The Virtual Media Command Line Interface (VM-CLI) utility is a command-line interface that provides Virtual Media features from the management station to the DRAC 5 in the remote system. Using VM-CLI and scripted methods, you can deploy your operating system on multiple remote systems in your network.
This section provides information on integrating the VM-CLI utility into your corporate network.
Before You Begin
Before using the VM-CLI utility, ensure that your targeted remote systems and corporate network meet the requirements listed in the following sections.
Remote System Requirements
DRAC 5 card is installed in each remote system
The virtual device in each remote system is the first device in the BIOS boot order.
Dell Custom Factory Integration
When you order your Dell™ system using the Dell Custom Factory Integration (CFI) options, Dell can preconfigure your system with a DRAC 5 card that includes a DDNS name and a preconfigured system BIOS that is enabled for Virtual Media. Using this configuration, your system is ready to boot from its Virtual Media devices when installed into your corporate network.
For more information, see the Dell website at www.dell.com.
Network Requirements
A network share must contain the following components:
Operating system files
Required drivers
Operating system boot image file(s)
The image file must be a floppy image or CD/DVD ISO image with an industry-standard, bootable format.
Creating a Bootable Image File
Before you deploy your image file to the remote systems, ensure that a supported system can boot from the file. To test the image file, transfer the image file to a test system using the DRAC 5 Web user interface and then reboot the system.
The following sections provide specific information for creating image files for Linux and Windows systems.
Creating an Image File for Linux Systems
Use the Data Duplicator utility to create a bootable image file for your Linux system.
To run the utility, open a command prompt and type the following:
dd if=<input-device> of=<output-file>
For example:
dd if=/dev/fd0 of=myfloppy.img
Creating an Image File for Windows Systems
When choosing a data replicator utility for Windows image files, select a utility that copies the image file and the CD/DVD boot sectors.
Preparing for Deployment
Configuring the Remote Systems
Create a network share that can be accessed by the management station.
Copy the operating system files to the network share.
If you have a bootable, preconfigured deployment image file to deploy the
operating system to the remote systems, skip this step.
If you do not have a bootable, preconfigured deployment image file, create the file. Include any programs and/or scripts used for the operating system deployment procedures
For example, to deploy Microsoft® Windows® operating system, the image file may include programs that are similar to deployment methods used by Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS).
When you create the image file, do the following:
Follow standard network-based installation procedures
Mark the deployment image as "read only" to ensure that each target system boots and executes the same deployment procedure
Perform one of the following procedures:
Integrate RACADM and the Virtual Media command line interface (VM-CLI) into your existing operating system deployment application. Use the sample deployment script as a guide when integrating the DRAC 5 utilities into your existing operating system deployment application.
Use the existing vmdeploy script to deploy your operating system.
Deploying the Operating System
Use the VM-CLI utility and the vmdeploy script included with the utility to deploy the operating system to your remote systems.
Before you begin, review the sample vmdeploy script included with the VM-CLI utility. The script offers detailed requirements to deploy the operating system to remote systems in your network.
The following procedure provides a high-level overview for deploying the operating system on targeted remote systems.
Identify the remote systems that will be deployed.
Record the DRAC 5 names and IP addresses of the targeted remote
systems.
Perform the following procedure for each targeted remote system:
Configure a VM-CLI process that includes the following parameters
for the targeted system:
DRAC 5 IP address or DDNS name
Bootable deployment image file name
DRAC 5 user name
DRAC 5 user password
Using RACADM, set the target DRAC 5 boot once option.
