The Server Administrator Instrumentation Service monitors the health of a
system and provides rapid access to detailed fault and performance information
gathered by industry standard systems management agents. The reporting and
viewing features allow retrieval of overall health status for each chassis that
comprises your system. At the subsystem level, you can view information about
the voltages, temperatures, fan rpm, and memory function at key points in the
system. A detailed account of every relevant cost of ownership (COO) detail
about your system can be seen in the summary view. Version information for BIOS,
firmware, operating system, and all installed systems management software is
easy to retrieve.
Additionally, system administrators can use the Instrumentation Service to
perform the following essential tasks:
Specify minimum and maximum values for certain
critical components. The values, called thresholds, determine the range in
which a warning event for that component occurs (minimum and maximum failure
values are specified by the system manufacturer).
Specify how the system responds when a warning or failure event occurs.
Users can configure the actions that a system takes in response to
notifications of warning and failure events. Alternatively, users who have
around-the-clock monitoring can specify that no action is to be taken and
rely on human judgment to select the best action in response to an event.
Populate all of the user-specifiable values for the system, such as the name
of the system, the phone number of the system's primary user, the
depreciation method, whether the system is leased or owned, and so on.
Managing Your System
The Server Administrator home page defaults to the System object of
the system tree view. The default for the System object opens the
Health components under the Properties tab.
NOTE: For detailed
information on every window of Server Administrator, see the context-sensitive
online help.
NOTE: Administrator or
Power User privileges are required to view many of the system tree objects,
system components, action tabs, and data area features that are configurable.
Additionally, only users logged in with Administrator privileges can access
critical system features such as the shutdown functionality included under the
Shutdown tab.
Managing System/Server Module
Tree Objects
The Server Administrator system/server module tree displays all visible
system objects based on the software and hardware groups that Server
Administrator discovers on the managed system and on the user's access
privileges. The system components are categorized by component type. When you
expand the main object—"Modular Enclosure"—"System/Server
Module"—the major categories of system components that may appear
are, "Main System Chassis/Main System,"
"Software," and "Storage."
If Storage Management Service is installed, depending on the controller and
storage attached to the system, the Storage tree object will expand to display
various objects.
For detailed information on the Storage Management Service component, see the
Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Storage Management User's Guide.
Server Administrator Home Page
System Tree Objects
Unsupported Features in OpenManage Server Administrator
Due to the limitations of the VMware ESXi version 3.5 operating system, some
features available with earlier versions of OpenManage Server Administrator are
not available in this release. These are:
Alert Management - Alert Actions
Alert Management - SNMP Traps
BIOS
Setup - Boot Sequence (Only on xx1x systems for this release)
Network Interface - Internet Protocol (IP) Address
Network Interface - Operational status
Network Interface - Maximum Transfer Unit size
Network Interface - DMA
Network
Interface - Administrative status
Preferences - SNMP Configuration
Remote Shutdown - Power Cycle System with Shutdown OS First
Power Management - Profiles
Processors
- Capabilities - Demand Based Switching(DBS) (Only on xx1x systems
for this release)
Modular Enclosure
NOTE: For the purposes
of Server Administrator, "modular enclosure" refers to a system that may contain
one or more modular systems that appear as a separate Server Module in the
system tree. Like a stand-alone Server Module, a Modular Enclosure contains all
of the essential components of a system. The only difference is that there are
slots for at least two Server Modules within a larger container, and each of
them is as complete a system as a Server Module.
To view the modular system’s Chassis information and Chassis Management
Controller (CMC) information, click the Modular Enclosure object.
Properties
Subtabs: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can:
View the chassis information for the modular
system being monitored.
View detailed
Chassis Management Controller (CMC) information for the modular system being
monitored.
Accessing and Using Chassis Management Controller
To link to the Chassis Management Controller Log in window from the
Server Administrator home page, click the Modular Enclosure object, click
the CMC Information tab, and then click Launch the CMC Web Interface.
The CMC Log in window appears. After connecting to the CMC you can
monitor and manage your modular enclosure.
System/Server Module
The System/Server Module object contains three main system component
groups: "Main System Chassis/Main System," "Software,"
and "Storage." The Server Administrator home
page defaults to the System object of the system tree view. Most
administrative functions can be managed from the System/Server Module
object action window. The System/Server Module object action window has
the following tabs, depending on the user's group privileges: Properties,
Shutdown, Logs, Alert Management, and Session Management.
The Session
Management tab can be viewed once you log in to manage the Server Administrator
Web server. See "Managing Server Administrator Web Server" for details on
logging in.
Properties
Subtabs: Health | Summary | Asset Information | Auto
Recovery
Under the Properties tab, you can:
View the current health alert status for hardware
and software components in the Main System Chassis/Main System object
andthe Storage object.
View
detailed summary information for all components in the system being
monitored.
View and configure asset
information for the system being monitored.
View and set the Automatic System Recovery (OS watchdog timer) actions for
the system being monitored.
NOTE: Automatic System
Recovery options may not be available because the operating system watchdog
timer is enabled in BIOS. To configure the auto recovery options, the operating
system watchdog timer must be disabled.
NOTE: Automatic System
Recovery actions may not execute exactly per the time-out period (n seconds)
when the watchdog identifies a system that has stopped responding. The action
execution time ranges from n-h+1 to n+1 seconds, where n is
the time-out period and h is the heart beat interval. The value of the
heart beat interval is 7 seconds when n <= 30 and 15 seconds when n
> 30.
NOTE: The functionality
of the watchdog timer feature cannot be guaranteed when an uncorrectable memory
event occurs in the system DRAM Bank_1. If an uncorrectable memory event occurs
in this location, the BIOS code resident in this space may become corrupted.
Because the watchdog feature uses a call to BIOS to effect the shutdown or
reboot behavior, the feature may not work properly. If this occurs, you must
manually reboot the system.
Shutdown
Subtabs: Remote Shutdown | Thermal Shutdown | Web Server Shutdown
The Web Server Shutdown tab can be accessed only when you are logged in to
the Server Administrator Web Server. See "Managing
Server Administrator Web Server" for details.
Under the Shutdown tab, you can:
Configure the operating system shutdown and remote
shutdown options.
Set the thermal
shutdown severity level to shut down your system in the event that a
temperature sensor returns a warning or failure value.
NOTE: A thermal
shutdown occurs only when the temperature reported by the sensor goes above the
temperature threshold. A thermal shutdown does not occur when the temperature
reported by the sensor goes below the temperature threshold.
Shut down the DSM SA Connection Service (Web
server).
NOTE: The DSM SA
Connection Service starts automatically after a reboot, so you must shut down
the DSM SA Connection Service every time a system starts up.
Logs
Subtabs: Hardware | Alert | Command
Under the Logs tab, you can:
View the Embedded System Management (ESM) log or
the System Event Log (SEL) for a list of all events related to your system's
hardware components. The status indicator icon next to the log name will
change from normal status (
) to noncritical status(
) when the log file reaches 80 percent capacity. On Dell™ PowerEdge™ x8xx,
x9xx and
xx1x systems, the status indicator icon next to the log name will change
to critical status (
) when the log file reaches 100 percent capacity.
NOTE: Dell recommends
that you clear the hardware log when it reaches 80 percent capacity. If the log
is allowed to reach 100 percent capacity, the latest events are discarded from
the log.
View the Alert log for a list of all events
generated by the Server Administrator Instrumentation Service and Storage
Management Service in response to changes in the status of sensors and other
monitored parameters.
NOTE: See the Server
Administrator Messages Reference Guide for a complete explanation of each
alert event ID's corresponding description, severity level, and cause.
View the Command log for a list of each command
executed from the Server Administrator home page.
NOTE: See "Server
Administrator Logs" for complete instructions on viewing, printing, saving,
and e-mailing logs.
Alert Management
Subtabs: Platform
Events
Under the Alert Management tab, you can:
View current alert actions settings and set the
alert actions that you want to be performed in the event that a system
component sensor returns a warning or failure value.
Session Management
The Session Management tab can be accessed only when you are logged in to the
Server Administrator Web Server. See 'Managing
Server Administrator Web Server' for details.
Subtabs: Session
Under the Session Management tab, you can:
View session information for current users that
have logged in to Server Administrator.
Terminate user sessions.
NOTE: Only users with
administrative privileges can view the Session Management page and terminate
session(s) of logged-in users.
Main System Chassis/Main System
Click the Main System Chassis/Main System object to manage your
system's essential hardware and software components.
NOTE: AC Switch
is supported on limited systems, Batteries is supported only on Dell
PowerEdge x9xx and Dell xx0x systems, Hardware Performance
is supported only on Dell xx0x systems, Power Management is
supported on limited Dell xx0x systems, while Power Supplies is
not available on Dell PowerEdge 1900 systems.
The system/server module may contain one main system chassis or several
chassis. The main system chassis/main system contains the essential components
of a system. The Main System Chassis/Main System object action window has
the following tab: Properties.
Properties
Subtabs: Health | Information | System Components (FRU)|
Front Panel
Under the Properties tab, you can:
View the health or status of hardware components
and sensors. Each listed component has a "System/Server
Module Component Status Indicators" icon next to its name. A green check
mark (
) indicates that a component is healthy (normal). A yellow triangle
containing an exclamation point (
) indicates that a component has a warning (noncritical) condition and
requires prompt attention. A red X (
) indicates a component has a failure (critical) condition and requires
immediate attention. A blank space () indicates that a component's health status is unknown. The available
monitored components include:
View information
about the main system chassis attributes.
View detailed information about the field-replaceable units (FRUs) installed
in your system (under the
System Components (FRU) subtab.)
Enable or disable the managed system's front panel buttons, namely Power
button and Non-Masking Interrupt (NMI) button (if present on the system).
AC Switch
Click the AC Switch object to display key features of your system's AC
failover switch. The AC Switch
object action window can have the following tab, depending on the user's group
privileges: Properties.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view AC switch redundancy
information and view information about the AC power lines.
Batteries
Click the Batteries object to view information about your system’s
installed batteries. Batteries maintain the time and date when your system is
turned off. The battery saves the system’s BIOS setup configuration, which
allows the system to reboot efficiently. The Batteries object action
window can have the following tabs, depending on the user’s group privileges.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view the current readings and status
of your system’s batteries.
BIOS
Click the BIOS object to manage key features of your system's BIOS.
Your system’s BIOS contains programs stored on a flash memory chip set that
control communications between the microprocessor and peripheral devices, such
as the keyboard and the video adapter, and other miscellaneous functions, such
as system messages. The BIOS object action window can have the following
tabs, depending on the user's group privileges: Properties and Setup.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view BIOS information.
Setup
Subtab: BIOS
Under the Setup tab, you can set the state for each BIOS setup object.
NOTE: Setting the boot
sequence to Device List on the Setup tab results in the following
boot sequence: diskette, IDE CD drive, hard drive, option ROMs (if the devices
are available).
You can modify the state of many BIOS setup features including but not
limited to the Serial Port, Network Interface Controller cards, Boot Sequence,
User Accessible USB Ports, CPU Virtualization Technology, CPU HyperThreading, AC
Power Recovery Mode, Embedded SATA Controller, Console Redirection, and Console
Redirection Failsafe Baud Rate. You can also configure internal USB device,
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) settings, optical drive controller settings,
automatic system recovery (ASR) Watchdog Timer, embedded hypervisor and
additional LAN network ports on motherboard information.
Depending upon your specific system configuration, additional setup items may
be displayed. However, some BIOS setup options may be shown on the F2 BIOS Setup
screen that are not accessible in Server Administrator.
NOTE: The NIC
configuration information within the Server Administrator
BIOS setup may be inaccurate for embedded NICs. Using the
BIOS setup screen to enable or disable NICs might produce unexpected
results. It is recommended that you perform all configurations for embedded NICs
through the actual System
Setup screen that is available by pressing <F2> while a system is
booting.
NOTE: The BIOS Setup
tab for your system only displays the BIOS features that are supported on your
system.
Fans
Click the Fans object to manage your system fans. Server Administrator
monitors the status of each system fan by measuring fan rpms. Fan probes report
rpms to the Server Administrator Instrumentation Service. When you select
Fans from the device tree, details appear in the data area in the right-hand
pane of the Server Administrator home page. The Fans object action window
can have the following tabs, depending on the user's group privileges.
Properties
Subtabs: Fan Probes | Fan Control
Under the Properties tab, you can:
View the current readings for your system's fan
probes and configure minimum and maximum values for fan probe warning
threshold.
NOTE: Some fan probe
fields differ according to the type of firmware your system has: BMC or ESM.
Some threshold values are not editable on BMC-based systems.
Select fan control options.
Firmware
Click the Firmware object to manage your system firmware. Firmware
consists of programs or data that have been written to ROM. Firmware can boot
and operate a device. Each controller contains firmware that helps provide the
controller's functionality. The Firmware object action window can have
the following tab, depending on the user's group privileges: Properties.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view your system's firmware
information.
Hardware Performance
Click the Hardware Performance object to view the status and cause for
the system’s performance degradation. The Hardware Performance object
action window can have the following tab, depending on the user's group
privileges:
Properties.
This table lists the possible values for
status and cause of a probe:
Status Values
Cause Values
Degraded
User Configuration
Insufficient Power Capacity
Unknown Reason
Normal
[N/A]
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view the details of system’s
performance degradation.
Intrusion
Click the Intrusion object to manage your system's chassis intrusion
status. Server Administrator monitors chassis intrusion status as a security
measure to prevent unauthorized access to your system's critical components.
Chassis intrusion indicates that someone is opening or has opened the cover to
the system's chassis. The Intrusion object action window can have the
Properties tab depending on the user's group privileges.
Properties
Subtab: Intrusion
Under the Properties tab, you can view the chassis intrusion status.
Memory
Click the Memory object to manage your system's memory devices. Server
Administrator monitors the memory device status for each memory module present
in the monitored system. Memory device prefailure sensors monitor memory modules
by counting the number of ECC memory corrections. Server Administrator also
monitors memory redundancy information if your system supports this feature. The
Memory object action window can have the Properties tab depending on
the user's group privileges.
Properties
Subtab: Memory
Under the Properties tab, you can view memory attributes, memory
device details, and memory device status.
NOTE: If a system with
spare bank memory enabled enters a redundancy lost state, it may not be apparent
which memory module is the cause. If you cannot determine which DIMM to replace,
see the switch to spare memory bank detected log entry in the ESM system
log to find which memory module failed.
Network
Click the Network
object to manage your system's NICs. Server Administrator monitors the status of
each NIC present in your system to ensure continuous remote connection. The
Network object action window can have the Properties tab, depending
on the user's group privileges.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view information about the NICs
installed on your system.
NOTE: In the 'IPv6
Addresses' section, Server Administrator will display only two addresses, in
addition to the link-local address.
Ports
Click the Ports object to manage your system's external ports. Server
Administrator monitors the status of each external port present in your system.
The Ports object action window can have the following tab, depending on
the user's group privileges: Properties.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view information about your system's
internal and external ports.
Power Management
Monitoring
Subtabs: Consumption | Statistics
Under the Consumption tab you can view and manage your system’s Power
Consumption information in Watts and BTU/hr.
BTU/hr=Watt X 3.413 (Value rounded off to the nearest whole number)
Server Administrator monitors power consumption status, amperage, and tracks
power statistic details.
You can also view the System Instantaneous Headroom and System Peak Headroom.
The values are displayed in both Watts and BTU/hr (British Thermal Unit). Power
thresholds can be set in Watts and BTU/hr.
The Statistics tab allows you to view and reset your system’s Power tracking
statistics like energy consumption, system peak power, and system peak amperage.
Management
Subtab: Budget
The Budget tab allows you to view the Power Inventory attributes like System
Idle Power and System Maximum Potential Power in Watts and BTU/hr. You can also
use the Power Budget option to Enable Power Cap and set the Power Cap for your
system.
Certain Power Management features may be available only on systems enabled
with the Power Management Bus (PMBus).
Power Supplies
Click the Power Supplies object to manage your system’s power supplies.
Server Administrator monitors power supply status, including redundancy, to
ensure that each power supply present in your system is functioning properly.
The Power Supplies object action window can have the following tabs, depending
on the user's group privileges.
Properties
Subtab: Elements
Under the Properties tab, you can:
• View information about your power supply redundancy attributes.
• Check the status of individual power supply elements, including the Rated
Input Wattage and Maximum Output Wattage. The Rated Input Wattage attribute will
be displayed only on PMBus systems starting xx1x.
Processors
Click the Processors
object to manage your system's microprocessor(s). A processor is the primary
computational chip inside a system that controls the interpretation and
execution of arithmetic and logic functions. The Processors object action
window can have the Properties tabs depending on the user's group
privileges.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view information about your system's
microprocessor(s) and access detailed capabilities and cache information.
Remote Access
Click the Remote Access object to manage the Baseboard Management
Controller (BMC) or Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) features
and Remote Access Controller features.
Selecting Remote Access tab allows you to manage the BMC/iDRAC features such
as, general information on the BMC/iDRAC. You can also manage the configuration
of the BMC/iDRAC on a local area network (LAN), serial port for the BMC/iDRAC,
terminal mode settings for the serial port, BMC/iDRAC on a serial over LAN
connection, and BMC/iDRAC users.
NOTE: BMC is
supported in Dell PowerEdge x8xx and x9xx systems and iDRAC is
supported in Dell xx0x
and xx1x
systems only.
NOTE: If an application
other than Server Administrator is used to configure the BMC/iDRAC while Server
Administrator is running, the BMC/iDRAC configuration data displayed by Server
Administrator may become asynchronous with the BMC/iDRAC. It is recommended that
Server Administrator be used to configure the BMC/iDRAC while Server
Administrator is running.
DRAC allows you to access your system's remote system management
capabilities. The Server Administrator DRAC provides remote access to inoperable
systems, alert notification when a system is down, and the ability to restart a
system.
The Remote Access object action window can have the following tabs,
depending on the user's group privileges: Properties, Configuration,
and Users.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view general information on the
remote access device. You can also view the attributes of the IPv4 and IPv6
addresses.
Click Reset to Defaults to reset all the attributes to their system
default values.
Configuration
Subtabs: LAN | Serial Port | Serial Over LAN |Additional
Configuration
Under the Configuration tab when BMC/iDRAC is configured, you can
configure the BMC/iDRAC on a LAN, serial port for BMC/iDRAC, and BMC/iDRAC on a
serial over LAN connection.
Under the Configuration
tab, when DRAC is configured, you can:
Configure network properties
NOTE: The
Enable NIC, NIC
Selection, and
Encryption Key fields display only on Dell PowerEdge
x9xx systems.
Under the Additional Configuration tab you will be able to either enable or
disable IPv4/IPv6 properties.
NOTE:
Enabling/disabling IPv4/IPv6 is possible only in a dual stack environment (where
both the IPv4 and IPv6 stacks are loaded).
Users
Subtab: Users
Under the Users tab, you can modify the remote access user
configuration. You can add, configure, and view information about Remote Access
Controller users.
NOTE: On the Dell
PowerEdge x9xx
systems:
Ten user IDs are
displayed. If a DRAC card is installed, sixteen user IDs are displayed.
Serial Over LAN Payload column is displayed.
Slots
Click the Slots object to manage the connectors or sockets on your
system board that accept printed circuit boards, such as expansion cards. The
Slots object action window has the Properties tab.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view information about each slot and
installed adapter.
Temperatures
Click the Temperatures object to manage your system temperature in
order to prevent thermal damage to your system’s internal components. Server
Administrator monitors the temperature in a variety of locations in your
system's chassis to ensure that temperatures inside the chassis do not become
too high. The Temperatures object action window displays the
Properties tab, depending on the user's group privileges.
Properties
Subtab: Temperature Probes
Under the Properties tab, you can view the current readings and status
for your system's temperature probes and configure minimum and maximum values
for temperature probe warning threshold.
NOTE: Some temperature
probe fields differ according to the type of firmware your system has: BMC or
ESM. Some threshold values are not editable on BMC-based systems. When assigning
probe threshold values, Server Administrator sometimes rounds the minimum or
maximum values you enter to the closest assignable value.
NOTE: Users can set
minimum and maximum temperature probe threshold values for an external chassis
to whole numbers only. If users attempt to set either the minimum or maximum
temperature probe threshold value to a number that contains a decimal, only the
whole number before the decimal place is saved as the threshold setting.
Voltages
Click the Voltages object to manage voltage levels in your system.
Server Administrator monitors voltages across critical components in various
chassis locations in the monitored system. The Voltages object action
window can have the Properties tabs depending on the user's group
privileges.
Properties
Subtab: Voltage Probes
Under the Properties
tab, you can view the current readings and status for your system's voltage
probes and configure minimum and maximum values for voltage probe warning
threshold.
NOTE: Some voltage
probe fields differ according to the type of firmware your system has: BMC or
ESM. Some threshold values are not editable on BMC-based systems.
Software
Click the Software object to view detailed version information about
the managed system's essential software components, such as the operating system
and the systems management software. The Software object action window
has the following tab, depending on the user's group privileges: Properties.
Properties
Subtab: Summary
Under the Properties tab, you can view a summary of the monitored
system's operating system and system management software.
Operating System
Click the Operating System object to view basic information about your
operating system. The Operating System object action window has the
following tab, depending on the user's group privileges: Properties.
Properties
Subtab: Information
Under the Properties tab, you can view basic information about your
operating system.
Storage
Server Administrator provides the Storage Management Service:
The Storage Management Service provides features for configuring storage
devices. In most cases, the Storage Management Service is installed using
Typical Setup.
When the Storage Management Service is installed, click the Storage
object to view the status and settings for various attached array storage
devices, system disks, and so on.
In the case of Storage Management Service, the Storage object action
window has the following tab, depending on the user's group privileges:
Properties.
Properties
Subtab: Health
Under the Properties tab, you can view the health or status of
attached storage components and sensors such as array subsystems and operating
system disks.
) to noncritical status(
) when the log file reaches 80 percent capacity. On Dell™ PowerEdge™ x8xx,
x9xx 
) when the log file reaches 100 percent capacity.
) indicates that a component is healthy (normal). A yellow triangle
containing an exclamation point (
) indicates that a component has a warning (noncritical) condition and
requires prompt attention. A red X (
) indicates a component has a failure (critical) condition and requires
immediate attention. A blank space (