Users Guide

Using OpenManage Essentials Command

Line Interface

Launching the OpenManage Essentials Command Line

Interface

Click Start → All Programs → OpenManage Applications → Essentials → Essentials Command Line

Interface.

Creating a Discovery Profile Input File

CLI commands that create discovery ranges or discovery groups require an XML-based file that defines

the parameters for discovery protocols such as SNMP, WMI, Storage, WS-Man, SSH, and IPMI. This file

defines which protocols are used and the parameters for each of the protocols. The file can be modified

using an XML editor or a text editor. A sample XML file (DiscoveryProfile.xml) is included in the samples

folder at C:\Program Files (x86)\Dell\SysMgt\Essentials\Tools\CLI\Samples. Edit the xml file and rename it

to create multiple discovery profiles. You cannot store passwords for WMI, IPMI, WS-Man, EMC and SSH

protocols in the XML file. The OpenManage Essentials CLI commands allow you to specify passwords in

the command line argument using the following commands:

• -wmiPassword<secure password>

• -ipmiPassword<secure password>

• -wsmanPassword<secure password>

• -emcPassword<secure password>

• -sshPassword<secure password>

NOTE: Passwords are not allowed in clear text. If you attempt to use clear text for the password

values, the CLI command will not be successful.

The <secure password> argument must be a secure password. To generate a secure password that can

be re-used in PowerShell scripts, run the following (or a similar command) from within a PowerShell

window:

To prompt the user for a password; read in and convert it to a secure string:

PS> $password = Read-Host ‘Enter password:’ –AsSecureString

To save the password, as a secure string, to the file system:

PS> $password | ConvertFrom-SecureString | Set-Content c:\tmp\password.txt

The two earlier PowerShell commands convert a password to a secure string that is then saved in a file.

This secure password can subsequently be used in other PowerShell scripts that involve OpenManage

Essentials CLI commands. For example:

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