Dell Systems Build and Update Utility Version 1.
Notes NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. ___________________ Information in this publication is subject to change without notice. © 2010 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden. Trademarks used in this text: Dell™, the DELL™ logo, PowerEdge™, and OpenManage™ are trademarks of Dell Inc.
Contents 1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . About This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 5 Who Should Read This Document? . . . . . . . . . 5 How Will This Document Help Me? . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 How Do I Use This Document? . Dell SBUU Overview What’s New in This Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . Features of the Previous Release Function Overview 7 . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . .
2 Launching SBUU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 3 Using SBUU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Using SBUU in Different Scenarios . . . . . . . . . . . Updating Your System Firmware . . . . . . . . . . Configuring Your System Hardware Installing the Operating System . . . . . . . . 20 23 . . . . . Deploying More Than One System With the Same Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 . 30 Deploying Multiple Systems of Different Models . 30 . . 32 . . .
1 Overview This chapter provides details on the information available in this document and where to find the required information. It also provides an overview of System Build and Update Utility (SBUU) and the prerequisites for using SBUU. About This Document It is strongly recommended that you read the current chapter before proceeding. Who Should Read This Document? This document is for system administrators who are responsible for deploying and updating Dell powered systems in their organizations.
Depending on the Dell systems you want to deploy, redeploy or update, it is recommended that you use the document as follows. Table 1-1.
Dell SBUU Overview This section provides an overview of the Systems Build and Update Utility (SBUU). This chapter helps you understand the functionalities that SBUU provides to update and deploy your Dell systems. SBUU is an integrated tool for deployment and update of your Dell systems. It has modules such as Server OS Installation, Firmware Update, and Hardware Configuration.
Function Overview Table 1-2 lists SBUU functions to deploy and update your Dell systems. Table 1-2. Dell SBUU Functions You Want To Go To Update your system firmware (Baseboard "Updating Your System Firmware" on Management Controller [BMC], Dell page 19 Remote Access Controller [DRAC], Redundant Array of Independent Disks [RAID]) and BIOS in a pre-operating system environment. Configure your system hardware. "Configuring Your System Hardware" on page 20 Install an operating system on your system.
network. Information includes the service tag, host name, IP addresses, subnet mask, operating system(s) ISO file name(s), product keys, DRAC IP address, and Domain Name System (DNS) IP addresses. Save this file on a common network share or a USB key. SBUU does not validate the file but uses it during actual deployment. When you want to apply your customized bootable media on a group of similar systems, SBUU prompts you to browse and locate the multisystem configuration file.
Hardware Configuration Requirements • Basic knowledge of BIOS, RAID, BMC, and DRAC. Supported Operating Systems For the list of operating systems that SBUU supports, see the readme.txt file in the root folder or the Dell Systems Software Support Matrix on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com. Supported Systems For the list of Dell systems supported for this version of SBUU, see the readme.
• 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.
Overview
2 Launching SBUU To launch SBUU locally: 1 Insert the Dell Systems Management Tools and Documentation DVD in your system drive. 2 Reboot your system. The boot menu screen appears. To launch SBUU on a remote system: 1 In the Dell Remote Access Controller (DRAC) 4, DRAC 5, or iDRAC, click the Media tab. The Virtual Media screen appears. NOTE: If the Virtual Media Active X Control is not installed on the system, you are prompted to install it before you proceed.
6 To boot the host system with the Systems Build and Update media, select Power Cycle System under Power Control Operations, and click Apply. 7 Click Console. The Console Redirection screen appears. 8 Click Connect. You can now access the boot menu screen on your host system from your client system and proceed to use SBUU remotely. Figure 2-1.
Table 2-1 lists the options and their descriptions available on this screen. Table 2-1. Boot Menu Options Boot Menu Option Action Dell SBUU Takes you to the Dell Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen. Optical Media (CD/DVD) Check Checks if the Dell Systems Management Tools and Documentation DVD you inserted has any errors. Skip Optical Media Enables you to boot from your system hard drive.
Launching SBUU
3 Using SBUU This chapter describes the flexibility that SBUU offers to deploy and update your systems and also the various scenarios in which you can use SBUU. SBUU offers the following options: • Choice of configuration: Depending on your deployment and update requirement, you can configure all three of the modules (Firmware Update, Hardware Configuration, and Server Operating System Installation), any one of the modules, or a combination of the modules.
• Choice of creating bootable media: You can create bootable media for a set of systems you select and then use the same media to boot each system in the set. If you select the USB drive as the destination for the image, SBUU gives you the option to make the USB device bootable and directly boot the system with the device.
Using SBUU in Different Scenarios This section describes some of the possible scenarios in which you can use SBUU. These scenarios are meant to give you an idea on how to effectively use SBUU. They are not necessarily the only ways to use this tool nor are they the only scenarios in which you can use this tool. It is recommended that at any point during your update and deployment process, you see the online help for details about a particular screen.
CIM OEM providers, see the Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Version 6.2 Installation Guide on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com/manuals. NOTE: You can selectively upgrade components depending on your requirement. However, you cannot perform selective downgrades. 4 Select any components that you might want to upgrade and click Systems Build and Update Utility Home. NOTE: SBUU saves all the information about the repository and the selections you made on the Comparison Report screen.
3 After you configure fields on each component screen and before you navigate away from the screen, click Save Settings and then click Go Back to Configuration Summary. 4 On the Configuration Status Summary screen, click Save Settings and Go Back to Home Page. 5 On the Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen, click Apply/Export Configuration. The Configure Apply/Export Options screen appears with the Apply Configuration to Current System option selected, by default.
5 To configure the components (RAID, DRAC, BIOS, and so on), click the individual component buttons. Component screens appear on which you can configure various components. 6 After you configure fields on each component screen, click Save Settings and then click Go Back to Configuration Summary. 7 On the Configuration Status Summary screen, click Save Settings and Go Back to Home Page. 8 On the Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen, click Apply/Export Configuration.
Installing the Operating System 1 On the Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen, click Configure against Server OS Installation or click Server OS Installation on the left pane. The Set the Date and Time screen appears. NOTE: If you want to install ESXi Flash or HDD, insert SD card or USB key. 2 Make the required changes and click Continue. The Select an Operating System to Install screen appears.
You can also save your configuration and export it for later use by clicking Go Back to Home Page. In this case, continue the current procedure from step 9. To apply the configuration on your system immediately, click Apply Now. In this case, continue the current procedure from step 11. NOTE: The Apply Now option is enabled only if you have not selected any system on the Select System (s) screen. 9 In the Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen that appears, click Apply/Export Configuration.
Deploying Your Current "Bare-Metal" Dell System In this scenario, you can see how to update and deploy your current system.
1 Update your system firmware, if required. For details on the Firmware Update, see "Firmware Update" on page 37. For details on how to use the Firmware Update module, see step 1 through step 4 under "Updating Your System Firmware" on page 19. 2 Configure your system hardware and make sure you click Save Settings before you navigate away from a component screen. For details on the Hardware Configuration module, see "Hardware Configuration" on page 38.
NOTE: For more information on the specific fields on the Select Options screen, see the Dell Systems Build and Update Utility online help. The progress screen appears, after which the unattended update or deployment begins. If you have provided updates to your system firmware, the firmware update begins, using the configuration you saved. If any of the firmware updates requires a system reboot, your system reboots automatically.
Deploying More Than One System With the Same Configuration In this scenario, you can deploy more than one supported system with the same configuration (that is, having the same cards, controllers, hard drive, memory, and so on), for example, 50 Dell PowerEdge R710 systems.
1 On the Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen, click Change against System(s) Selection on the left pane. The Select System(s) screen appears. NOTE: Ensure that you click Select Systems so that the option to save the ISO image (Create Auto-deployment Bootable Image) is enabled on the Select Options screen. 2 Select PowerEdge R710 (for this example) from the Supported Systems list and click the right arrow. 3 Click Save Settings and return to the Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen.
Deploying More Than One System With Slightly Different Configurations In this scenario, you can see how to deploy more than one supported system with slightly different configurations. For example, you can configure 50 PowerEdge R710 systems but the systems may have different cards, controllers, hard drives, memory, and so on.
• The Hardware Configuration module displays all the configuration options under different tabs. Ensure that you select all relevant options for all the systems you selected. • The list of operating systems displayed in the Server Operating System Installation (SOI) module is a subset of supported operating systems that can be installed across the selected systems.
Deploying Multiple Systems With the Same Configuration for Different Operating Systems In this scenario, you can update and deploy multiple systems with the same configuration for different operating systems. For example, you have 100 PowerEdge R710 systems and you want to deploy 25 systems with the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system, 50 systems with the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.3 operating system, and 25 systems with the Windows Server 2008 operating system.
1 Follow step 1 through step 8 in "Deploying More Than One System With Slightly Different Configurations" on page 30 to create a bootable image to deploy an operating system, for example, Windows Server 2003 operating system. On the Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen, click SOI. On the Select an Operating System to Install screen, select Windows Server 2003.
/media/cdrom/server_assistant/driver_tool/src/mak e_bootable_usb.sh --scan 4 To create the bootable USB media from the Dell OpenManage DVD, type the following command: /media/cdrom/server_assistant/driver_tool/src/mak e_bootable_usb.sh Example: /media/cdrom/server_assistant/driver_tool/src/mak e_bootable_usb.sh /media/cdrom /dev/sdb 5 Remove the USB key and use this key to boot the target system.
Reusing Configuration Files In this scenario, you can import and reuse a configuration file that you created and exported in an earlier session. You can use this configuration file and create multiple ISO images with slightly different configuration. This configuration can be for the current system or for multiple systems. However, you need to create separate ISO images for every variation of the multiple systems deployment.
1 On the Systems Build and Update Utility Home screen, click Import Saved Configuration. The Import Configuration screen appears. 2 Specify the location from where you want to import the configuration file and click Continue. The progress screen appears, followed by the Imported Configuration File Details screen. 3 Click Systems Build and Update Utility Home. 4 Edit the existing configuration for the Firmware Update, Hardware Configuration, and SOI modules, if required.
Important Information and Frequently Asked Questions 4 This chapter contains important information about the different modules in SBUU, including answers to some frequently asked questions. Firmware Update Important Information The Firmware Update module in SBUU enables you to update the BIOS and firmware versions of your Dell systems in a pre-operating system environment.
Q: I want to use my custom repository for firmware updates using SBUU. A: If you want to use your custom repository for firmware updates using SBUU, you will need a Linux repository. Also, you must ensure that the repository contains updates for the system on which you want to run firmware updates. Q: What should I do if I want to downgrade the firmware? A: If you want to downgrade the firmware, you will not be able to do it using the Firmware Update module.
Q: How do I know which components to configure? A: Select the system that you want to configure. In the left pane, SBUU displays the components that you can configure. Click the component. The right pane displays the options that you can configure for the selected component. Q: Where do I get more information on RAID controllers? A: For details on read, write, and cache policies and supported stripe sizes, see the Dell OpenManage Deployment Toolkit Command Line Interface Reference Guide.
Q: Using SBUU, can I configure RAID on a system with a SATA 2s controller connected to a hard drive? A: SBUU does not support RAID configuration on any system with a SATA 2s controller connected to a hard drive. To configure RAID on such a system, use the option or set the hard drive configuration to Native mode through BIOS. Q: I have multiple SCSI and RAID controllers on my system.
Server Operating System Installation Important Information The Server Operating System Installation (SOI) module in SBUU enables you to install Dell-supported operating systems on your Dell systems. SOI also maps the operating system you want to install to your system and installs the requisite drivers. It also has a simple interface to configure Dell-supported storage controllers.
Q: What happens if I use the SOI to configure Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) controllers on my system that has virtual disks configured on the controller? A: If you have virtual disks configured on your controller and you use the SOI to configure RAID controllers on your system, the existing virtual disks are deleted. Q: Where will I get information about support for operating systems and RAID controllers? A: Some operating systems are not supported with some RAID controllers. See the readme.
