Advanced Server Configuration in Dell EMC OpenManage Enterprise 3.0 Abstract This technical paper describes the functionality for server configuration management in Dell EMC OpenManage Enterprise 3.0 for device deployment and configuration activities.
Revisions Revisions Date Description January 2019 Initial release Acknowledgements This paper was produced by the following members of the Dell EMC system management engineering team: Author(s): Reg Stumpe, Pushkala Iyer, Rakesh Ayolasomyajul, Matthew Maze, and David Sisson The information in this publication is provided “as is.” Dell Inc.
Acknowledgements Contents Revisions.............................................................................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................................................2 Executive summary............................................................................................................
Acknowledgements 3.5 4 Identity Pool Planning and Strategy .................................................................................................................23 VLAN-based networks ................................................................................................................................................25 4.1 VLAN-based network structure and usage .......................................................................................................25 4.
Executive summary Executive summary OpenManage Enterprise 3.0 is the logical follow-on to the existing OpenManage Essentials (OME) console or its predecessor OpenManage‒Tech Release. While OpenManage Enterprise 3.0 can be used for monitoring and simple task execution on managed servers, it also has advanced features for server configuration. This technical white paper explains key terminology, constructs, and typical use cases for server configuration.
Introduction to server configuration in OpenManage Enterprise 3.0 1 Introduction to server configuration in OpenManage Enterprise 3.0 The current configuration of a server is represented as several individual elements—called configuration attributes. For a typical server, there are several hundred such attributes, and it can be quite overwhelming to tune all different aspects. OpenManage Enterprise 3.
Technical support and resources 1.1.3 VLAN-based networks in OpenManage Enterprise VLAN-based networks refers to individual VLANs and/or VLAN ranges used for a specific purpose. These networks are configured by using the Networks tab on the Configuration page. VLAN-based networks are used when specifying network settings for templates. 1.2 Deployment in OpenManage Enterprise Deployment is the process of applying a full or partial system configuration on a specific target device.
Templates in OpenManage Enterprise 2 Templates in OpenManage Enterprise 2.1 Template Structure A template is a collection of various configuration elements, organized into different aspects or components. Viewing a template as an XML file shows this structure. A very short example is shown below. This shows the value of one attribute in the LifecycleController component. A template typically contains several hundred attributes in different components.
Technical support and resources 2.2.3 Modify template properties in OpenManage Enterprise OpenManage Enterprise offers two methods to modify templates—a Guided Edit and an Advanced Edit. The Guided Edit offers a simplified view of the server configuration attributes. These are a few of the BIOS, Boot, Networking, and Storage configuration.
Templates in OpenManage Enterprise If the port has been configured for boot (PXE, iSCSI, FCoE), it is displayed on the GUI. For FCoE boot, you can configure attributes such as First FCoE WWPN target and boot LUN, and FCoE FCF VLAN ID (for Intel). If an FC HBA is present and has been configured for FC boot in the template being edited, you can configure the FC attributes such as First and second target WWPN and LUN ID.
Technical support and resources 2.2.4 Deploy Template Template deployment has various steps and options. These are all displayed on the Deploy Template wizard. The Deploy Tempalte wizard has four or five steps, depending on whether or not an Identity Pool is associated with the Template being deployed. The steps in a Deploy Template wizard are: Step: Target The first step is to select the deployment targets—one or more target devices may be selected.
Templates in OpenManage Enterprise Step: iDRAC Management IP This step provides a mechanism for managing the iDRAC management IP address on the target devices. The options available are as follows: Don’t change IP settings—This is the default selection, which implies that the iDRAC IP management settings currently on the target devices will not be changed (that is, the deployment configuration will not include those attributes).
Technical support and resources NIC configuration (post assign identities) Observe that identity reservation results are displayed on a per-target basis. The list on the left includes each target device and the table on the right shows the identities and boot options for the selected device. To view a concise table of all identities reserved for the selected device, click View all NIC details. Figure 4 shows only reserved identities because no Boot Options were applicable to the selected template.
Templates in OpenManage Enterprise Fibre channel boot options Step: Schedule The final step, whether or not the template has an Identity Pool associated with it, is to specify when the deployment task must run. The default option is “Run Now”, if that is what is required, the wizard can be completed before getting to this step. Else, specific date and time can be specified. The deployment task will automatically start at the specified date and time.
Technical support and resources 2.2.6 Clone Template OpenManage Enterprise comes with some pre-canned templates. If you want to deploy any of these sample templates, the sample templates must be cloned first. The user may also use the clone option to make a copy of an existing template and edit it. 2.2.7 Delete Template If a template is no longer required in OpenManage Enterprise, you can delete it.
Identity Pools in OpenManage Enterprise 3 Identity Pools in OpenManage Enterprise This section provides detailed information about Identity Pools and their structure. 3.1 Purpose and usage of Identity Pools in OpenManage Enterprise OpenManage Enterprise uses Identity Pools to manage the set of values that can be used as virtual identities for discovered devices.
Technical support and resources 3.2 Identity States in OpenManage Enterprise As part of its virtual identity management functionality, OpenManage Enterprise tracks usage information for each possible virtual identity that can be generated from the sub-pools in an Identity Pool.
Identity Pools in OpenManage Enterprise Starting Virtual MAC Address, Count The Identity Pool wizard allows the entry of a starting Virtual MAC address and a pool size (that is, the number of MAC addresses in the pool, up to a maximum size of 5,000 addresses). Note—A valid MAC address, using hexadecimal digits, must be supplied. The wizard has a tool tip which shows acceptable formats.
Technical support and resources IP Address Range, Subnet Mask, Gateway, Primary DNS, Secondary DNS These iSCSI Initiator IP settings are only used when iSCSI is configured for booting, and when iSCSI Initiator configuration via DHCP is disabled. When iSCSI Initiator configuration via DHCP is enabled, all of these values are obtained from a designated DHCP server.
Identity Pools in OpenManage Enterprise Identity pool wizard iSCSI section 3.3.3 FCoE Identities FCoE identities refers to the configuration attributes that provide a unique virtual identity for FCoE operations on a network. The FCoE page of the Identity Pool wizard is used to define a sub-pool to use for generating unique FCoE virtual identities. The generated identities are used for booting from an FCoE-based repository.
Technical support and resources and virtual WWPN addresses for the FC virtual identity. It does this by prepending a two-octet prefix to each possible address in the MAC address range (0x2000 for virtual WWNN addresses and 0x2001 for virtual WWPN addresses). As a result, customers do not have to specify address pools for FC virtual WWNN and WWPN addresses. 3.3.4 Fibre Channel (FC) Identities FC identities are virtual identities required by a device to support virtual FC operations.
Identity Pools in OpenManage Enterprise 3.4.1 If multiple Identity Pools are selected, Delete is the only operation allowed. Create Identity Pool The Create Identity Pool wizard is used to create a new Identity Pool. Click Create on the Identity Pools portal page (Configuration Identity Pools). Each Identity Pool must have a unique name and may specify sub-pools for Ethernet identities, iSCSI identities, FCoE identities, and/or FC identities as necessary.
Technical support and resources containing each Reserved or Assigned identity (available identities are not displayed). See the Identity States in OpenManage Enterprise section for more info about identity states and their meanings. Identify Pool usage 3.4.4 Delete Identity Pool This operation deletes one or more identity pools. Identity Pools where one or more sub-pools contain Reserved or Assigned virtual identity values cannot be deleted. 3.4.
Identity Pools in OpenManage Enterprise Identity range addresses specified in one Identity Pool cannot overlap identity range addresses in another Identity Pool (or even in the same Identity Pool), irrespective of protocol. This rule applies based on address type. For example, MAC addresses. MAC address ranges are specified for Ethernet identities, iSCSI Initiator identities, and FCoE identities.
Technical support and resources 4 VLAN-based networks 4.1 VLAN-based network structure and usage VLAN-Based Networks refers to individual VLANs and/or VLAN ranges used for a specific purpose. These networks are configured via the Networks tab on the Configuration page. VLAN-Based Networks are used when specifying network settings for Templates. 4.2 VLAN-based network operations 4.2.
VLAN-based networks 4.2.3 Export VLAN-Based Network This operation creates a CSV-format file containing the network info (excluding the Network Type). 4.2.4 Delete VLAN-Based Network This operation deletes one or more VLAN-based Networks. Note that doing this may affect template configurations where that network is specified. A warning is displayed to indicate that this will happen, but there’s no easy way to see which templates will be affected.
Technical support and resources 5 Troubleshoot templates and Identify Pools in OpenManage Enterprise This section lists a few things that you can check when any issues are run into when working with Templates and Identity Pools. 27 The OpenManage Enterprise appliance has a built-in CIFS share and uses SMB 2 as the minimum default version. Some earlier iDRAC firmware versions are unable to access the CIFS share.
Troubleshoot templates and Identify Pools in OpenManage Enterprise A Technical support and resources Dell.com/support is focused on meeting customer needs with proven services and support. Referenced or recommended Dell publications: Deployment and Managing Configurations with Dell OpenManage Enterprise 3.0 28 Advanced Server Configuration in Dell EMC OpenManage Enterprise 3.
