Users Guide

21 Dell EMC PowerEdge MX SmartFabric Configuration and Troubleshooting Guide
2.8.2 Virtual identities and identity pools
Some of the attributes included in a template are referred to as identity attributes. Identity attributes identify a
device and distinguish it from all other devices on the network. Since identity attributes must uniquely identify
a device, it is imperative that each device has a unique network identity. Otherwise, devices won’t be able to
communicate with each other over the network.
Devices come with unique manufacturer-assigned identity values preinstalled, such as a factory-assigned
MAC address. Those identities are fixed and never change. However, devices can assume a set of alternate
identity values, called a “virtual identity”. A virtual identity functions on the network using that identity, as if the
virtual identity was its factory-installed identity. The use of virtual identity is the basis for stateless operations.
OME-M console uses identity pools to manage the set of values that can be used as virtual identities for
discovered devices. It controls the assignment of virtual identity values, selecting values for individual
deployments from pre-defined ranges of possible values. This allows the customer to control the set of values
which can be used for identities. The customer doesn’t have to enter all needed identity values with every
deployment request, or remember which values have or have not been used. Identity pools make
configuration deployment and migration much easier to manage.
Identity pools are used in conjunction with template deployment and profile operations. They provide sets of
values that can be used for virtual identity attributes for deployment. After a template is created, an identity
pool may be associated with it. Doing this directs the identity pool to get identity values whenever the
template is deployed to a target device. The same identity pool can be associated with, or used by, any
number of templates. Only one identity pool can be associated with a template.
Each template will have specific virtual identity needs, based on its configuration. For example, one template
may have iSCSI configured, so it needs the appropriate virtual identities for iSCSI operations. Another
template may not have iSCSI configured, but may have FCoE configured, so it will need virtual identities for
FCoE operations but not for iSCSI operations, etc.
2.8.3 Deployment
Deployment is the process of applying a full or partial system configuration on a specific target device. In
OME-M, templates are the basis for all deployments. Templates contain the system configuration attributes
that get sent to the target server, then the iDRAC on the target device applies the attributes contained in the
template and reboots the server if necessary. Often, templates contain virtual identity attributes. As mentioned
above, identity attributes must have unique values on the network. Identity Pools facilitate the assignment and
management of unique virtual identities.