Dell Server Deployment Pack Version 2.
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. Information in this publication is subject to change without notice. © 2012 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents Notes, Cautions, and Warnings...................................................................................................2 1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................5 What's New in Version 2.0........................................................................................................................................5 Dell Server Deployment Pack Features Overview...................
Creating Task Sequences for RAID, DRAC, and iDRAC..........................................................................................20 Variable Replacement......................................................................................................................................21 Configuring Variable Replacement Tab...........................................................................................................22 Log / Return Files ................................................
Introduction 1 This document describes the activities that you can perform with Dell Server Deployment Pack Version 2.0 for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (Configuration Manager.) What's New in Version 2.0 • Support for Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager. • Support for 12th generation of PowerEdge servers. • Support for Dell Deployment ToolKit (DTK) v3.5 to v4.0. • Task sequence optimized in Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 and later.
• The Dell Remote Access Controller/Modular Chassis User's Guide provides information about installation, configuration, and maintenance of the Dell Remote Access Controller/Modular Chassis (DRAC/MC). • The Command Line Reference Guide for iDRAC6 and CMC provides comprehensive information about using the RACADM command line utility.
Before you Begin Using Configuration Manager 2 After a fresh install or upgrade using the option Remove Dell Deployment ToolKit (DTK) utilities and Windows PE drivers, make sure that you import a DTK package before going ahead. For more information, see the Importing a DTK Package section for systems running Configuration Manager 2007 and Importing a DTK Package section for system running Configuration Manager 2012.
Using The Dell Server Deployment Pack on Systems Running Configuration Manager 2012 3 This chapter will help you to use Dell Server Deployment Pack on systems running Configuration Manager 2012 Importing a DTK Package NOTE: By default, Dell Server Deployment Pack self extractable provides one DTK self extractable zip that is available in the extracted location. You may download another one from the Dell Support site at support.dell.com. To import a DTK Package: 1.
The Deployment ToolKit Configuration Wizard screen is displayed. If there is an existing DTK package on the server, then the DTK version, Windows PE version, and architecture is displayed on the DTK present on system field. 4. Click Browse and select the updated DTK self extractable zip file that you downloaded. The selected DTK version, Windows PE version, and architecture is displayed under DTK selected for import field. 5. Click Next. The Boot Image Property screen is displayed. 6.
Distributing Content and Updating Distribution Points To update and manage distribution points: 1. Launch Configuration Manager by clicking Start → All Programs → Microsoft System Center 2012 → Configuration Manager → Configuration Manager Console . The Configuration Manager Console screen is displayed. 2. From the left pane of the Configuration Manager console, select Software Library → Overview → Application Management → Packages → Dell PowerEdge Deployment . 3.
Enabling Command Prompt for Debugging Boot Images NOTE: To display the debug console during deployment, press F8. To enable command prompt to debug boot images: 1. Launch Configuration Manager by clicking Start → All Programs → Microsoft System Center 2012 → Configuration Manager → Configuration Manager Console . The Configuration Manager Console screen is displayed. 2. From the left pane of the Configuration Manager console, select Software Library → Overview → Operating Systems → Boot Images. 3.
9. If you have a package with unattend.xml, then select it from the Package with unattend.xml info menu. Else, select . 10. If Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration for Configuration Manager is installed on the server, then select the check box Apply Drivers from Dell Lifecycle Controller. For more information, see the Dell Lifecycle Controller Integration for Configuration Manager User’s Guide. 11. Click Create. A confirmation message is displayed, click Close.
• Logs/Return Files This section explains about the Action Settings tab. For information on Variable Replacement tab see, Variable Replacement. For information on Logs/Return Files tab, see Log/Return Files . Configuring your System BIOS To configure your system BIOS, 1. Right-click the task sequence and click Edit. 2. From the left hand side of the Task Sequence Editor, under Configure Hardware → Step 1, click Set BIOS Config (ini file) → Action Settings tab. 3.
1. Click View to see the existing syscfg.ini file. 2. In the Configuration File Editor window, you can edit the syscfg.ini file, select the Save these changes to the existing file in the toolkit package when I click OK option and click OK. After creating the .ini file using any of the preceding options listed, click Apply in the Task Sequence Editor window. The task sequence for Set BIOS Config (ini file) is created. Configuring Set Boot Order To add a new set boot order step to a task sequence: 1.
1. Select from the Configuration file/Command line parameters drop-down menu. Click Import. 2. Specify the location of the configuration file you want to import and click Open. 1. Select from the Configuration file / Command line parameters drop-down menu. 2. Click View. The Array Builder wizard for the sample.xml is displayed. 3. To edit the sample.xml, see .
1. To add a new controller, select a controller from the list, or select an embedded controller. The Controllers dropdown menu to your left is enabled. 2. Click Controllers → New Controller. The Controller Configuration window is displayed. 3. Under Controller Selection Criteria, select from the following options: Select the controller located in slot Select any controller with disks attached Enter the slot number of the controller.
1. Select the variable condition and click Variables → Edit Variable Condition . The Variable Condition Configuration window you can make changes to your variable condition. 2. Click OK to apply the variable condition, or Cancel to return to Array Builder. Deleting a Variable Condition To delete a variable condition: 1. Select the variable condition and click Variables → Delete Variable Condition . A message that all the attached arrays and disks are deleted is displayed. 2.
NOTE: Cannot delete a logical drive under Non-RAID disks in Array Builder. Adding a New Logical Drive To add a new logical drive under an array: 1. Select the array and click Logical Drives → New Logical Drive . The Logical Drive Settings window is displayed. 2. Under Create a logical drive enter the exact number of gigabytes the logical drive must contain. 3. Click OK to create the logical drive, or click Cancel to return to Array Builder. Editing a Logical Drive To edit a logical drive: 1.
You can change a disk to: • Standard disk • Hot spare (only for the current array) • Global hot spare (all arrays) Deleting a Disk To delete a disk, click on the disk and select Disks → Delete Disk. Exporting to XML This menu item allows you to save the current configuration in an XML file to a location of your choice. To make sure that this configuration file is used, save it into the package. Else, the configuration is saved to a variable.
Option Suboptions Description iscsicfg.ini Use the existing iscsicfg.ini file to configure RAID. See for a similar example. RAID Configuration (command line) None Use this option if you want to manually configure the RAID tokens using the CLI. RAC Configuration (DRAC 5) See to see how you do it for the BIOS option. See for the BIOS option. rac5cfg.
• Collection Variables Configuring Variable Replacement Tab To configure the Variable Replacement Tab: 1. Under the Action to take when a variable is unintialized or the value is null or blank section you can: Use a null/blank value Uses a variable that has not been initialized or has a blank value. This allows the clients to continue processing the action even if the variable is undefined or blank. Fail the task Fails an action that cannot retrieve a valid variable value.
Applying Operating System Image NOTE: Before you begin this task, make sure that you have the required operating system image file (.wim file) within the Operating System Images tree in Configuration Manager. To apply operating system image: 1. From the left-hand side of the Task Sequence Editor, under Deploy Operating System click Apply Operating System Image. 2. You can choose from the following options: 3.
• For the following packages, right-click and select Properties, click on the Data Access tab and select the Copy the Contents of this Package to a package share on distribution points check box, then click on the Distribution Settings tab and select the Automatically download content when packages are assigned to distribution points radio button. – Dell PowerEdge Deployment Toolkit Integration 2.
Using The Dell Server Deployment Pack on Systems Running Configuration Manager 2007 4 The chapter will help you to use Dell Server Deployment Pack on systems running Configuration Manager 2007 Importing a DTK Package NOTE: By default, Dell Server Deployment Pack self extractable provides one DTK self extractable zip that is available in the extracted location. You may download another one from the Dell Support site at support.dell.com. To import a DTK package and create a Dell boot image: 1.
4. Click Browse and select the updated DTK self extractable zip file that you downloaded. The selected DTK version, Windows PE version, and architecture is displayed under DTK Zip Details. 5. Click Next. The Boot Image Property screen is displayed. 6. Refer step 3 to step 8 under the Creating a Boot Image for Deploying Dell PowerEdge Servers section for creating a boot image. Creating a Boot Image for Deploying Dell PowerEdge Servers To create a boot image for deploying Dell PowerEdge server: 1.
11. Right-click each of the newly created boot images and perform the update and manage distribution points operations. NOTE: You can view the DTK configuration details only by using the Deployment ToolKit Configuration Wizard. Hardware Configuration and Operating System Deployment on Unknown Computers NOTE: Unknown Computer support is available only if Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 R2 is installed on the server.
Unknown Computer support for various boot images Table 1. Unknown Computer support for various boot images Boot Images Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 - R2/R3 WAIK x86 X WAIK x64 X ConfigMgr x86 N/A ConfigMgr x64 N/A Custom x86 N/A Custom x64 N/A Updating and Managing Distribution Points To update and manage distribution points: 1. Launch Configuration Manager by clicking Start → Microsoft System Center → Configuration Manager 2007 → Configuration Manager Console.
1. Insert the Dell Systems Management Tools and Documentation DVD version 6.2 (or later) in your system drive. You can download the latest ISO image of the DVD from www.support.dell.com. 2. From the left pane of the Configuration Manager console, select Site Database → Computer Management → Operating System Deployment → Driver Packages. 3. Right-click Driver Packages → Dell Server Driver Package. Select Import Dell PowerEdge Server Driver Packages. 4.
The Configuration Manager Console screen is displayed. 2. From the left pane of the Configuration Manager console, select Site Database → Computer Management → Operating System Deployment . 3. Right-click Task Sequences, then Bare Metal Server Deployment → Create Dell PowerEdge Server Deployment Template. The Dell PowerEdge Server Deployment Task Sequence Wizard is displayed. 4. Enter the name of the task sequence in Task Sequence Name field. 5. From the drop-down list select the boot image to use.
The Configuration Manager Console screen is displayed. 2. From the left pane of the Configuration Manager console, select Site Database → Computer Management → Operating System Deployment → Task Sequences. 3. Right click the task sequence and click Edit. The Task Sequence Editor window is displayed. 4. Click Add → Dell Deployment → PowerEdge Server Configuration . This loads the custom action for your Dell server deployment.
NOTE: In the New Advertisement Wizard, make sure that you check the option Make this task sequence available to boot media and Preboot Execution Environment (PXE).
Troubleshooting 5 Task sequences fail or act incorrectly after an upgrade on Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 In order for the task sequences to function correctly on systems running Configuration Manager 2007 SP1: 1. Launch the task sequence editor. For more information see, Editing a Task Sequence. 2. Edit each task sequence action. For example, for each Dell custom action sequence present add a “.” to the Description and then remove it. This enables the Apply button. 3.
5. While importing a computer, make sure that the computer name you enter starts with a letter. Else, the deployment will fail. DTK Configuration wizard completes with errors When the DTK configuration wizard completes with errors, while upgrading the DTK package on systems running Configuration Manager 2007: 1. Check if the log file contains text similar to Utilities::ExtractDTK: Exception occurred during extraction. 2.
