HP Systems Insight Manager 5.3 Technical Reference Guide

Related procedures
• Installing Software and Firmware
• Initial ProLiant Support Pack Install
• Installing ROM firmware updates
• HP Version Control Agent reports
Related topics
• Creating a Replicate Agent Settings task
• About the Version Control Agent
• About the Version Control Repository Manager
• About integration
• About multiple system management
• About software repositories
About the Version Control Agent
The HP VCA is an HP Insight Management Agent installed on a system that enables you to view HP software
and firmware installed on the system. You can configure: HP VCA to point to a repository managed by HP
VCRM , enabling easy version comparison and software updates from the repository to the system where HP
VCA is installed.
HP VCA provides version control and system update capabilities for a single HP system. HP VCA determines
system software status by comparing each component installed on the local system with the set of individual
components or a specified ProLiant or Integrity Support Pack listed in HP VCRM. While browsing to HP VCA,
you can update individual components or an entire ProLiant or Integrity Support Pack by clicking the install
icon located next to the system software status icon.
HP VCRM and HP VCA are integrated with HP SMH, which is the standard single-server management tool
in the HP Foundation Pack. HP SIM, also part of the HP Foundation Pack, uses HP VCRM and HP VCA to
facilitate software versioning, update, and tasks related to it.
HP VCA is available for Windows and Linux operating systems. HP VCA is an integrated part of HP SMH
and displays the available software inventory of the system it is installed on. HP VCA also allows the
installation, comparison, and update of system software from a repository managed by HP VCRM.
Users with administrator or operator privileges can access the HP VCA to maintain the software inventory
of the system. The installation of components and configuration activities are logged to a log file on the
system. HP VCA logs activities, such as software installations. However, installations done outside HP VCA
do not appear in this log.
HP VCA enables you to view software installed on selected HP equipment, available updates, and whether
the installed software complies with the latest updates in the selected repository. In addition, you can add
or update HP software on the system remotely, using the browser interface of 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, see “Windows CMS”.
HP VCA enables the following tasks:
• Viewing installed software
• Selecting an HP VCRM as a reference point for obtaining software updates
• Selecting a ProLiant or Integrity Support Pack as a managed baseline
• Viewing details of a ProLiant or Integrity Support Pack or software component that is in the version
control repository
• Installing a ProLiant or Integrity Support Pack or software component from the version control repository
• Printing the installed software inventory and software status
• Managing the HP VCA log
In addition to maintaining the software inventory of the system, the HP VCA integrates with HP SIM, enabling
administrators to take advantage of the Software Update capabilities of the agent.
464 Tools that extend management