Concept Guide

Introduction
Dell Lifecycle Controller provides advanced embedded systems management to perform systems management tasks such as deploy,
congure, update, maintain, and diagnose. It is delivered as part of integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) out-of-band solution
and embedded Unied Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) applications in the latest Dell servers. iDRAC works with the UEFI rmware 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 Lifecycle Controller Remote Services further enables remote systems management in a one-to-many method. Remote services is
accessible over the network using the secure web services interface and can be programmatically utilized by applications and scripts.
Remote services enable management consoles to perform one-to-many bare-metal server provisioning. The combination of the
Provisioning Server feature to identify and authenticate the attached Dell system to the network and integration with oneto-many
management consoles reduces the manual steps required for server setup and management. The Server Conguration Proles provide a
single view of all the system settings that can be imported and exported from the server to perform one-to-many cloning operations. The
interface is aimed at simplifying many tasks, some of which include remotely deploying an operating system, remote update and inventory,
and remotely automating the setup and conguration of new and already-deployed Dell systems.
Lifecycle Controller reduces the time and number of steps taken to accomplish tasks, reduces potential for error, enhances server and
application uptime and security, and results in more ecient IT management. Developed on the industry standard Unied Extensible
Firmware Interface (UEFI) platform, Web Services for Management (WSMAN) interfaces, and Redsh management interfaces, Lifecycle
Controller provides an open environment for console integration that also allows custom scripting for Lifecycle Controller. Leading systems
management consoles such as, Microsoft System Center Conguration Manager, BMC Software BladeLogic Operations Manager, VMware
vCenter have integrated Dell Lifecycle Controller to utilize its features and capabilities to an existing infrastructure, where these consoles
are installed.
Topics:
Advantages of using Lifecycle Controller
Benets of using iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller
Key features
New in this release
Advantages of using Lifecycle Controller Remote Services
Licensable features in Lifecycle Controller
About Redsh and the Web Service APIs
About Lifecycle Controller API
About one-to-many management achieved
Other information that you may need
Accessing documents from the Dell EMC support site
Contacting Dell
Advantages of using Lifecycle Controller
The iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller technology in the server’s embedded management allows you to perform useful tasks such as
conguring BIOS and hardware settings, deploying operating systems, changing RAID settings, and saving hardware proles. Together,
iDRAC and Lifecycle Controller provide a robust set of management functions that can be used throughout the entire server lifecycle.
1
Introduction 5