Users Guide

The user can configure individual servers requiring different configuration files mapped using individual server Service Tags or
server models. In an environment that has different servers with specific requirements, different SCP file names can be used
to distinguish each server or server type. For example, if there are two server models to configure — PowerEdge R740s and
PowerEdge R540s, use two SCP files, R740-config.xml and R540-config.xml.
NOTE: iDRAC server configuration agent automatically generates the configuration filename using the server Service Tag,
model number, or the default filename — config.xml.
NOTE: If none of these files are on the network share, then the server configuration profile import job is marked as failed
for file not found.
Auto Config sequence
1. Create or modify the SCP file that configures the attributes of Dell servers.
2. Place the SCP file in a share location that is accessible by the DHCP server and all the Dell servers that are assigned IP
address from the DHCP server.
3. Specify the SCP file location in vendor-option 43 field of DHCP server.
4. The iDRAC while acquiring IP address advertises vendor class identifier. (Option 60)
5. The DHCP server matches the vendor class to the vendor option in the dhcpd.conf file and sends the SCP file location
and, if specified the SCP file name to the iDRAC.
6. The iDRAC processes the SCP file and configures all the attributes listed in the file.
DHCP options
DHCPv4 allows many globally defined parameters to be passed to the DHCP clients. Each parameter is known as a DHCP
option. Each option is identified with an option tag, which is a 1-byte value. Option tags 0 and 255 are reserved for padding and
end of options, respectively. All other values are available for defining options.
The DHCP Option 43 is used to send information from the DHCP server to the DHCP client. The option is defined as a text
string. This text string is set to contain the values of the SCP filename, share location and the credentials to access the location.
For example,
option myname code 43 = text;
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
# default gateway
option routers 192.168.0.1;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
option nis-domain "domain.org";
option domain-name "domain.org";
option domain-name-servers 192.168.1.1;
option time-offset -18000; #Eastern Standard Time
option vendor-class-identifier "iDRAC";
set vendor-string = option vendor-class-identifier;
option myname "-f system_config.xml -i 192.168.0.130 -u user -p password -n cifs -s
2 -d 0 -t 500";
where, -i is the location of the Remote File Share and –f is the file name in the string along with the credentials to the Remote
File Share.
The DHCP Option 60 identifies and associates a DHCP client with a particular vendor. Any DHCP server configured to take
action based on a client’s vendor ID should have Option 60 and Option 43 configured. With Dell PowerEdge servers, the iDRAC
identifies itself with vendor ID: iDRAC. Therefore, you must add a new ‘Vendor Class’ and create a ‘scope option’ under it for
‘code 60,’ and then enable the new scope option for the DHCP server.
Configuring option 43 on Windows
To configure option 43 on Windows:
1. On the DHCP server, go to Start > Administration Tools > DHCP to open the DHCP server administration tool.
2. Find the server and expand all items under it.
3. Right-click on Scope Options and select Configure Options.
The Scope Options dialog box is displayed.
48
Setting up managed system