Users Guide

188 Using and Configuring Virtual Media
The managed system is configured with a DRAC 5 card. The virtual CD and
floppy drives are two electronic devices embedded in the DRAC 5 that are
controlled by the DRAC 5 firmware. These two devices are present on the
managed system’s operating system and BIOS at all times, whether virtual
media is connected or disconnected.
The management station provides the physical media or image file across the
network. When you launch the RAC browser for the first time and you access
the virtual media page, the virtual media plug-in is downloaded from the
DRAC 5 Web server and is automatically installed on the management
station. The virtual media plug-in must be installed on the management
station for the virtual media feature to function properly.
When virtual media is connected, all virtual CD/floppy drive access requests
from the managed system are directed to the management station across the
network. Connecting virtual media is identical to inserting media into virtual
devices. When virtual media is not connected, virtual devices on the
managed system appear as two drives without media installed in the drives.
Table 8-1 lists the supported drive connections for virtual floppy and virtual
optical drives.
NOTE: Changing virtual media while connected could stop the system boot
sequence.
Table 8-1. Supported Drive Connections
Supported Virtual Floppy Drive
Connections
Supported Virtual Optical Drive
Connections
Legacy 1.44 floppy drive with a 1.44
floppy diskette
CD-ROM, DVD, CDRW, combination
drive with CD-ROM media
USB floppy drive with a 1.44 floppy
diskette
CD-ROM image file in the ISO9660
format
1.44 floppy image USB CD-ROM drive with CD-ROM
media.