Dell™ OpenManage™ Deployment Toolkit Version 2.3 User’s Guide w w w. d e l l . c o m | s u p p o r t . d e l l .
Notes and Notices NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. Abbreviations and Acronyms For a complete list of abbreviations and acronyms, see "Glossary." ____________________ Information in this document is subject to change without notice. © 2007 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction to the DTK User’s Guide What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prerequisites and Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 DTK Deployment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 Preparing the Directory Structure for Deployment in Microsoft® Windows® PE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Obtaining DTK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 DTK Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Upgrading Your DTK Version. System Utilities and Supporting Files . Sample Configuration Files . . . . . . Sample Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . .
Using the DTK Sample Scripts to Capture Configuration Information in Windows PE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Capturing the System BIOS and BMC Configuration With the SYSCAP.BAT Sample Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Capturing the RAC Configuration With the RACCAP.BAT Sample Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 . . . . . . . . 44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7 Preparing the Directory Structure for Deployment in Embedded Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Upgrading Your DTK Version. . . . . . . 57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Installation for Embedded Linux . DTK Contents . System Utilities and Supporting Files . . . . Sample Configuration Files . . . . . . . . . Sample Scripts . . . . . . .
Using the DTK Sample Scripts to Capture Configuration Information in Embedded Linux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 . . . . . . . . 79 . . . . . . . . 80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Capturing the System BIOS and BMC Configuration With the syscap.sh Sample Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Capturing the RAC Configuration With the raccap.sh Sample Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preparing the Operating System Installation Scripts .
Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Glossary Index . 8 Contents 92 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 93 95 96 97 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 General Deployment Questions . RAIDCFG Questions . . . . . . . SYSCFG Questions . . . . . . . Embedded Linux Questions . . . Windows PE Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction The Dell™ OpenManage™ Deployment Toolkit (DTK) includes a set of utilities for configuring and deploying Dell PowerEdge™ systems. The DTK is designed for customers who need to build scripted installations to deploy large numbers of servers in a reliable fashion without having to dramatically change their current deployment processes.
Table 1-1.
What’s New The Deployment Toolkit version 1.0 was the first release of a Dell-designed and tested suite of MS-DOS®—based utilities, sample script files, and best practices models to use for configuring and deploying Dell systems in a customized, predictable, and unattended manner. The new features for DTK version 2.
Supported Systems Table 1-2 lists the supported PowerEdge systems for DTK version 2.3. NOTE: Additional PowerEdge systems may be supported with this release. See the Dell Support website at support.dell.com for the latest supported PowerEdge systems. NOTE: x8xx series systems with dual-core processors are supported. NOTE: RAIDCFG utility is not supported on PowerEdge 1655 systems. Table 1-2. Supported Systems DTK Version 2.
Deployment Prerequisites Before beginning the deployment process for Windows PE, ensure that you have all of the following tools, software, and information ready to use or consult: • Advanced knowledge of Windows • OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) or Windows PE CD and Windows Server 2003 (with SP1) to build Windows PE 2005 • An unzip utility • Working knowledge to build Windows PE 2005 (See the Microsoft documentation for customizing Windows PE 2005) • Working knowledge of Microsoft Remote Installatio
• A workstation with the following capabilities: – A writable CD drive and CD-writing software (optional) – Network access • A target system with a CD drive, if performing a local deployment • A target system with a CD drive and network access, if performing a network deployment • All DTK utilities, sample scripts, and sample configuration files • All other utilities and files necessary to perform the deployment, including all required Linux drivers, operating system drivers, and the Dell utilit
Deployment Methods Dell systems can be deployed using several different methods. The most common method is using the Installation and Server Management CD that is shipped with your system. Currently, this method is used to deploy a single server at a time with the installation wizard. The DTK, on the other hand, offers a complete set of utilities and sample scripts that can be used to automate deployment of large numbers of Dell systems.
To prepare for using the DTK utilities and scripts to deploy to a target system in the embedded Linux environment: 1 Obtain the DTK Linux ISO image, which is a self-contained bootable ISO image. 2 Use and customize the sample scripts per your requirements. 3 Set up an optimally configured source system by using the Installation and Server Management CD to configure the system and install your operating system. Use the Service and Diagnostics CD to load drivers.
Deployment Using Removable Boot Media Without a Network Connection (CD-Based) 1 Create a deployment CD containing a bootable image with the appropriate drivers. The CD must also include the complete deployment directory structure, which contains all the DTK utilities, scripts, and configuration files, an operating system installation answer file, and the required operating system installation files and drivers. 2 Insert the bootable CD into the CD drive of the system to be deployed (the target system).
• The Dell Baseboard Management Controller Utilities User's Guide provides information about configuring a managed system to use the BMC Management Utility to manage your system through its BMC. • The Dell Update Packages User's Guide provides information about obtaining and using Dell Update Packages as part of your system update strategy. Additionally, the Deployment Toolkit readme.txt file, which is available as part of the DTK download and on the Dell Support website at support.dell.
Choosing a Microsoft® Windows® PE-Based Deployment Method A well-thought-out deployment plan is critical to the success of your deployment effort and includes the following considerations: • Assessing your existing IT environment • Selecting an operating system • Selecting the optimum Dell™ OpenManage™ systems management software configuration for your system • Choosing a deployment method The Deployment Toolkit (DTK) is designed to be flexible enough to fit into almost any deployment plan.
Creating a Customized Bootable Windows PE CD See "Running Deployment Scripts Using DTK and Microsoft® Windows® PE" for details on how to create a customized version of a single Windows PE image that can work across all supported Dell PowerEdge™ systems. You must include Dell-customized drivers and instrumentation drivers into your Windows PE CD-based operating system.
This deployment method is also easy to assemble. In addition, it provides greater flexibility in terms of making changes to the scripts and configuration files. Any change to the system configuration, for example, will not require re-creation of the bootable CD. This method also provides access to the remote share as writable media. Hence, the configuration files captured during the deployment automation process can be saved to this remote share.
Table 2-1. Deployment Method Matrix (continued) Deployment Methods Complexity Advantages Disadvantages Remote deployment over Moderate a network (bootable Windows PE CD with network stack loaded) • Everything is in one place in a network share. • Easy to manage—changes have to be made in only one place. • Data captured (profiles) can be stored in a network share. • Data can be replicated from a network share. • Can install supported Windows operating systems. • Must have network connection.
Preparing the Directory Structure for Deployment in Microsoft® Windows® PE This section describes some of the procedures necessary to begin the deployment process, including: • Downloading and unzipping the Deployment Toolkit (DTK) components, including a comprehensive matrix of the DTK components • Setting up a directory structure to facilitate a successful deployment, including a list of the supporting components that are not included with the DTK, but are needed to use the DTK • Setting up an optima
4 Click Unzip. By default, files are unzipped to C:\. You can unzip the DTK components to your local hard drive and then copy them later to a network volume, or you can change the installation path to an available network share. For example, you can unzip the files directly to the network share (for example, Z:\) that you plan to use in the deployment process. NOTE: Do not copy the DTK components to a Novell® NetWare® network volume.
The DTK sample configuration files are in Z:\Dell\Toolkit\template\Configs. The DTK User’s Guide and CLI Reference Guide are in Z:\Dell\Toolkit\Docs. The directory Z:\Dell\Toolkit\Systems is created as a placeholder that can be used for all system information that is captured using sample scripts and tools (for example, the system specific basic input/output system (BIOS) and baseboard management controller (BMC) configuration files used by the DTK utilities for configuring a system).
Table 3-1. System Utilities and Supporting Files (continued) Toolkit Components Purpose SYSCFG.EXE • Reports and configures: – BIOS settings and options – BMC settings and options – RAC 5 settings and options • Maintains system state between reboots • Reports hardware devices and other system-related information SyscfgErrorCodes.txt Lists the error codes and messages for the SYSCFG.EXE tool. sysdrmk.exe Used by UPINIT.BAT to patch the boot sector and Master Boot Record (MBR). UpinitErrorCodes.
Sample Scripts Table 3-3 lists sample scripts of those necessary to perform a scripted deployment. The sample scripts are located in Z:\Dell\Toolkit\template\scripts. NOTE: All DTK scripts are provided as examples only. Many of these sample scripts must be edited before they can be used in a deployment. Some customers may need to develop their own scripts entirely from scratch. Customers deploying multiple systems must provide unique information for each Dell PowerEdge™ system where appropriate.
Documentation Table 3-4 describes documents containing reference information for each DTK utility and instructions for using the DTK utilities and sample scripts. Documentation can be found at Z:\Dell\Toolkit\Docs. Table 3-4. Documentation Toolkit Components Purpose CLI Reference Guide Describes all DTK utilities, including all command line arguments and values, syntax, help, and examples. User’s Guide Contains best practices guidelines for performing a scripted deployment.
Table 3-6. Supporting Tools and System Files Additional Tools OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK) or Windows PE CD and Microsoft Windows Server® 2003 (with SP1) to build Windows PE 2005 Purpose Source Save in DTK location Create a bootable CD. www.microsoft.com Save in the root directory of the bootable CD. Save in one of the path directories of your Windows PE image, preferably \I386\system32. NOTE: Contact Microsoft to obtain the latest version of OPK or Windows PE CD.
If you plan to run a scripted deployment from the DTK sample scripts, ensure that the following files are correctly structured in the deployment directory. The DTK sample scripts use this structure to set the default paths for deployment. If you make changes to the directory structure, you must also make changes to the sample scripts.
Figure 3-2. DTK System-Specific File Structure Operating System Installation Files Creating Operating System Installation Directories for Supported Windows Operating Systems NOTE: The following procedures are provided as a best practices guideline for creating operating system distribution folders compatible with the DTK sample scripts. For complete instructions on setting up an installation directory structure for an unattended installation, see your operating system documentation.
3 Copy the contents of the \I386 directory on the Windows operating system installation media to the Z:\W2Ksrc\I386 directory on your network share. 4 Create a \$OEM$ directory in each system directory ($OEM$.NET for Windows Server 2003 and $OEM$.W2K for Windows 2000). For example, for Windows 2000: Z:\Dell\Toolkit\Systems\pe1850\$OEM$.W2K The \$OEM$ directory provides the location of supplemental files such as drivers and configuration files to be copied to the target system during deployment.
Figure 3-3.
Configuring a Source System You need an optimally configured system both for testing purposes and as the source for the SYSCFG and RAC configuration files to be used in the deployment process. See "Using the DTK Sample Scripts to Capture Configuration Information in Windows PE" for instructions on using the sample DTK scripts, SYSCAP.BAT and RACCAP.BAT, to generate SYSCFG and RAC configuration files that are used to configure the target system.
Preparing the Script Files for Deployment Using Microsoft® Windows® PE This section describes the steps required to use the Deployment Toolkit (DTK) sample scripts to perform a full deployment of a target system in the Windows PE environment. There are four main tasks: • Writing the deployment master batch file (as an example, referred to as DEPLOY.BAT in this document) or deployment script, editing the TKENVSET.
Using the Sample DTK Scripts to Run a Full Deployment in Windows PE The Master Batch File A scripted DTK deployment relies on the master batch file to integrate all the applicable DTK task scripts and utilities and perform pre-operating system configuration tasks before launching the operating system installation files. The master batch file, along with the TKENVSET.BAT scripts, make up the master set of instructions that drives the deployment process. This file is not provided with the sample scripts.
– – – – – RACREP.BAT — Applies the RAC configuration settings saved in a file to the current system. • TKENVSET.BAT — Used by RACREP.BAT to inform the task scripts where to find the DTK utilities, scripts, and configuration files. • RACADM.EXE — Used by RACREP.BAT to replicate RAC information and to configure settings. SYSCAP.BAT — Captures BIOS and BMC configuration settings and saves them to a file. • TKENVSET.BAT — Used by SYSCAP.
– UPINIT.BAT — Creates and populates the Dell utility partition. NOTE: Do not make any modifications to the UPINIT.BAT script. – • TKENVSET.BAT — Used by UPINIT.BAT to inform the task scripts where to find the DTK utilities, scripts, and configuration files. • DISKPART.EXE — Provided by Windows, it is used to create partitions on your disk. • UNZIP.EXE — Used by UPINIT.BAT to unzip the contents of UPIMG.BIN. • FORMAT.EXE — Provided by Windows to format the partition. • UPIMG.
set DT_SYSTEMS=%DT_PATH%\Systems set DT_SCRIPTS=%DT_PATH%\Template\Scripts set DT_STOP_ON_ERROR=FALSE Perform the following steps to confirm and/or edit the installation path variables: 1 Set the variable that represents the drive letter where the DTK deployment files are located (DT_DRIVE). This variable is set to X: by default in the sample script. Edit this drive letter to reflect the actual drive letter for the DTK deployment files, if necessary.
Specifying the RAC Configuration Variables The IP address for your target system RAC is set in the sample script to 10.98.8.121 by default. Edit this value to reflect the actual IP address of your target system RAC, if applicable. Additionally, the RAC configuration file used to configure your RAC is set by default to raccfg.ini. If you use the RACCAP.BAT sample script to generate the raccfg.ini file, there should be no need to edit this default setting.
if not "%DT_PARTN_UP%"=="ON" goto ospart :: DELLUP section set DT_UP_SIZE=32 set DT_UP_IMAGE=%DT_SYSTEMS%\UPIMG.BIN :: RAIDCFG section set DT_VD_SIZE=10480 :: default size for virtual disk NOTICE: DT_MOUNT specifies the mount point of the Dell utility partition. If your RAMDRIVE, hard drive, or other device already owns this designation, mount will not override the setting and the utility partition will not be created.
Editing DTK Task Scripts The task scripts called by the master batch file do not require any edits (with the following exceptions) if the default variable values are utilized in the TKENVSET.BAT scripts. However, if you make any changes to the default values set by the TKENVSET.BAT, you must make the same edits to the matching default values set in the appropriate task scripts. Locate the "USER MODIFICATION REQUIRED" heading in the task scripts to find the variable values you might need to edit.
passed as the first parameter to this script. If this parameter is not passed, the default variables values used in this script are set in the SYSREP.BAT scripts. The syscfg.ini file is generated with the SYSCAP.BAT sample script. See "SYSCAP.BAT" for information about using the SYSCAP.BAT sample script to capture BIOS and BMC settings. The second parameter is a name or path to a log file. This parameter is not set to any value by default, and no log file is generated.
Perform the following steps to run the SYSCAP.BAT sample script to capture BIOS and BMC configuration information in the syscfg.ini file: 1 Edit the startnet.cmd file on your Windows PE image to call the SYSCAP.BAT script after the network share with the prebuilt DTK directory structure is mounted. For example, add: call Z:\Dell\Toolkit\Template\Scripts\SYSCAP.BAT 2 Boot the source system into Windows PE.
3 Edit the startnet.cmd file in your Windows PE image to remove the text you added in step 1. NOTE: The RAC configuration file is referred to as the .cfg file in the Dell Remote Access Controller Racadm User's Guide and the Dell Remote Access Controller 4 User’s Guide. See the Dell Remote Access Controller Racadm User's Guide or the Dell Remote Access Controller 4 User’s Guide for additional information about manually creating a RAC configuration file.
External Dependencies The DT_PLATFORM variable is set by TKENVSET.BAT using platform discovery. The WININST.BAT script uses the UNATTEND.TXT file in conjunction with WINNT32.EXE utility to install the operating system files. See "UNATTEND.TXT" for more information about preparing the UNATTEND.TXT file. Specifying the Windows Installation Variables and Installation Paths To edit the Windows operating system installation variables, locate the following lines in WININST.
Running Deployment Scripts Using DTK and Microsoft® Windows® PE This section provides best practices procedures and scenarios for using the Deployment Toolkit (DTK) to perform pre-operating system configuration tasks and to install supported operating systems on supported Dell™ PowerEdge™ systems.
Creating a Standard Windows PE For building a standard Windows PE with OPK tools, refer to the help files available on the OPK CD. You can get to the help files after you install OPK on your development system. Brief instructions are provided here on how to build a standard Windows PE. NOTE: You must have read-write permissions on your development system. You cannot run mkimg.cmd from a read-only device, such as a CD drive.
3 Adding support for mass storage drivers into Windows PE: NOTE: You must implement this step to ensure mass storage drivers are installed into Windows PE. In the winpeoem.sif file (available under I386\SYSTEM32 in your Windows PE directory), edit the following text to remove the semicolons from the Oem Driver Params section and append the directory names for the Dell mass storage drivers: OemDriverRoot="" OemDriverDirs=MRAID, PERC4IM, PERC5, SAS5 NOTE: A sample winpeoem.
After you create an ISO image, you can use any CD burning software to burn the image onto a CD. After burning the ISO image, ensure that it boots from the CD drive for all the supported Dell systems you plan to deploy. After it boots, you are advised to test all the tools and scripts on these systems to ensure that the integration went well and there are no issues with hardware components not being recognized.
Choosing an Embedded Linux-Based Deployment Method A well-thought-out deployment plan is critical to the success of your deployment effort and includes the following considerations: • Assessing your existing IT environment • Selecting an operating system • Selecting the optimum Dell™ OpenManage™ systems management software configuration for your system • Choosing a deployment method The Deployment Toolkit (DTK) is designed to be flexible enough to fit into almost any deployment plan.
Alternatively, you can integrate the DTK components into an existing third-party deployment solution framework. See "Using a Third-Party Deployment Solution Framework." CD-Based Deployment With Network Access The general steps include: 1 Copy the DTK ISO image into a share. 2 Modify the appropriate section in the isolinux/isolinux.cfg file. 3 Reburn the contents into a CD (this will be the master CD). 4 Boot the target server from the master CD.
CD-Based Local Deployment for Embedded Linux The general CD-based deployment process includes the following steps: 1 Copy the DTK ISO image into a share. 2 Modify the appropriate section in the isolinux/isolinux.cfg file. 3 Reburn the contents into a CD (which will be the master CD). 4 Boot the target server from the master CD. The DTK startup phase mounts the CD. The DTK startup phase runs the script (name specified in the isolinux.cfg file) from the CD.
Deployment Matrix (Embedded Linux) Depending on the scope, current business needs, network setup, and process, you might select any of the suggested methods of deployment. Table 6-1 outlines four typical methods of deployment and the environment most suitable for each. Table 6-1. Deployment Method Matrix Deployment Methods Complexity Advantages Disadvantages Local deployment (bootable CD) Relatively simple • Necessary if a network connection is not available or is too slow.
Table 6-1. Deployment Method Matrix (continued) Deployment Methods Complexity Advantages Disadvantages Deployment solution framework from a third-party vendor Mixed • The DTK can be used in Must either acquire and learn to use the context of third-party or have an existing third-party deployment solution deployment solution framework. framework. • Third-party deployment solution framework is used as the deployment transport mechanism. • Tasks and scripts can be pushed to the target systems.
Choosing an Embedded Linux-Based Deployment Method
Preparing the Directory Structure for Deployment in Embedded Linux This section describes some of the procedures necessary to begin the deployment process, including: • Downloading and unzipping the Deployment Toolkit (DTK) components, including a comprehensive matrix of the DTK components • Setting up a directory structure to facilitate a successful deployment, including a list of the supporting components that are not included with the DTK, but are needed to use the DTK • Setting up an optimally conf
Figure 7-1. CD Directory Structure Table 7-1 describes the files, components, and other contents of the mounted CD. Table 7-1. 58 Mounted CD Contents Contents Details Location dchipm32.ini Configuration file for the instrumentation software. /opt/dell/toolkit/lib/bin docs Contains: • CLI Reference Guide • User’s Guide /mnt/cdrom/docs LICENSING Contains all the licenses for the open source components /mnt/cdrom/LICENSING used in this CD. omreg.
Table 7-1. Mounted CD Contents (continued) Contents Details Location srvadmin-hapi..i386.rpm Contains a set of drivers and libraries used by the DTK tools to interact with the hardware. Used to build your custom ISO. /mnt/cdrom/tools srvadmin-omilcorehapi..i386.rpm Contains a set of drivers and libraries used by the DTK tools to interact with the hardware. Used to build your custom ISO. /mnt/cdrom/tools srvadmin-openipmi.
Boot the CD onto a target system. Figure 7-2 shows the directory structure on the target system. Figure 7-2.
Table 7-2 describes the contents of the directory structure on the target system. Table 7-2. Target System Directory Structure Contents Contents Details /lib The libraries and drivers required for embedded Linux to function. /bin Basic utilities (ls, chmod, and so on) /sbin Utilities that are required by the system superuser to perform administrative tasks. /opt The libraries, binaries, and scripts required for the toolkit to function, which are available at: /mnt/cdrom/tools/dell.tar.gz.
Table 7-3. System Utilities and Supporting Files (continued) Toolkit Components Purpose racser Chat script to bring up a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) connection required to transport racadm3. racsvc3.sh Start-up script for DRAC III, DRAC III/XT, ERA, ERA/O, and ERA/MC RACs. racsvc4.sh Start-up script for DRAC 4/P and DRAC 4/I RACs. raidcfg Creates and reports RAID information. RaidcfgErrorCodes.txt Lists the error codes and messages for the raidcfg tool. stsvc.
Sample Scripts Table 7-5 lists sample scripts necessary to perform a scripted deployment. NOTE: All DTK scripts are provided as examples only. Many of these sample scripts must be edited before they can be used in a deployment. Some customers may need to develop their own scripts entirely from scratch. Customers deploying multiple systems must provide unique information for each Dell PowerEdge™ system where appropriate.
Documentation Table 7-6 describes documents containing reference information for each DTK utility and instructions for using the DTK utilities and sample scripts. Documentation can be found at mnt/cdrom/docs. Table 7-6. Documentation Toolkit Components Purpose CLI Reference Guide Describes all DTK utilities, including all command line arguments and values, syntax, help, and examples. User’s Guide Contains best practices guidelines for performing a scripted deployment.
Table 7-7. Supporting Tools and System Files (continued) Additional Tools Purpose Source Save in DTK location upimg Contains system-specific Dell utility partition files. NOTE: In the previous releases, each PowerEdge system required a unique upimg file. Beginning this release, the upimg file is common for all PowerEdge systems. /opt/dell/toolkit/systems, /opt/dell/toolkit/systems the Dell Support website at support.dell.
DTK Utilities and Files All necessary DTK files are provided on the ISO image. The sample scripts provided with the DTK are set up to use the default paths. NOTE: If you choose to create a directory structure for the DTK components that is different from the one provided in the initial installation, carefully review and edit each sample script (where necessary) to reflect the different directory structure. NOTE: The unzip utility is needed to create the Dell utility partition.
Figure 7-3. DTK System-Specific File Structure Creating Operating System Installation Directories for Supported Linux Operating Systems NOTE: The following procedures are provided as a best practices guideline for creating operating system distribution folders compatible with the DTK sample scripts. For complete instructions on setting up an installation directory structure for an unattended installation, see your operating system documentation.
Figure 7-4. Sample Operating System-Specific File Structure (Linux Operating System) Configuring a Source System You need an optimally configured system both for testing purposes and as the source for the SYSCFG and RAC configuration files to be used in the deployment process. See "Using the DTK Sample Scripts to Capture Configuration Information in Embedded Linux" for instructions on using the sample DTK scripts, syscap.sh and raccap.
You can use the Installation and Server Management and Service and Diagnostic Utilities CDs supplied with your system to: • Streamline the operating system installation • Setup and configure your system, including automatic discovery and configuration of Dell-provided RAID controllers and network adapters • Access and load the latest utilities, drivers, and diagnostics for your system • Install Dell OpenManage™ systems management software NOTE: If your system does not have a Service and Diagnostic Ut
Preparing the Directory Structure for Deployment in Embedded Linux
Preparing the Script Files for Deployment Using Embedded Linux This section describes the steps required to use the Deployment Toolkit (DTK) sample scripts to perform a full deployment of a target system in the embedded Linux environment. There are four main tasks: • Writing the master deployment file and editing the tkenvset.
The sample scripts provided with the DTK can be edited and customized using any ASCII text editor that conforms to the hardware available on the target systems. While it is recommended that you use the DTK sample scripts to automate your deployment tasks, you can create your own system deployment batch files using any ASCII text editor by incorporating the various DTK utilities and Linux commands in the batch file.
– – – sysrep.sh — Applies the BIOS and BMC settings saved in a file to the current system. • tkenvset.sh — Used by sysrep.sh to inform the task scripts where to find the DTK utilities, scripts, and configuration files. • syscfg — Used by sysrep.sh to configure the BIOS settings. raidcfg.sh — Configures the selected RAID controller detected in the system. • tkenvset.sh — Used by raidcfg.sh to inform the task scripts where to find the DTK utilities, scripts, and configuration files.
– lininst.sh — Performs an unattended installation of a supported Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® Server operating system. • tkenvset.sh — Used by lininst.sh to inform the task scripts where to find the DTK utilities, scripts, and configuration files. • grub — Used to install the operating system in conjunction with the unattended answer file.
Specifying DTK Installation Paths The tkenvset.sh sample script is provided with the following default values. These values must be confirmed, in some cases, and modified, in other cases, before a deployment.
Specifying the SYSCFG Variables The SYSCFG replication file is set to syscfg.ini by default. If you used the syscap.sh sample script to generate the syscfg.ini file, you do not have to edit these default settings. If you have made any modifications to the sample scripts or to the suggested directory structure, you must confirm that the syscfg.ini file is correctly named and that the path is set correctly for your deployment. To edit the SYSCFG capture variables, locate the following lines in syscap.
# Default Hard Drive DT_HD=/dev/sda # PARTCFG section set DT_OS_SIZE=4000 # DELLUP section set DT_UP_SIZE=32 set DT_UP_IMAGE=$dt_systems/upimg.bin # RAIDCFG section DT_VD_SIZE=10480 # default size for virtual disk NOTICE: DT_MOUNT specifies the mount point of the Dell utility partition. If your RAMDRIVE, hard drive, or other device already owns this designation, mount will not override the setting and the utility partition will not be created.
Editing DTK Task Scripts The task scripts called by the master batch file do not require any edits (with the following exceptions) if the default variable values are utilized in the tkenvset.sh scripts. However, if you make any changes to the default values set by the tkenvset.sh, you must make the same edits to the matching default values set in the appropriate task scripts. Locate the "USER MODIFICATION REQUIRED" heading in the task scripts to find the variable values you might need to edit.
sysrep.sh The sysrep.sh sample script applies SYSCFG options to the target system based on configuration information that has been saved in a configuration file. User input is optional to run this script, depending on the variable settings in the sysrep.sh scripts. This script uses the syscfg utility to configure the BIOS and BMC in the target system using the configuration file, syscfg.ini, passed as the first parameter to this script.
syscap.sh The syscap.sh sample script captures BIOS and BMC configuration settings and saves them to a specified location. An optional user input can be passed as a parameter. You can provide the path or file name as an input to this script. The default variable values used in this script are set in the script to the correct default values to perform a scripted deployment. The syscap.
Perform the following steps to run the raccap.sh sample script to capture RAC configuration information in the raccfg.ini file: 1 Edit the start-up script file on your embedded Linux image to call the raccap.sh script after the network share with the prebuilt DTK directory structure is mounted. For example, add: source/dell/toolkit/template/scripts/raccap.sh 2 Boot the source system into embedded Linux.
lininst.sh The lininst.sh sample script is used to perform an unattended installation of a supported Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server operating system. The variables and paths must be specified before the operating system can be installed.
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Operating Systems The suseinst.sh script is used to install supported SUSE Linux Enterprise Server operating systems. NOTE: While installing Linux, ensure that you install grub in the boot partition. Otherwise, you will not be able to boot to the utility partition by pressing the F10 key during reboot. suseinst.sh The suseinst.sh sample script is used to perform an unattended installation of a supported SUSE Linux Enterprise Server operating system.
autoinst.xml (for SUSE Linux Enterprise Server) The autoinst.xml file is the default name of the answer file that you use to automate an unattended SUSE Linux Enterprise Server installation. A sample copy of the autoinst.xml file is provided as part of the DTK download in the /opt/dell/toolkit/template/configs directory. The autoinst.xml file contains the headings and parameters that instruct the installation utility to perform various configuration tasks.
Running Deployment Scripts Using DTK and Embedded Linux This section provides best practices procedures and scenarios for using the Deployment Toolkit (DTK) to perform pre-operating system configuration tasks and to install supported operating systems on supported Dell™ PowerEdge™ systems. After you have populated the deployment directory structure with all necessary files and carefully edited the deployment scripts and configurations files, you are ready to begin the final stage of the deployment process.
4 Copy the contents of the embedded Linux DTK ISO image (SA.1, SA.2, and isolinux.cfg) from /mnt/cdrom/isolinux to the tftp folder. 5 The isolinux.cfg file has various boot options. Select the method you want, and edit the isolinux.cfg file for the following: • IP address of the network share • Share path of the network share • Name of your startup script 6 The isolinux.cfg file is ready for PXE-booting. Copy this isolinux.cfg file into the PXE configuration folder.
7 Burn the contents of the folder you created in step 3 to a CD. (Use the isolinux utility to make the CD bootable.) 8 Your ISO image is ready for booting.
Running Deployment Scripts Using DTK and Embedded Linux
Running Dell Update Packages in Embedded Linux This section provides best practice procedures and scenarios for running Dell™ Update Packages in the embedded Linux environment on supported Dell PowerEdge™ systems. The common scenarios for running Update Packages are: Running Update Packages in Dell-Provided Embedded Linux 1 Obtain the required update packages from the Dell PowerEdge Server Update Utility CD or from the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. 2 Save the update packages on a network share.
Table 10-1. Dependencies for Dell Update Packages to Run in Customized Embedded Linux (continued) Update Packages Dependency Dependencies Available On RAC4 Open IPMI /mnt/cdrom/tools Instrumentation drivers /mnt/cdrom/tools racser4.sh /mnt/cdrom/tools Open IPMI /mnt/cdrom/tools Instrumentation drivers /mnt/cdrom/tools Dell PowerVault™ 220S SCSI drivers Kernel SAS SAS drivers Kernel Any Update Package RPM RAC 5 sysvinit grep sed awk Linux CD or any open source website less fmt tar.
Known Issues and Frequently Asked Questions This section describes known issues with the Deployment Toolkit (DTK) utilities and scripts, including answers to some frequently asked questions. Known Issues The following issues are organized by the DTK utility or other function. General Issues • Virtual disk creation and/or deletion takes a long time on Microsoft® Windows® PE.
RACADM Issues • Dell™ Remote Access Controller (DRAC) III, DRAC III/XT, embedded remote access (ERA), ERA/O, and ERA/MC controllers are not supported on Windows PE. Windows PE Installation Issues • If virtual flash is enabled and does not contain a valid image (for example, if the virtual flash contains a corrupt or random image), you may not be able to install Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 locally or remotely.
RAIDCFG Questions Q: Why does RAIDCFG not give an error message when I use invalid read, write, and cache policies and/or stripesizes for a particular controller? A: All RAID controllers have their own default read, write, and cache policies and stripesizes. It is possible that if you provide an invalid policy or a stripesize for a particular controller, RAIDCFG may not give an error but will and create the virtual disk with the default policy and/or stripesize.
Q: What features have changed from the MS-DOS® version of RAIDCFG to the Windows PE and embedded Linux versions? A: New features for the Windows PE embedded Linux RAIDCFG include: Support for the following controllers: • PERC 3/DC, PERC 3/QC, PERC 3/SC • PERC 4/SC, PERC 4/DC, PERC 4/Di, PERC 4/IM • PERC 4e/DC, PERC 4e/Di, PERC 4e/Si • PERC 5/E Adapter, PERC 5/I Integrated, and PERC 5/I Adapter • CERC SATA 1.5/6-Channel (CH), CERC SATA 1.
Q: Why can’t I see any controllers using RAIDCFG? A: Ensure that the RAID controller(s) can be seen in the BIOS during POST. If the BIOS does not detect the controller, then RAIDCFG will also not detect it. Also ensure that the controller is set to RAID mode and not any other mode in the controller BIOS. Q: What is span length? A: Span length is the field needed when you try to create a RAID 50. The number represents the span size of the RAID 5.
Q: Can I use this NULL username to remotely log in to a system’s BMC? A: No. Remote login using a NULL username is not allowed. It is recommended that you always provide a non-null, valid username for the user ID when you enable a BMC user ID. Q: Are duplicate usernames allowed in the BMC? A: No. If you enter a username value that already exists, the SYSCFG utility returns an error code of 89, which means This username is already in use. Enter a unique username.
If the initrd is not available for your operating system, try the latest update of Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server. Otherwise, you might need to prepare driver disks for your network or disk controller. Use the drivers from the Installation and Server Management CD available on the path server_assistant/drivers. Windows PE Questions Q: My system gets the error Illegal or Missing File Types Specified in Section Files.SCSI.
Known Issues and Frequently Asked Questions
Glossary The following list defines or identifies technical terms, abbreviations, and acronyms used in your system documents. adapter card An expansion card that plugs into an expansion-card connector on the system's system board. An adapter card adds some specialized function to the system by providing an interface between the expansion bus and a peripheral device. Examples of adapter cards include network cards, sound cards, and SCSI adapters.
binary bus A base-2 numbering system that uses 0 and 1 to represent information. The system performs operations based on the ordering and calculation of these numbers. An information pathway between the components of a system. Your system contains an expansion bus that allows the microprocessor to communicate with controllers for all the various peripheral devices connected to the system. Your system also contains an address bus and a data bus for communications between the microprocessor and RAM.
Command controller The combination of an option and argument or just an option if no argument is required, such as in the following command line instances: utilname --option A chip that controls the transfer of data between the microprocessor and memory or between the microprocessor and a peripheral device such as a disk drive or the keyboard.
directory EMM Directories help keep related files organized on a disk in a hierarchical, "inverted tree" structure. Each disk has a "root" directory; for example, a C:\> prompt normally indicates that you are at the root directory of hard drive C. Additional directories that branch off of the root directory are called subdirectories. Subdirectories may contain additional directories branching off of them. Abbreviation for expanded memory manager.
external cache memory format A RAM cache using SRAM chips. Because SRAM chips operate at several times the speed of DRAM chips, the microprocessor can retrieve data and instructions faster from external cache memory than from RAM. To prepare a hard drive or diskette for storing files. An unconditional format deletes all data stored on the disk. function commands FAT Commands that specify an action to be performed. Acronym for file allocation table.
HBA IDE Abbreviation for host bus adapter. A PCI adapter card that resides in the system whose only function is to convert data commands from PCI-bus format to storage interconnect format (examples: SCSI, Fibre Channel) and communicate directly with hard drives, tape drives, CD drives, or other storage devices. Abbreviation for Integrated Drive Electronics. IDE is a computer system interface, used primarily for hard drives and CDs. I/O Abbreviation for high memory area.
key combination memory manager A command requiring you to press multiple keys at the same time. For example, you can reboot your system by pressing the key combination. A utility that controls the implementation of memory in addition to conventional memory, such as extended or expanded memory. LAN memory module Acronym for local area network.
NTFS PCMCIA Abbreviation for the Windows NT File System option in the Windows NT operating system. NTFS is an advanced file system designed for use specifically within the Windows NT operating system. It supports file system recovery, extremely large storage media, and long file names. It also supports object-oriented applications by treating all files as objects with user-defined and system-defined attributes. See also FAT. Personal Computer Memory Card International Association.
PXE RIS Abbreviation for Pre-boot eXecution Environment. Acronym for remote access controller. Provided by Microsoft, you can use the Remote Installation Services (RIS) to install Windows operating systems to any number of client computers simultaneously from a central location. RAID ROM Acronym for Redundant Array of Independent Disks. Acronym for read-only memory. Your system contains some programs essential to its operation in ROM code.
server module SOL A modular system component that functions as an individual system. To function as a system, a server module is inserted into a chassis which includes power supplies, fans, a system management module, and at least one network switch module. The power supplies, fans, system management module, and network switch module are shared resources of the server modules in the chassis. See modular system. Abbreviation for Serial Over LAN.
system.ini file unicode A start-up file for the Windows operating system. When you start Windows, it consults the system.ini file to determine a variety of options for the Windows operating environment. Among other things, the system.ini file records which video, mouse, and keyboard drivers are installed for Windows. A fixed width, 16-bit world wide character encoding, developed and maintained by the Unicode Consortium. Running the Control Panel or Windows Setup program may change options in the system.
virtual memory Windows 95 A method for increasing addressable RAM by using the hard drive. For example, in a system with 16 MB of RAM and 16 MB of virtual memory set up on the hard drive, the operating system would manage the system as though it had 32 MB of physical RAM.
Index C capturing configuration information embedded Linux, 79 Windows PE, 43 capturing the system BIOS & BMC configuration embedded Linux, 79 Windows PE, 43 CD-Based local deployment embedded Linux, 53 Windows PE, 19 CD-Based local deployment, networking enabled embedded Linux, 52 Windows PE, 20 choosing a deployment method embedded Linux, 51 Windows PE, 19 configuration files, 9 configuring an optimally configured source system embedded Linux, 68 Windows PE, 34 creating deployment directory structure emb
Index O operating system installation files embedded Linux, 67 Windows PE, 31 overview deploying, 16 preparing for deployment, 15 P performing a scripted deployment embedded Linux, 71 Windows PE, 36 preparing operating system installation scripts embedded Linux, 81 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server, 81 SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, 83 Windows PE, 45 prerequisites for deployment embedded Linux, 13 Windows PE, 13 prerequisites for installation embedded Linux, 12 Windows PE, 12 R RAC configuring, 34 Runn
scripted deployment in Windows PE capturing the RAC configuration, 44 PARTCFG.BAT, 37, 43 RACCAP.BAT, 44 RACCFG.BAT, 37 RACREP.BAT, 42 RAIDCFG.BAT, 37, 42 SYSCAP.BAT, 43 SYSREP.BAT, 37, 42 TKENVSET.BAT, 36, 38 UNATTEND.TXT, 46 UPINIT.BAT, 38, 45 WININST.
Index 114 Index
