Dell Lifecycle Controller USC/USC-LCE Version 1.
Notes and Cautions NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if instructions are not followed. ____________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2011 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.
Contents 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Why Use USC/USC-LCE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 USC and USC-LCE Features and Product Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 What’s new in USC/USC-LCE 1.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Upgrading to USC or USC-LCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 USC and USC-LCE Features . Lifecycle Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . USC-LCE Platform Update 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Hardware Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Configuration Wizards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HII Advanced Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . Hardware Inventory–View and Export . . . . . . . Delete Configuration and Reset Defaults . Driver Access . 28 28 . .
4 USC and USC-LCE Operations . . . . . . . . . Viewing Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exporting Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Prerequisites Workflow 37 Viewing and Exporting Hardware Inventory after Resetting Lifecycle Controller . . . . . . Updating Platform . . . . . 39 . .
Bypass RAID configuration: Selecting Operating System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Selecting an Operating System Available in the List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selecting Custom Operating System . . . . . . . . Selecting an Operating System Not Available in the List . . . . . . . . . . 53 . . . . . . . . . 54 . . . . . . . . . . 54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Installing Drivers for RHEL 4.8 Operating System . . . . . . . .
Important . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 View Current Configuration . Select RAID Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Foreign Configuration Found . . . . . . . . . . . . Express or Advanced Wizard . Select Basic Settings . 72 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Express Wizard Only - Assign a Hot Spare . . . . . 75 . . . . . 76 . . . . . . . . .
Upgrading to an iDRAC6 Express Card Installing iDRAC6 Express Card . . . . . . . . . . 87 . . . . . . . . . . 87 Transferring an iDRAC6 Express Card . . . . . . . 88 . . . . . . . . . . 88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Removing iDRAC6 Express Card Configuring a Local FTP Server Requirements for a Local FTP Server . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Using Dell Repository Manager to Create the Repository and Copy it to a Local FTP Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Importing Server Profile from a vFlash SD Card, Network Share, or USB Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Prerequisites Workflow Post-import Scenario . Importing Server Profile after Motherboard Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Prerequisites Workflow Post-requisites . . . . . . . .
A Lifecycle Log Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B Easy-to-use System Component Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index 10 123 . . . . . 125 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 Introduction The Dell Lifecycle Controller provides advanced embedded systems management and is delivered as part of iDRAC Express card and embedded Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) applications in the 11th generation Dell servers. The iDRAC6 works with the UEFI firmware to access and manage every aspect of the hardware, including component and subsystem management that is beyond the traditional Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) capabilities.
• • Dell Server Updates DVD • Dell Systems Build and Update Utility DVD (for USC only). • Network share – Patching/Updates (USC-LCE only) — Operating system agnostic and reduced maintenance downtime with direct access to updates from ftp.dell.com. It simplifies BIOS and firmware updates by maintaining a working version for rollback. – Servicing (USC-LCE only) — Continuous availability of diagnostics without the hard drive dependency.
your requirements. As the tool is integrated and embedded, formatting or reinstalling the operating system does not remove the tool, thus saving significant time and money. USC and USC-LCE Features and Product Classification Table 1-1.
Table 1-2.
Table 1-2.
What’s new in USC/USC-LCE 1.5 The new features are: • Backup and Export server profile • Import server profile • View and export factory shipped inventory • Configure and upgrade firmware for Converged Network Adapters (CNA) cards. Supported on the following CNA card: Broadcom: – M710HD Dual Port 10Gig 57712 NDC • Software RAID configuration1 • Enhancement to the RAID configuration feature — Virtual disk slicing support • Driver packs support for new operating systems1.
Other Documents You May Need In addition to this guide, you can access the following guides available at support.dell.com/manuals. On the Manuals page, click SoftwareSystems Management. Click on the appropriate product link on the right-side to access the documents.
Introduction
Using USC or USC-LCE 2 Before using USC/USC-LCE, you must ensure that the following prerequisites are met: • Ensure that your network is configured. • Ensure that the system has the latest versions of iDRAC and BIOS installed. See Readme for more information. Launching USC or USC-LCE To launch USC or USC-LCE during the system boot, press key within 10 seconds of the Dell logo being displayed to enter System Services.
Launch Messages—Causes and Resolutions Table 2-1 lists the messages that appear during system launch, and their cause and resolution. Table 2-1. Launch Error Messages—Causes and Resolutions Message Cause Resolution System Services • The system is turned • Wait for a minute after resetting disabled on or restarted while iDRAC to restart the system, so that iDRAC is initializing. iDRAC initializes.
Enabling USC or USC-LCE 1 Press within five seconds after system start-up. The iDRAC6 Configuration Utility is displayed. 2 Navigate to System Services. 3 Select Disable System Services. 4 Save your changes and exit the iDRAC6 Configuration Utility. The system reboots automatically. Disabling USC or USC-LCE To prevent the system from entering USC or USC_LCE during startup, do the following: 1 Press within five seconds after system start-up. The iDRAC6 Configuration Utility is displayed.
Using USC for the First Time When using USC for the first time, it is recommended that you run the wizards: 1 USC Settings — Run the wizard to change the language, keyboard, or network settings. 2 OS Deployment — Run to install the operating system. 3 Hardware Diagnostics — Run diagnostics-check regularly to maintain the system.
Specifying Language, and Keyboard Type 1 In the left pane, click USC Settings. 2 In the right pane, click Language and Keyboard. Use the up-arrow and down-arrow keys to select the options. a From the Language drop-down menu, select the language. b From the Keyboard Type drop-down menu, select the keyboard type. 3 Click Finish to save the new settings. Configuring Network Settings (NIC Card) 1 In the left pane, click USC Settings. 2 In the right pane, click Network Settings.
Using USC or USC-LCE
3 USC and USC-LCE Features This chapter provides a brief description of the Unified Server Configurator (USC) and Unified Server Configurator-Lifecycle Controller Enabled (USC-LCE) features. Also helps you familiarize with USC and USC-LCE wizards to use USC-LCE most effectively. Table 3-1 lists the features that USC and USC-LCE supports. Each feature is a wizard in USC and USCLCE. Table 3-1. USC and USC-LCE Wizards Wizards/Menu Description USC USC-LCE Home Navigate back to Home screen.
Lifecycle Log Lifecycle Controller provides the history of firmware changes of the related components installed on a managed node. The log contains the following: • Firmware update history based on device, version, and date • Events based on severity, category, and date • User comments history based on date NOTE: Lifecycle log is available even if the operating system is not installed on the system and is independent of the power state of the system.
If the FTP server or network share is used for update, configure the network card using USC Settings wizard before accessing the updates. See Also: • Updating Platform FTP Authentication USC supports anonymous login by authenticating the blank username, a password of your choice, and the FTP server address with the FTP server to download the catalog information. If you use a firewall, you should configure it to allow outgoing FTP traffic on port 21.
Hardware Configuration USC-LCE provides different wizards for configuring hardware, and they are: Configuration Wizards Use the configuration wizards to configure system devices. The Configuration Wizards include Physical Security Configuration, System Date/Time Configuration, iDRAC Configuration, RAID Configuration, Key Encryption, and vFlash SD card Configuration.
components (for example, fans, PCI devices, NICs, DIMMs, PSU, and so on), and their properties and values. From the Filter by Hardware Component drop-down menu, select the hardware component to view its properties and values. You can export this information in the XML format into a USB Device or Network Share. The XML file is saved in this format HardwareInventory__.xml. For more information on the easy-to-use names of the hardware components, see Table B-1.
See Also: • Viewing Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped • Exporting Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped Delete Configuration and Reset Defaults You can delete the current iDRAC settings and reset iDRAC to factory defaults. It also deletes lifecycle logs and the factory shipped inventory information on the managed node. For more information, see Deleting Configuration and Resetting Defaults.
Driver Extraction The drivers required for the operating system, or updates recommended for updating the system after installation, are extracted to a temporary location. These files are deleted after an 18-hour period or when you press the key to either cancel operating system installation or re-enter USC after rebooting.
Table 3-3. RAID Configuration RAID Controller Availability Operations • System does not have a RAID controller OS Deployment wizard installs the • Bypass the optional RAID configuration operating system to a default location, which is typically the disk identified as Disk 0 in the BIOS utility. • System has a RAID controller and you Configure a virtual disk and select a selected the optional RAID configuration virtual disk as the boot device.
System or Feature Behavior During Backup • System Services is not available. • A partition with a label name SRVCNF is automatically created on the vFlash SD card to store the backup image file. If a partition with the label name SRVCNF already exists, it is overwritten. • Takes up to 45 minutes depending on the server configuration. • Takes a back up of everything; you cannot back up information for one device (for example, backup only LOM firmware and configuration).
Import Server Profile Use this feature to import and restore the server to a previously known working state from a backup image file that is either located on a vFlash SD card, network share, or USB. NOTE: You can cancel a restore job using Ctrl-E during POST and select Cancel System Services, or reset the iDRAC. This initiates the recovery process and restores the system to a previously known state. Recovery process must not take more than five minutes.
identify hardware problems that the operating system and other online tools cannot identify. You can use the hardware diagnostics utility to validate the memory, I/O devices, CPU, physical disks, and other peripherals. See Also: • Performing Hardware Diagnostics • Updating Hardware Diagnostics Utility USC or USC-LCE Repair During Power-On Self-Test (POST), if the system displays the message System Services update required, the embedded device that stores USC or USC-LCE may contain corrupt data.
Key Encryption Use this feature to: • Set the encryption for PERC H700/H800 RAID controllers in one of the following modes: – Local Key Encryption — Applies a local key on the RAID controller and remove the keys. – No Encryption — No encryption is applied on the controller and the Set up local key encryption option is available. See Also: • • Applying the Local Key on the RAID Controller Encrypt the existing unsecure virtual disks. To do this, enable the encryption on the controller.
USC and USC-LCE Operations 4 This section provides the tasks required to perform different operations on the Unified Server Configurator (USC) and Unified Server ConfiguratorLifecycle Controller Enabled (USC-LCE). Viewing Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped To view the currently installed or factory installed hardware components and their configuration: 1 From the left pane, click Hardware Configuration.
Workflow To export the current or factory shipped hardware inventory: 1 In the left pane, click Hardware Configuration. 2 Click Export Current Hardware Inventory or Export Factory Shipped Hardware Inventory. 3 Select USB Device or Network Share. USB Device Select USB Device if you are exporting the inventory log to a local USB device. a From the Choose Device drop-down menu, select the required device and enter the path to the folder on the device.
For NFS • Share Name — Type the path to the shared folder where you must store the file. For example, \\xxx.xxx.xx.xx\sharename. • File Location — Type the sub-directories if any. For example, 2010\Apr. 4 Click Test Network Connection to verify if USC-LCE is able to connect to the IP address that you provided. By default, it pings the Gateway and DNS server IP. 5 Click Finish to export the inventory.
Updating Platform You can update to the latest version of USC-LCE using the Platform Update wizard. It is recommended that you run the Platform Update wizard on a regular basis to access the latest updates. For USC-LCE, you can update the firmware and BIOS using individual DUPs (single component DUP.) NOTE: Make sure that the file name for the single component DUPs does not have any blank space.
Selecting Download Method To download the updates using the Platform Update wizard, use one of the following sources: • FTP server – Dell FTP Server – Configuring Proxy Server NOTE: Make sure that the catalog file and DUPs that are downloaded from ftp.dell.com, are copied into the root folder of the source. • Local FTP — For more information, see Accessing Updates on a Local FTP Server.
• Proxy Type — The type of proxy server. HTTP and SOCKS 4 proxy types are supported by USC-LCE. • Proxy User Name — The user name required for authentication on the proxy server. • Proxy Password — The password required for authentication on the proxy server. • Test Network Connection — To verify if USC-LCE is able to connect to the IP address that is provided. By default, it pings the Gateway and DNS server IP, and also pings any host and proxy IP.
Using Repository 1 From the drop-down menu, select the volume label. 2 In the Catalog Location or Update package path, if the catalog file is located in the root folder, do not enter the file name. However, if the catalog file is located in a sub-directory, enter the sub-directory name (for example, subdirectory).
Table 4-1. Network Share Details For CIFS For NFS Catalog Location or Update package path NOTE: If the catalog file and DUP are downloaded from ftp.dell.com, do not copy them into a sub-directory. Using Single Component DUPs NOTE: Make sure that the file name for the single component DUPs does not have any blank space. Enter the name of the DUP (for example, APP_WIN_RYYYZZZ.
Important • USC-LCE does not support the update or rollback of PERC 5/E Adapter for external storage, SAS 5i/R Adapter for tape, PERC S100 and PERC S300 Adapters, and Intel NIC Adapters. • A NIC wrapper.efi error may be displayed if you try updating the NIC using platform update in USC without the latest versions of iDRAC and BIOS. To ensure this error does not occur, upgrade to the latest BIOS and iDRAC versions.
Selecting and Applying Rollbacks To select and apply the rollbacks: 1 In the Platform Rollback page, select the required rollback image(s). 2 Click Apply. After the update process is complete, the system reboots. When applying more than one update, the system may reboot between updates directly into USC-LCE and continue updating.
Updating Devices That Affect Trusted Platform Module Settings If BitLocker protection is enabled on your system, updating certain components requires you to enter a recovery password or insert a USB flash drive containing a recovery key during the next system boot. This situation occurs only if the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security setting is set to On with Pre-boot Measurements. For information on how to set TPM settings, see the BIOS User Guide available at support.dell.com/manuals.
Performing Hardware Diagnostics To perform hardware diagnostics: 1 To start the Hardware Diagnostics utility: a In the left pane of USC or USC-LCE, click Hardware Diagnostics. b In the right pane, click Run Hardware Diagnostics. When the diagnostics utility launches, follow the on-screen instructions. 2 To exit the Hardware Diagnostics utility, reboot the system and press to re-enter USC or USC-LCE. When the tests are complete, results of the diagnostics tests are displayed on the screen.
4 For USC — Select the driver source. See Selecting Operating System Driver Source Location (for USC only) for more information. 5 Select the operating system from the list, insert the operating system media, and complete the remaining tasks. See Selecting Operating System for more information. NOTE: If you select an operating system that supports UEFI boot mode, options–BIOS or UEFI are provided for selecting the boot mode. 6 Reboot the system. See Rebooting System for more information.
4 To save the drivers locally from the online repository, select Save Locally. 5 From the Save Locally drop-down menu, select the USB drive to save the system drivers. Make sure to connect a USB device to the USB drive. 6 Click Next. See Also: Selecting Download Method Locally Configured Online Repository To download drivers from a locally-configured online repository, in the Address field, enter the server host name or the IP address of the server that has the drivers.
Using Optional RAID Configuration If the system has a RAID controller, you can configure a virtual disk as the boot device. Configuring RAID Using Operating System Deployment Wizard Important • For USC, the Raid Configuration wizard is available only through the OS Deployment wizard. • For USC-LCE, you can configure RAID through the RAID configuration page from the Hardware Configuration TabConfiguration Wizards RAID Configuration. NOTE: ESX 3.
Selecting Operating System You can select an operating system based on its availability and user preference. Take any one of the following action: • Selecting an Operating System Available in the List • Selecting Custom Operating System • Selecting an Operating System Not Available in the List Selecting an Operating System Available in the List To install an operating system that is available in the list: 1 From the list, select the required operating systems, and click Next.
Selecting Custom Operating System To install a custom operating system: 1 From the list, select the required operating system and click Next. The drivers are extracted and USC or USC-LCE prompts you to insert the operating system installation media. 2 Insert the custom operating system media with all the operating system components that are specific to your requirements, and click Next. NOTE: USC or USC-LCE renders the drivers through the OEMDRV directory to the custom operating system.
Driver Extraction and Installation Table 4-3. Driver Extraction and Installation for Different Operating Systems Operating System Method of Extraction Microsoft Windows operating The drivers are extracted to an internal USB drive system named OEMDRV. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 The drivers are extracted to OEMDRV under /oemdrv/*.rpm. Manually install the extracted drivers after the installation is complete. See Also: • Driver Extraction • Rebooting System Installing Drivers for RHEL 4.
Rebooting System Click Finish to reboot the system and continue with the operating system installation. Upon reboot, the system boots to the operating system installation media. CAUTION: During the beginning of Microsoft Windows Server® 2003 installation, the installer will automatically detect and possibly assign the default drive letter C to USC and USC-LCE temporary storage device OEMDRV.
Operating System–Post Installation Scenarios Post installation of operating system, complete the following USC or USCLCE tasks for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 operating systems: • Assigning a Windows-Bootable System Partition to Drive C • Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.
3 After USC reboots to the operating system installer CD/DVD, enter the command: > linux dd 4 Insert the Driver Update Disk (DUD) when prompted, and specify the location of the USB drive and press . 5 Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Controlling Access to the System Control Panel To control access to the system control panel: 1 From the USC/USC-LCE Home page, select Hardware Configuration.
Configuring System Date/Time To set the date and time for the system: 1 From the USC/USC-LCE Home page, select Hardware Configuration. 2 In the right pane, select Configuration Wizards. 3 Click System Date/Time Configuration. The default system date and system time shown in USC-LCE is the date and time reported by the system BIOS. 4 Modify the System Date and Time (HH:MM:SS AM/PM), as required. 5 Click Finish to apply the changes. 6 To return to the Configuration Wizards, click Back or click Cancel to exit.
LAN Configuration To view and configure: 1 From iDRAC Configuration, select LAN Configuration. 2 Enter details for iDRAC LAN, IPMI Over LAN, MAC Address, and NIC Selection. Table 4-5. LAN Configuration Attributes Attributes Description Values iDRAC LAN Enabling iDRAC LAN activates the remaining controls. Disabling iDRAC LAN deactivates the controls.
Dedicated This option enables remote access to utilize the dedicated network interface available on the Dell Remote Access Controller (DRAC). The DRAC interface is not shared with the host operating system and routes management traffic to a separate physical network, thus separating it from the application traffic. NOTE: This option is available only if an iDRAC6 Enterprise controller is present in the system.
Shared with failover - All LOMS This option enables remote access to share the network interface with the host operating system. The remote access device network interface is fully functional when the host operating system is configured for NIC teaming. The remote access device receives data through NIC 1, NIC 2, NIC 3, and NIC 4; but it transmits data only through NIC 1. If NIC 1 fails, the remote access device transmits data on NIC 2. If NIC 2 fails, the remote access device transmits data on NIC 3.
Table 4-6. Advanced LAN Configuration Attributes Attribute Description Values Auto Negotiate When auto-negotiate is on, it determines whether iDRAC On or Off automatically sets the Duplex Mode and Network Speed values by communicating with the nearest router or hub. When auto-negotiate is off, you must set the Duplex Mode and Network Speed values manually. LAN Speed Configures the network speed to match the user's network 10 MB or environment.
The information set during the configuration is erased if iDRAC is reset to the original defaults or if the iDRAC firmware is updated. Table 4-7. Common IP Configuration Attributes Attribute Description Values Register iDRAC Register the iDRAC name with the Domain Name Name System (DNS) Yes or No iDRAC Name Enable or Disable View or edit the iDRAC name used for registering the DNS. The name string can contain up to 63 printable ASCII characters.
Attribute Description Values IPv4 iDRAC NIC IPv4 protocol support. Disabling IPv4 deactivates the controls Enable or Disable RMCP+ RMCP+ encryption key configuring (no blanks 0 to 40 Encryption Key allowed). The default setting is all zeros (0) hexadecimal IP Address Source The ability of the iDRAC NIC to acquire an IPv4 address from the DHCP server. Enable or Disable Disabling IP Address Source deactivates the Ethernet IP Address, and other user-configured controls.
IPv6 Configuration To set IPv6 configuration: 1 From IP Configuration, select IPV6, and enable or disable the protocol. 2 Specify the IP Address Source. 3 Specify user-configured settings for alternate Ethernet IP Address. 4 Click Next to save your settings and proceed. Attribute Description Values IPv6 iDRAC NIC IPv6 protocol support. Disabling IPv6 deactivates the remaining controls Enable or Disable IP Address Source The ability of the iDRAC NIC to acquire an IPv6 address from the DHCP server.
• :: (two colons) — Using this form, you can represent a string of contiguous zero fields in the preferred form. The :: can only appear once in the address. You can also use this form to represent unspecified addresses (0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0). • x:x:x:x:x:x:d.d.d.d — This form is sometimes more convenient when dealing with a mixed environment of IPv4 and IPv6 nodes.
Virtual Media Configuration The Virtual Media is available only if the system includes iDRAC6 Enterprise. Use the Virtual Media Configuration wizard to set control modes for the available Virtual Media devices. See the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 6 (iDRAC6) User’s Guide available at support.dell.com/manuals for more information on supported Virtual Media devices. To set the: 1 From iDRAC Configuration, select Virtual Media Configuration.
Table 4-9.
Account Privilege Table 4-10.
Summary and Confirmation To view the summary of changes and apply them: 1 From iDRAC Configuration, select Summary. View the summary of the changes you have made. 2 Click Confirm to apply the changes, or click Cancel to cancel all changes and exit the iDRAC Configuration. If you apply the changes, a Please Wait message appears while your changes are saved. When the operation is complete, a final Confirmation screen displays the changes that was applied successfully, left unchanged, or failed.
c Foreign Configuration Found d Express or Advanced Wizard e Select Basic Settings f Express Wizard Only - Assign a Hot Spare g Express Wizard Only - Review Summary h Advanced Wizard Only - Select Physical Disks i Advanced Wizard Only - Additional Settings j Advanced Wizard Only - Review Summary View Current Configuration The View Current Configuration page displays the attributes of any virtual disks already configured on the supported RAID controllers attached to the system.
Foreign Configuration Found The Foreign Configuration Found screen displays only if a foreign configuration resides on the selected RAID controller. NOTE: If you have selected an S100 and S300 RAID controller, the foreign disks are displayed as Non-RAID disks in USC-LCE. You must initialize them to create a virtual disk.
Select the Express Wizard The Express Wizard enables you to select the RAID level only. The Express Wizard then selects a virtual disk configuration for the user which implements the selected RAID level and optionally enables you to assign a hot spare. Select Express Wizard to quickly create a virtual disk using recommended settings. This wizard is not available on all controllers.
• RAID 6 — Stripes data across the physical disks, and uses two sets of parity information for additional data redundancy. If one or two physical disks fail, the data can be rebuilt using the parity information. RAID 6 offers better data redundancy and read performance but slower write performance with very good data redundancy. • RAID 10 — Combines mirrored physical disks with data striping. If a physical disk fails, data can be rebuilt using the mirrored data.
Minimum Disk Requirement for Different RAID Levels Table 4-11. RAID Level and Number of Disks RAID Level Minimum Number of Disks 0 1 1 2 5 3 6 4 10 4 50 6 60 8 Express Wizard Only - Assign a Hot Spare A hot spare is an unused backup physical disk that can be used to rebuild data from a redundant virtual disk. A hot spare can be used only with a redundant RAID level. Hot spares also have requirements for physical disk size.
Express Wizard Only - Review Summary Review the virtual disk attributes you selected before creating a virtual disk. CAUTION: Clicking the Finish button deletes all existing virtual disks except for any foreign configurations that you specified should be kept. All data residing on the deleted virtual disks will be lost. Click Finish to create a virtual disk with the displayed attributes. OR To return to a previous screen to review or change selections, click Back.
• Select the span length from the Select Span Length drop-down menu. The span length value refers to the number of physical disks included in each span. Span length applies only to RAID 10, RAID 50, and RAID 60. The Select Span Length drop-down menu is active only if the user has selected RAID-10, RAID-50, or RAID 60. • Select the physical disks using the check boxes at the bottom of the screen. Your physical disk selection must meet the requirements of the RAID level and span length.
– Write Through — The controller sends a write-request completion signal only after the data is written to the disk. The Write Through policy provides better data security than the Write Back policy since the system assumes the data is available only after it has been written to the disk. – Write Back — The controller sends a write-request completion signal as soon as the data is in the controller cache but has not yet been written to disk.
Configuring RAID using Software RAID Use this feature to configure RAID if a PERC S100 controller on the motherboard or a PERC S300 RAID controller card is present in the system. If the software RAID option is selected, USC-LCE displays the physical disks as Non-RAID disks or RAID-ready disks. • Non-RAID disk — A single disk without any RAID properties. Needs initialization to apply RAID levels. • RAID-ready disk — The disk is initialized and a RAID level can be applied.
3 Click RAID Configuration to launch the wizard and do the following tasks: a Select RAID Controller. b Select the non-RAID physical disks attached to the controller and click Next to initialize them. NOTE: This step is not available if the controller has no non-RAID disks attached to it. CAUTION: During initialization, all the data on the non-RAID disks are deleted.
8 In the Additional Settings page, select the Secure Virtual Disk box and click Next. The Summary Page is displayed with details of the virtual disk attributes. 9 Click Finish. 10 To verify the virtual disk creation, repeat the first two steps. Configuring vFlash SD Card Use this feature to enable or disable the vFlash SD card, check the health and properties, and initialize the vFlash SD card. The Dell vFlash SD card enables the part replacement feature.
• – Type - Indicates the type of card, SD (Secure Digital) or MMC (MultiMediaCard). – Write Protected - Indicates if the write-protect latch on the vFlash SD card is set to on or off position. Initialize vFlash - This deletes all the existing partitions on vFlash SD card. NOTE: You can only use 256 MB of memory space in non-Dell SD cards.
USC-LCE Hardware Configuration allows you to configure other devices through Human Interface Infrastructure (HII). HII is a UEFI-standard method for viewing and setting a device's configuration. You can utilize a single utility to configure multiple devices that had different pre-boot configuration utilities in the past. HII also provides localization, meaning that utilities that were previously English-only, such as the BIOS setup, may now have a localized HII equivalent.
• Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet • Broadcom 5709C NetXtreme II GigE • Broadcom 5709C NetXtreme II GigE • Broadcom 57710 NetXtreme II 10GigE • Intel Ethernet X520 10 GBE Dual Port KX4-KR Mezz • Broadcom 57712 (Dual Port) 10GigE Important • You can configure only one NIC at a time. • Integrated Broadcom NICs are controlled both by the BIOS and by settings stored on the device itself.
Workflow NOTE: All virtual disks created under the same physical disk are automatically encrypted. To encrypt the unsecure virtual disks: 1 In the left pane, click Hardware Configuration. 2 In the right pane, click Configuration Wizards and click Key Encryption. 3 Select the controller that is encrypted and click Next. NOTE: The encryption mode (Local Key Encryption) applied to the selected controller does not change. 4 Select Encrypt unsecure virtual disks and click Next.
5 Enter the Encryption Key Identifier that will be associated with the entered passphrase. The Encryption Key Identifier is a passphrase hint; you must enter the passphrase when USC-LCE prompts with this hint. 6 In the New Passphrase text box, enter a passphrase. NOTE: The controller uses the passphrase to encrypt the disk data. A valid passphrase contains 8 to 32 characters. It must include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, symbols, and without spaces.
4 In the right pane, select Remove encryption and delete data and click Next. 5 Select Delete encryption key and all secure virtual disks and click Finish. CAUTION: The existing encryption, virtual disks, and all the data are permanently deleted. Upgrading to an iDRAC6 Express Card This section provides information about installing an iDRAC6 Express card, transferring the iDRAC6 Express card from one system to another system, and Uninstalling iDRAC6 Express card.
If the installation is successful, you are able to boot to Unified Server Configurator — Lifecycle Controller Enabled. If the installation fails, you must upgrade iDRAC. See the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller User Guide for more information. After you upgrade the iDRAC, repeat the above instructions. Transferring an iDRAC6 Express Card If the iDRAC6 Express card is transferred from one system to another: • The rollback feature is unavailable on the new system.
Configuring a Local FTP Server If your organization’s users are on a private network that does not have access to external sites, specifically ftp.dell.com, you can provide platform updates from a locally-configured FTP server. The users in your organization can access updates or drivers for their Dell server from the local FTP server instead of ftp.dell.com. A local FTP server is not required for users who have access to ftp.dell.com through a proxy server. Check ftp.dell.
Using Dell Repository Manager to Create the Repository and Copy it to a Local FTP Server To create and copy the repository: 1 Copy the repository created using the Dell Repository Manager to the root directory of the local FTP server. NOTE: See the Dell Repository Manager User Guide at support.dell.com/manuals for information on creating a repository for your system. 2 Use this local FTP server for Platform Update.
– Proxy User Name — The user name required for authentication on the proxy server. – Proxy Password — The password required for authentication on the proxy server. Configuring a Local USB Device If your organization’s users are on a private network that does not have access to external sites like ftp.dell.com, you can provide updates from a locally-configured USB device. The USB device used as a repository must hold at least 8 GB of content. A USB device is not required for users who have access to ftp.
Using the Dell Repository Manager to Create the Repository and Copy it to a USB Device To create and copy the repository: 1 Copy the repository created using the Dell Repository Manager to the root directory of the USB device. 2 Use this USB device for Platform Update. NOTE: See the Dell Repository Manager User Guide at support.dell.com/manuals for information on creating a repository for your system.
Supported Devices You can update the part firmware and configuration for the following devices: NOTE: Only part firmware updates are supported on SAS cards and power supply units.
Part Configuration Update From the part configuration update drop-down, select one of the following: • Disabled — The feature is disabled and the current configuration is not applied if a part is replaced. • Apply always — The feature is enabled and the current configuration is applied if a part is replaced. • Apply only if firmware match — The feature is enabled and the current configuration is applied only if the current firmware matches with the firmware of a replaced part.
5 In the Confirm Passphrase field, re-enter the passphrase and click Finish. NOTE: You can check the iDRAC RAC logs for backup server profile status. After the backup profile is completed, check the Lifecycle Logs for all Export entries. To view the log, see Viewing Lifecycle Log History. See Also Backup Server Profile Exporting Server Profile to a USB Device or Network Share Prerequisites • vFlash SD card must have the latest backup image file. • USB device must have a minimum free space of 384 MB.
Network Share CIFS • Share Name — Network share name. For example, \\xxx. xxx. xxx. xxx or \\DataServer\ServerBkp. • Domain and User Name — Network share domain and user name. For example, login-name@myDomain. If there is no domain, enter only the user name. • Password — Network share login password. • File Location — Sub-directory path. For example, 2010\Aug. By default, the file is stored in the root directory. NFS • Share Name — Network share name. For example, \\xxx. xxx. xxx.
Workflow To import the server profile from a vFlash SD card, Network Share, or a USB device: vFlash SD Card 1 In the left pane, select Platform Restore. 2 In the right pane, select Import Server Profile. 3 Select vFlash Secure Digital (SD) Card and click Next. 4 Select either Preserve configuration or Delete Configuration. • Preserve configuration — Preserves the RAID level, virtual disk and controller attributes. • Delete configuration — Deletes the RAID level, virtual disk and controller attributes.
USB Device 1 From the left pane, select Platform Restore. 2 From the right pane, select Import Server Profile. 3 Select USB Device and click Next. 4 From the Choose Device drop-down menu, select the attached USB device. 5 In the File Location text box, enter the directory or sub-directory path, where the backup image file must be stored on the selected device. By default, the file is stored in the root location of the device. 6 Select either Preserve configuration or Delete Configuration.
4 System powers off and perform iDRAC configuration and firmware restore. After completion, iDRAC resets and takes up to 10 minutes before the system powers on. 5 System powers on and restore process is complete. Check the Lifecycle logs for the restore process entries. See Also Import Server Profile Importing Server Profile after Motherboard Replacement Prerequisites • A backup of the server with the old motherboard.
Viewing Lifecycle Log History Use this feature to view: • Firmware inventory • History of firmware updates • Update and configuration events only NOTE: The details of the configuration changes are not shown. • User comments While viewing the lifecycle log, use different filtering and sorting options. To view the Lifecycle Log History and to use the filtering options: 1 In the left pane, click Lifecycle Log. 2 In the right pane, click View Lifecycle Log History.
Exporting Lifecycle Log Use this feature to export the Lifecycle Log information to an XML file. Store the XML file on an USB Device or Network Share. See Lifecycle Log Schema for more information on the schema. Prerequisites • If you use a network share, set the correct Network Settings. See Using USC Settings Wizard for more information. • If you need to store the exported file in an USB device, ensure that an USB device is connected to the managed node.
For CIFS • Share Name — Type the path to the shared folder where you must store the file. For example, type \\xxx.xxx.xx.xx\LifCyLog. • Domain and User Name — Type the correct domain and user name required to log on to the network share. For example, loginname@myDomain, and if there is no domain, type the loginname. • Password — Type the correct password. • File Location — Type the sub-directories if any. For example, 2010\Apr.
Adding a Work Note to Lifecycle Log Use to this feature to record comments that is usable at a later date. For example, scheduled downtime information. NOTE: You can type a maximum of 50 characters in the Lifecycle Log field. To add comments: 1 In the left pane, click Lifecycle Log. 2 In the right pane, click Add a work note to Lifecycle Log. In the Add a work note to Lifecycle Log field, enter the comments and click OK.
USC and USC-LCE Operations
Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions 5 This section describes the error messages commonly generated by Unified Server Configurator (USC) and Unified Server Configurator-Lifecycle Controller Enabled (USC-LCE), and provides suggestions for resolving the errors. It also answers questions that are frequently asked by USC and USCLCE users. Error Messages This section provides a list of error messages and the resolutions for each message. Table 5-1 lists the messages specifically to USC and USC-LCE.
Table 5-1. USC and USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution The inserted OS media is invalid The operating system media is damaged or corrupted, or the optical device used to read the media is not functioning correctly. The updates you are USC or USC-LCE has detected that one or more of the DUPs used to update your system are not Dell authorized.
Table 5-1. USC and USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution Enter a valid Default Gateway Address Enter a valid default gateway address that is between 0.0.0.0 and 255.255.255.255. Enter a valid IPv4 DNS Server 1 Address Enter a valid IPv4 DNS Server1 address that is between 0.0.0.0 and 255.255.255.255. Enter a valid IPv4 DNS Server 2 Address Enter a valid IPv4 DNS Server2 address that is between 0.0.0.0 and 255.255.255.255. Account access change failed.
Table 5-2. USC Error Messages and Resolutions Error Message Resolution Unable to find a device USC cannot detect a device to read the operating system capable of reading the OS media. One of the following situations is probably causing install media the error: • No optical device is available on the system. Shut down the system and add a SATA optical device or USB optical device. • If an optical device is present, it may not be properly connected. Check to ensure the device cables are adequately seated.
Table 5-3. USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions Error Message Resolution Drivers pack not found USC-LCE cannot find the drivers required to install the operating system. To resolve this issue, perform a platform update (see Updating Platform). OR Error populating OS list Unable to find a device capable of reading the OS install media USC-LCE cannot detect a device to read the operating system media.
Table 5-3. USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution File seek of catalog archive failed The catalog downloaded to compare currently installed versions with the latest available versions is corrupt. This error may be caused by temporary network problems; try again later to connect to the update repository.
Table 5-3. USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution Please enter the IPv6 Default Gateway address Enter the IPv6 default gateway address. See IPv6 Configuration. Please enter a valid IPv6 DNS Server 1 Address Enter a valid IPv6 DNS Server1 address. See IPv6 Configuration. Please enter a valid IPv6 DNS Server 2 Address Enter a valid IPv6 DNS Server2 address. See IPv6 Configuration.
Table 5-3. USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution Generic Failure USC-LCE experienced an unidentified error when creating the RAID configuration. To resolve this issue: 1 Reboot the system. 2 Re-enter USC-LCE by pressing the key. 3 Try again to create the RAID configuration. Sufficient physical disks not You do not have a sufficient number of disks to support available on any supported RAID configuration—you must attach more physical RAID controller.
Table 5-3. USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution An error occurred. One or more settings may not be restored. An error occurred when restoring Hardware Advanced Configuration settings. To resolve this issue: 1 Reboot the system. 2 Re-enter USC-LCE by pressing the key. Re-open the Advanced Configuration screen. This feature is not supported in this configuration Your modular system does not support the feature you selected.
Table 5-3. USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution Failed to copy to Network Share This error may occur due to temporary network problems. If this issue persists, check the network connection and then retry. Failed to log the message Ensure that these characters are not used in the message: <, >, &, and %. If the issue persists, reboot iDRAC. Failed to Open Dell Update Use the correct DUP, name, and path.
Table 5-3. USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution The restore operation which The RAC log contains the names of the components was initiated from USC that failed during restore. Verify the firmware completed with errors. For information and retry. more information, refer RAC log. Initiating restore failed. Perform A/C power cycle and retry. Retry restore operation after sometime. An error occurred. Could not validate the image on vFlash SD card.
Table 5-3. USC-LCE Error Messages and Resolutions (continued) Error Message Resolution This operation cannot be completed because the SD Card is not present. Insert the SD card and retry. Install and enable the licensed vFlash SD card and retry the operation. The backup operation that The RAC log contains the names of the components was initiated from USC that failed during backup. Verify the firmware could not be completed. information and retry. Check iDRAC RAC logs for more information. Rekey failed.
2 Connect to iDRAC on your system using the iDRAC Web interface. For more information on iDRAC, see the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 6 (iDRAC6) User’s Guide. 3 From the iDRAC Web interface, click Remote Access. 4 Select the Update tab, and then browse to USC-LCE Repair Package you downloaded from ftp.dell.com. 5 Click Next, and then click OK to confirm the upload. Allow the process to complete before you continue to step 6. 6 Reboot your system, and then press the key to enter USC-LCE.
Frequently Asked Questions 1 When USC-LCE downloads updates, where are the files stored? The files are stored in non-volatile memory, located on the main system board. This memory is not removable and is not accessible through the operating system. 2 Is a virtual media device or vFlash SD card required to store data for updates? No. The files are stored in memory on the main system board.
7 Can I update the drivers used by an installed operating system through USC or USC-LCE? No. USC or USC-LCE only provides drivers that are required for operating system installation. To update the drivers used by an installed operating system, see your operating system’s help documentation. 8 Can I add my own drivers and firmware for updating USC or USC-LCE to a local USB device? No. Only drivers and firmware downloaded from the Dell Server Updates DVD’s are supported.
13 Within Hardware Configuration, what is the difference between the Configuration Wizards and Advanced Configuration? USC-LCE offers two ways to configure hardware: Configuration Wizards and Advanced Configuration. Configuration Wizards guide you through a sequence of steps to configure your system devices. The Configuration Wizards include iDRAC, RAID, System Date/Time, and Physical Security. See Hardware Configuration for more information.
If your system crashes while using USC or USC-LCE, a black screen with red text appears. To resolve this problem, first try rebooting your system and re-entering USC or USC-LCE. If that does not resolve the problem, perform the steps in Repairing USC of Repairing USC-LCE. If that does not resolve the problem, contact Dell for technical assistance. 19 How do I find out the current installed version details of the USC-LCE product? Click About on the left navigation pane.
Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions
A Lifecycle Log Schema This section displays a typical lifecycle log schema. PAGE 124
Easy-to-use System Component Names B Table B-1 lists the Fully Qualified Device Descriptor (FQDD) of the system components and the equivalent easy-to-use names. Table B-1. Easy-to-use Names of System Components FQDD of System Component Name Easy-to-use Name RAID.Integrated.1 Integrated RAID Controller 1 RAID.Slot.1-1 RAID Controller in Slot 1 NIC.Mezzanine.1B-1 NIC.Mezzanine.1C-1 NIC.Mezzanine.1C-2 NIC in Mezzanine NIC.Mezzanine.3C-2 NonRAID.Integrated.
Table B-1. Easy-to-use Names of System Components (continued) FQDD of System Component Name Easy-to-use Name P2PBridge.Mezzanine.2B-1 Embedded Host Bridge in Mezzanine 1 (Fabric B) USBUHCI.Embedded.1-1 Embedded USB UHCI 1 USBOHCI.Embedded.1-1 Embedded USB OHCI 1 USBEHCI.Embedded.1-1 Embedded USB EHCI 1 Disk.SATAEmbeded.A-1 Disk on Embedded SATA Port A Optical.SATAEmbeded.B-1 Optical Drive on Embedded SATA Port B TBU.SATAExternal.C-1 Tape Back-up on External SATA Port C Disk.USBFront.
Table B-1. Easy-to-use Names of System Components (continued) FQDD of System Component Name Easy-to-use Name Fan.Slot. 1 Fan 1 Fan.Slot. 2 Fan 2 … … Fan.Slot. 9 Fan 9 MC.Chassis.1 Chassis Management Controller 1 MC.Chassis.2 Chassis Management Controller 2 KVM.Chassis.1 KVM IOM.Slot.1 IO Module 1 … … IOM.Slot.6 IO Module 6 PSU.Slot.1 Power Supply 1 … ... PSU.Slot.6 Power Supply 6 CPU.Socket.1 CPU 1 System.Modular.2 Blade 2 DIMM.Socket.
Easy-to-use System Component Names
Index B Backup Server Profile about, 32 how to, 94 BIOS configuring with HII, 83 rolling back, 27, 45 BitLocker, 47 D DUP, 20, 116 E error messages, 105 Export Server Profile about, 33 how to, 95 F FAQs, 118 firmware adding custom, 119 interrupting install, 44 rolling back, 27, 45 FTP configuring a local server for updates, 89, 91 H hardware advanced configuration, 82 configuration wizards, 28 configuring, 28 hardware diagnostics updating the utility, 47 HII, 83 I iDRAC configuring, 58 Enterprise, 67,
exporting lifecycle log, 101 viewing history, 100 Linux RHEL 4.
V vFlash, 118 vFlash SD card configuration, 81 virtual disk configuring as a boot device, 51 virtual media using for operating system installation, 119 W Windows drivers, 31 installing to C drive, 56 Index 131
Index
