Dell Server Deployment Pack Version 2.
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. Copyright © 2014 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and international copyright and intellectual property laws.
Contents 1 Introduction................................................................................................................5 What's New in This Release...................................................................................................................5 Dell Server Deployment Pack Features Overview................................................................................5 2 Before Using Configuration Manager..................................................................
Configuring Variable Replacement Tab....................................................................................... 25 Log/Return Files ............................................................................................................................25 Configuring the Task Sequence Steps to Apply Operating System Image And Driver Package..... 26 Applying the Operating System Image.........................................................................................
Introduction 1 This document describes the activities that you can perform with the Dell Server Deployment Pack (DSDP) Version 2.1 for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (Configuration Manager). NOTE: This document contains information on requirements and the supported software necessary for working with DSDP. If you are installing this version of DSDP after a long time after its release date, check to see if there is an updated version of this document on the support site.
Before Using Configuration Manager 2 Before you begin using the Configuration manager, ensure the following: • Import the DTK packages if you are upgrading DSDP using the option Remove Dell Deployment ToolKit (DTK) utilities and Windows PE drivers or installing DSDP for the first time. NOTE: You can import the DTK package only from a Configuration Manager site server and not from the admin console.
Using the Dell Server Deployment Pack on Systems Running Configuration Manager 2012 and Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 3 This section provides information on how to use Dell Server Deployment Pack on systems running Configuration Manager 2012 and Configuration Manager 2012 SP1. Importing a DTK Package NOTE: Download the latest DTK pack from support.dell.com. Make sure that you import a DTK Package from the site server and not from the admin console. To import a DTK Package: 1.
4. Click Browse and navigate to the DTK self-extractable zip file that you downloaded. The selected DTK version, Windows PE version, and architecture is displayed under DTK selected for import. 5. Click Next. The Boot Image Selection screen is displayed. 6. In Boot Image Properties, follow steps 3 to 8 in the Creating a Boot Image for Deploying Dell PowerEdge Servers section for creating a boot image.
7. Click Create. The boot image creation process begins. A progress bar shows the status of the boot image creation. Once the boot image is created, the boot image details are displayed on the Summary screen, the information includes DTK details, and success state. 8. Right-click each of the newly created boot images and perform the update and manage distribution points operations. NOTE: You can view the DTK configuration details only by using the PowerEdge Deployment ToolKit Configuration Wizard.
7. Click Close. Distributing Content and Updating Distribution Points To update and manage distribution points: 1. Launch Configuration Manager Console. 2. From the left pane of the Configuration Manager Console, select Software Library → Overview → Application Management → Packages → Dell PowerEdge Deployment. 3. Right-click PowerEdge Deployment Toolkit Integration and click Update Distribution Points. A message box prompting for a confirmation is displayed. 4. 5.
4. Type the name of the task sequence in Task Sequence Name field. 5. Select the boot image to use from the drop-down list. NOTE: It is recommended that you use the Dell custom boot image that you created. 6. 7. Under Server Hardware Configuration, select the hardware items that you want to configure in this task sequence. Under Operating System Installation, select the operating system installation type. The options are: • 8. 9.
4. Click Add → Dell Deployment → PowerEdge Server Configuration. This loads the custom action for your Dell server deployment. NOTE: When editing a task sequence for the first time, an error message Setup Windows and ConfigMgr is displayed, create and select the Configurations Manager Client Upgrade package to resolve the error. For more information on creating packages, see the Configuration Manager 2012 documentation at technet.microsoft.com. You can now make changes to the task sequence accordingly.
6. Save the file in the default directory. An example of default directory: \\\sms_\OSD\lib\Packages \Deployment\Dell\PowerEdge\DTK\Template\Configs\Syscfg. 7. Click Apply to save the edited file to the task sequence. 8. Select Set from the Action: drop-down menu. The Configuration file/Command line parameters field is enabled. For more information see, Configuration file/Command line Parameter Options.
Configuring Set Boot Order To add a new set boot order step to a task sequence: 1. Right-click the task sequence and click Edit. The Task Sequence Editor window is displayed. 2. Click Add → Dell Deployment → PowerEdge Server Configuration. This loads the custom action for your Dell server deployment. 3. Select the Configuration action type as Boot Order and Action as Set. 4. Under Configuration file/Command line parameters, select --bootseq=virtualcd.slot.1.
Under Configuration file/Command line parameters there are three options you can choose from: • • • To create steps for RAID: 1. Select the sample ini file from the drop-down. The View button is enabled. 2. Click View to open the ini file. Make modifications per the configurations required and save the file.
How Array Builder Works When you run the task sequence on a target server, the array configuration utility detects the existing controller(s) on the server as well as the disks attached to each controller. The custom action then tries to match the physical configuration(s) the utility detected to the logical configurations you defined in the configuration rules.
3. Under Controller Selection Criteria, select from the following options: Select the controller located in slot Type the slot number of the controller. Select any controller with disks attached Set a rule to select any controller which matches exactly, or at least the number of disks you have selected. Select all remaining controllers in the system regardless of configuration Set a rule to select all remaining controllers in the system regardless of configuration. 4.
Adding a New Variable Condition To add a new variable condition under an embedded controller: 1. Expand Embedded Controller, and select [No variable conditions defined]. 2. Click Variables → New Variable Condition. The Variable Condition Configuration window is displayed. 3. Under Variable Matching Criteria, you can set a rule to apply this variable only if it matches certain criteria that you select. 4. Click OK to apply the variable condition, or Cancel to return to Array Builder.
Editing an Array To edit an array: 1. Select the array and click Arrays → Edit Array. The Array Settings window is displayed. Here you can select a different RAID level for the array. 2. Click OK to apply the changes, or Cancel to return to the Array Builder. Deleting an Array To delete an array: 1. Select the array and click Arrays → Delete Array. A message that all the attached disks will be deleted is displayed. 2. Click Yes to delete or No to cancel.
Disks (also known as Array Disks) You can include disks as part of the arrays (or the non-RAID disks node). These disks can be classified as: • • • Standard disks — These are the basic, non-defined disk type that make up the storage on arrays. Hot Spares — These disks provide online redundancy if a RAID disk fails, and are assigned to a specific array. All Remaining Disks — These disks provide an option to define an array without specifying the exact number of disks in it.
To import an existing Array Builder XML file from another location, click Import XML. Saving to Package 1. Select the Save these changes to the existing file in the toolkit package when I click OK option. 2. Click OK to save the configuration to an XML file. CAUTION: When you update or save a new file in the package, it is not automatically updated on all of its distribution points.
Option Suboptions Description NOTE: Use DRAC configuration (DRAC5) to configure Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) on Dell PowerEdge xx0x modular servers. iDRAC Configuration (iDRAC 6) See for the BIOS option. For more information about the BIOS option, see . idrac6cfg.ini Use the existing idrac6cfg.ini file to configure iDRAC 6. For a similar example, see .
Configuring Variable Replacement Tab To configure the options on the Variable Replacement tab: 1. 2. Select one of the following options under the Action to take when a variable is unintialized or the value is null or blank section: Use a null/ blank value Uses a variable that has not been initialized or has a blank value. This allows the clients to continue processing the action even if the variable is undefined or blank. Fail the task Fails an action that cannot retrieve a valid variable value.
Configuring the Task Sequence Steps to Apply Operating System Image And Driver Package The scope of this document includes information only on the Dell Server Deployment Pack feature to apply operating system image and add Dell drivers. Applying the Operating System Image NOTE: Before you begin this task, make sure that you have the required operating system image file (.wim file) within the Operating System Images tree in the Configuration Manager. To apply the operating system image: 1.
Best Practices for Advertising a Task Sequence • Always configure advertisements with the following settings when using PXE: – Make the task sequence available to boot media and PXE. – Distribution Points: Access content directly from a distribution point when needed by the running task sequence. – Interaction: Show task sequence progres.
Using the Dell Server Deployment Pack on Systems Running Configuration Manager 2007 4 The chapter will help you to use Dell Server Deployment Pack on systems running Configuration Manager 2007. Importing a DTK Package NOTE: Download the latest DTK pack from support.dell.com. To import a DTK package and create a Dell boot image: 1. Launch Configuration Manager by clicking Start → Microsoft System Center → Configuration Manager 2007 → Configuration Manager Console.
3. Right-click Dell PowerEdge Server Deployment and select Dell PowerEdge Server Deployment → Launch Deployment ToolKit Configuration Wizard. The PowerEdge Deployment ToolKit Configuration Wizard screen is displayed. The existing DTK version present on the server is displayed in the DTK Zip Details field. 4. Click Browse and navigate to the DTK self-extractable zip file that you downloaded. The selected DTK version, Windows PE version, and architecture is displayed under DTK Zip Details. 5. Click Next.
6. Type a name for the Dell boot image. NOTE: The Version and Comments fields are optional. 7. Select Enable Unknown Computer Support for this Boot Image to enable unknown computer support. A warning that the boot image is used only for unknown computer deployment is displayed. 8. Click OK. 9. Click Browse. In the Collection selector screen, select the collection to which the unknown computer is added during the operating system deployment.
Importing Dell Server Driver Packages Dell Server Deployment Pack provides a wizard to create driver packages in Configuration Manager based on the server-operating system combination, out of the drivers available in the Dell Systems Management Tools and Documentation DVD. These packages are used in the operating system deployment task sequences. 1. Insert the Dell Systems Management Tools and Documentation DVD version 6.2 (or later) in your system drive.
Creating a Task Sequence You can create a task sequence to configure your server in two ways: • Create a Dell-specific task sequence using PowerEdge Server Deployment template. • Create a custom task sequence. Creating a Dell Specific Task Sequence To create a Dell-specific task sequence using PowerEdge Server Deployment template: 1. Launch Configuration Manager by clicking Start → Microsoft System Center → Configuration Manager 2007 → Configuration Manager Console.
5. Type Task sequence name and Description for the task sequence. 6. Browse for the Dell boot image that you had created, and click Finish. A confirmation message is displayed. Editing a Task Sequence To edit a new task sequence or an existing task sequence: 1. Launch Configuration Manager by clicking Start → Microsoft System Center → Configuration Manager 2007 → Configuration Manager Console. The Configuration Manager Console screen is displayed. 2.
To automate the reboot process, insert a Set Boot Order step before the Reboot to PXE/USB Custom Action step. To insert the step automatically, select the Set Boot Order check box from the Dell PowerEdge Server Task Sequence Wizard. For more information on configuring Set Boot Order, see the Configuring Set Boot Order section. CAUTION: It is recommended that you do not move or delete the Set RebootStep, Reboot to PXE/ USB, and Reset RebootStep Custom Action steps in the task sequence.
For more information on how to deploy a task sequence using the above methods, see the Configuration Manager Online Help.
Troubleshooting 5 NOTE: Before you run the sample commands provided in the troubleshooting section, see the DTK documentation and if required recreate the commands based on machine configuration. Task Sequences Fail or Act Incorrectly After an Upgrade on Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 In order for the task sequences to function correctly on systems running Configuration Manager 2007 SP2: 1. Launch the task sequence editor. For more information see, Editing a Task Sequence. 2.
DTK Configuration wizard completes with errors When the DTK configuration wizard completes with errors, while importing the DTK package on systems running Configuration Manager 2007: 1. Check if the log file contains text similar to Utilities::ExtractDTK: Exception occurred during extraction. When the preceding text exists, it is due to a driver catalog file that is in use by the WMI process. 2. Restart the WMI process. CAUTION: The WMI process is a common service used by other applications. 3.
Command Line Options 6 DSDP supports the command line options supported in Dell Deployment Toolkit. For more information on the command line options, usage guidelines, and syntax, see Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit Version 4.4 Command Line Interface Reference Guide. However, you must do the following changes to the syntax, for the commands to run in DSDP.
Mandatory Options and Arguments Optional Parameters Valid Parameters Arguments Description -vd -vd=id ac=svdn - vdn= c=id or vdisk vdisk= id action= setvdname vdname= controllerid= id NA NA Sets the name of the specified virtual disk on the specified controller. Example: A:>raidcfg -vd -vd=2 -ac=svdn vdn=xxx -c=2 RAIDCFG Command successful! When using this command in DSDP, remove raidcfg and run the command.
Other Dell Documents You Might Need 7 In addition to this guide and the online help, you might need to refer the following documents to get details on specific Dell OpenManage products. These documents are available at dell.com/support/ manuals. • The Dell Server Deployment Pack Version 2.1 for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager Installation Guide provides information about installing DSDP 2.1 on your system.
NOTE: If you have purchased a Dell system, you may be asked for the Service Tag. Accessing Documents From Dell Support Site You can access the required documents in one of the following ways: • From the following links: – For all Systems Management documents — dell.com/softwaresecuritymanuals – For Enterprise Systems Management documents — dell.com/openmanagemanuals – For Remote Enterprise Systems Management documents — dell.com/esmmanuals – For Serviceability Tools documents — dell.