HP Version Control Agent 7.2 User Guide

1 Product overview
The (HP VCA) is an HP Insight Management Agent that is installed on a system to enable you to
view the HP software and firmware that is installed on that system. The HP VCA can be configured
to point to a repository being managed by the HP Version Control Repository Manager (HP VCRM),
allowing easy version comparison and software updates from the repository to the system on which
the HP VCA is installed.
The HP VCA provides version control and system update capabilities for a single HP system. The
HP VCA determines system software status by comparing each component installed on the local
system with the set of individual components or a specified HP Service Pack for ProLiant listed in
the HP VCRM.
An entire HP Service Pack for ProLiant can be updated by clicking the install icon located next to
the system software status icon. Individual components are provided with check box to select for
installation.
HP VCA is enhanced to identify the presence of Trusted Platform Module (TPM) on a TPM-enabled
Windows operating system. HP VCA supports installation/upgrading of both System ROM and
option ROM components on TPM-based systems. If HP VCA detects TPM module as being enabled,
the user will be provided with a checkbox to continue with the installation. The Install button on
the component installation page of HP VCA is enabled when the user confirms the decision to go
ahead with the installation, confirming that the user is aware of the recovery procedures by selecting
the Continue checkbox.
NOTE: TPM is a secure microcontroller with cryptographic functionalities. It works with supporting
software and firmware to prevent unauthorized access to a system. TPM with BitLocker measures
a system state and upon detection of a changed ROM image, locks the user out of accessing the
Windows file system if the user cannot provide the recovery key.
The HP VCRM and the HP VCA are integrated with the HP System Management Homepage (HP
SMH), which is the standard single-server management tool in the ProLiant Essentials Foundation
Pack HP Systems Insight Manager (HP SIM), also part of the ProLiant Essentials Foundation Pack,
uses the HP VCRM and HP VCA to facilitate software versioning, update, and tasks related to it.
The HP VCA is available for Windows and Linux operating systems. The HP VCA is an integrated
part of the HP SMH that is designed to display the available software inventory of the system on
which it is installed. The HP VCA also allows the installation, comparison, and update of system
software from a repository that is managed by a HP VCRM.
Users with administrator or operator privileges can access the HP VCA to maintain the software
inventory of the system manually. The installation of components and configuration activities are
logged to a log file at the system. The HP VCA logs activities, such as software installations.
However, installations done outside the HP VCA do not appear in this log.
The HP VCA enables you to view the software installed on selected HP equipment, the available
updates, and whether the installed software is compliant with the latest updates found in the selected
repository. In addition, you can add or update HP software on the system remotely, using the
browser interface of the HP VCA.
You can use the Replicate Agent Settings feature in HP SIM to update multiple servers with HP
VCA settings. For more information regarding the Replicate Agent Settings feature, refer to the
online HP SIM help system.
The HP VCA permits:
• Viewing installed software - View the currently installed software
• Changing settings - Select a HP VCRM as a reference point for obtaining software updates
• Viewing overall software status - Select a HP Service Pack for ProLiant as a managed baseline
4 Product overview