guide

The Server Administrator Compatibility Guide is updated each business quarter. It summarizes all Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD releases that precede the current release date. Always consult the readme.txt file on your Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD for each release for the most current information on compatible systems management elements.

NOTE: You can find systems management software on the Systems Management CD for Dell OpenManage versions prior to version 4.3 of the CD. You can find systems management software on the Applications CD prior to version 3.0 of the CD. The systems management software was relocated to the Systems Management CD beginning with version 3.0. For the purposes of this guide, some references to the Systems Management CD may also include the Applications CD.

Supported Instrumentation

Each supported Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD contains instrumentation for your Dell PowerEdge system. Three sections of this guide are organized around the primary instrumentation product names and show the relationship among the following variables:

• Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD version number (or the Systems Management CD or Applications CD)
  
  
• Supported operating systems
  
  
• Instrumentation service
  
  
• Dell PowerEdge system product name (for example, PowerEdge 1600SC)
  
  

In Table 1-1, instrumentation product names are associated with a range of the Applications CD or Systems Management CD version (prior to Dell OpenManage version 4.3) or Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD version.

Table 1-1. Systems Management Product Name and Corresponding Version Numbers

Supported Operating Systems

Server Administrator supports major operating systems offered by Microsoft, Novell®, SUSE, and Red Hat. See the tables in "Server Administrator Supported Applications and Systems" to find the operating system that matches the configuration of system and applications that you are installing or upgrading.

NOTE: Each Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD supports specific operating system versions, service packs, support packs, and kernels.

NOTE: For Dell OpenManage information specific to VMware®, see the latest Installation Guide, Release Notes, and the VMware Software Compatibility Matrix for Dell Servers at www.dell.com/vmware, under the Dell|VMware Resource Archive section.

For precise operating system, application, firmware, and other requirements, see the table that lists the Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD (or Systems Management CD) version for the system that you are configuring. The tables in the following sections of this guide are a good place to begin:

• Server Administrator Supported Applications and Systems
  
  
• Server Agent Supported Applications and Systems
  
  
• Hardware Instrumentation Package Supported Applications and Systems
  
  

Operating system version numbers, support packs, service packs, and kernel versions can vary with each Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD (or Systems Management CD) version and cannot be accurately generalized. For example, a particular Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD (or Systems Management CD) may support only a version of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system with a specific kernel. Some systems management applications are available only on specific operating systems.

NOTE: To address any Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) security vulnerabilities associated with an operating system, see the appropriate website for your system's operating system (for example, www.microsoft.com, www.redhat.com, or www.novell.com).

Supported Browsers

Server Administrator supports Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) versions 6.0 SP2 and 7.0, and Mozilla Firefox version 1.5 and 2.0 open-source Web browsers.

NOTE: Windows 2000 supports only Internet Explorer version 6.0 SP1.

NOTE: Server Administrator versions 4.3 and later do not support Netscape Navigator.

Supported GUI Languages

Dell OpenManage is localized into French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese. Dell OpenManage software is localized according to the matrix in the following table. Dell OpenManage does not support languages outside of this table.

Table 1-2 plots the language of the Dell OpenManage GUI against the operating system languages.

Table 1-2. Supported Dell OpenManage GUI Languages

Other Documents You Might Need

In addition to this Compatibility 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 Installation and Security User's Guide provides complete information on installation procedures and step-by-step instructions for installing, upgrading, and uninstalling Server Administrator for each supported operating system.
  
  
• The 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 and procedures for installing your console and managed system applications on systems running supported operating systems.
  
  
• The Dell PowerEdge Software Support Matrix allows you to identify operating systems and Dell OpenManage software that your PowerEdge system supports.
  
  
• 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 inventory information to management console applications such as Server Administrator and IT Assistant. This guide also provides information about configuring your remote access controller (RAC).
  
  
• 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, an extension of the standard management object format (MOF) file. The CIM provider MOF documents supported classes of management objects.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Messages Reference Guide lists the messages that are displayed in your 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 Remote Access Controller Installation and Setup Guide provides complete information about installing and configuring a DRAC III, DRAC III/XT, and an 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 DRAC III, DRAC III/XT, and ERA/O controller racadm command-line utility.
  
  
• The Dell Remote Access Controller User's Guide provides specific user information for either the DRAC III, DRAC 4, or DRAC 5 controller, depending on the controller in your system.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Baseboard Management Controller Utilities User's Guide provides information about installing and using the BMC.
  
  
• The Dell Remote Access Controller Modular Chassis User's Guide provides complete information about configuring and using the DRAC/MC to remotely manage and monitor your modular system and its shared resources through a network.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Remote Install User's Guide provides information about unattended, simultaneous provisioning and configuration solutions of PowerEdge 1655MC only over the network by leveraging image-based technology.
  
  
• The Dell Update Packages User's Guide provides information about obtaining and using Dell Update Packages as part of your system update strategy.
  
  
• The Server Update Utility User's Guide provides information about obtaining and using the Server Update Utility (SUU) to update your Dell PowerEdge server or to view the updates available for any server listed in the Repository.
  
  

The Dell PowerEdge Installation and Server Management CD contains a readme file for Server Administrator and additional readme files for most applications found on the CD.

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