Dell Lifecycle Controller 1.6.5 Owner's Manual

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Dell Lifecycle Controller

USC/USC-LCE

Version 1.6.5

User’s Guide

Notes and Cautions

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of

your computer.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data if

instructions are not followed.

____________________

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, OpenManage™, PowerEdge™, and PowerVault™ are trademarks of Dell Inc. Intel U.S. and other countries. Boradcom Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. VMware United States and/or other jurisdictions. Novell in the United States and other countries. Red States and other countries. Citrix™ is a trademark of Citrix Systems, Inc. and/or one or more of its subsidiaries, and may be registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. The term Linux Linux kernel.

Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.

and ESX™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the

is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds, the original author of the

is either a trademark or registered trademark of Broadcom

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Hat® is a registered trademark of Red H at, Inc. in the United

2014 - 07

1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Why Use USC/USC-LCE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

USC and USC-LCE Features and  Product Classification

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

What’s new in USC/USC-LCE 1.5

Upgrading to USC or USC-LCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Introduction

The Dell Lifecycle Controller provides advanced embedded systems management and is delivered as part of iDRAC Express card and embedded Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) applications in the 11th generation Dell servers. The iDRAC6 works with the UEFI firmware to access and manage every aspect of the hardware, including component and subsystem management that is beyond the traditional Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) capabilities.

NOTE: The UEFI environment provides the local console interface and the

infrastructure for locally managed system components.

The Lifecycle Controller has the following components:

• Unified Server Configurator (USC) and Unified Server Configurator-Lifecycle Controller Enabled (USC-LCE):

– Are an embedded configuration utility that reside on an embedded

flash memory card.

– Are similar to the

sequence, and can function in a pre-operating system environment.

– Enable systems and storage management tasks from an embedded

environment throughout the system’s life cycle.

USC and USC-LCE simplify end-to-end server lifecycle management using the one-to-one method:

BIOS utility that is started during the boot



– Provisioning — Entire pre-operating system configuration from a

unified interface.

– Deploying — Simplified operating system installation with embedded

drivers on the Lifecycle Controller.

– Download drivers for operating system installation from one of the

following sources:

• Dell FTP website at

• USB mass storage device

•

Dell Lifecycle Controller OS Driver Packs

ftp.dell.com

DVD

Introduction 11

•

Dell Server Updates

•

Dell Systems Build and Update Utility

•Network share

– Patching/Updates (USC-LCE only) — Operating system agnostic and

reduced maintenance downtime with direct access to updates from

ftp.dell.com

a working version for rollback.

– Servicing (USC-LCE only) — Continuous availability of diagnostics

without the hard drive dependency. Ability to flash firmware automatically while replacing field replaceable components such as a Dell PowerEdge RAID controller, NIC, or power supply.

– Security (USC-LCE only) — Supports local key encryption.

– Restoring Platform — Backup the server profile (including RAID

configuration) and restore the server to a previously known state.

• Remote Services simplifies end-to-end server lifecycle management using the one-to-many method. For more information, see

Controller Remote Services User’s

. It simplifies BIOS and firmware updates by maintaining

DVD

Guide

DVD (for USC only).

Dell Lifecycle

Why Use USC/USC-LCE?

Systems management is typically a key part of an administrator’s role. Being able to install an operating system, updating firmware for function and policies requirements, configuring devices and getting the most out of an IT network are integral aspects of this role. Prior to the release of USC and USCLCE, an administrator had to use many tools such as DSA, SBUU, and DTK shipped on multiple CDs/DVD. Maintaining and using the multiple disks in their many versions was time consuming for the administrator.

To resolve these problems, Dell now provides the Lifecycle Controller, a flash chip embedded on the system with the Dell Unified Server Configurator application (USC). The Lifecycle Controller allows the IT administrator to do away with media altogether, allowing operating system deployment with locally embedded driver repositories, firmware updates, hardware configuration, and platform specific diagnostic routines. Since USC is available even when the operating system is not functional or even installed, it allows added flexibility in provisioning the system and customizing to suit

12 Introduction

your requirements. As the tool is integrated and embedded, formatting or reinstalling the operating system does not remove the tool, thus saving significant time and money.

USC and USC-LCE Features and Product Classification

Table 1-1. USC and USC-LCE Features

Features USC USC-LCE

Base-level product uses BMC and provides the following capabilities:

• Operating System Deployment

• Hardware Diagnostics

• USC Settings

Fully-featured product uses iDRAC6 Express and  Enterprise cards, and provides the following capabilities:

• Operating System Deployment

• Hardware Diagnostics

• USC Settings

• Platform Update

• Hardware Configuration

• View and Export Hardware Inventory

• View and Export Lifecycle Log

• Platform Restore

Ye s Ye s

No Yes

USC or USC-LCE displays the features that the system supports, depending on the system configuration. Table 1-2 shows the product classifications for USC/USC-LCE. For example, for a Dell system y11x series, y denotes alphabets like M, R, or T; and x denotes numbers.

Introduction 13

Table 1-2. Product Classification

Dell System Series

y11x

y21x to y51x

Options

No Options

Standard Embedded BMC USC

Optional

Available System Management Device

Embedded BMC USC

Embedded BMC + iDRAC6 Express Card

Embedded BMC + iDRAC6 Express card +  iDRAC6 Enterprise card

USC or USC-LCE

USC-LCE

Available Features

BMC - Operating System Deployment, Hardware Diagnostics, USC Settings

iDRAC6 Express - adds Platform Update, Hardware Configuration, Driver Repository, Lifecycle Log, Hardware Inventory (current and factory shipped)

BMC - Operating System Deployment, Hardware Diagnostics, USC Settings

iDRAC6 Express - adds Platform Update, Hardware Configuration, Driver Repository, Lifecycle Log, Hardware Inventory (current and factory shipped)

iDRAC6 Enterprise - adds Full Remote Management, Dedicated NIC port, Virtual Console, Virtual Media, part replacement, vFlash SD card management, Platform Restore

14 Introduction

Table 1-2. Product Classification

(continued)

Dell System Series

y61x to y91x

Options

Standard

Optional

Available System Management Device

Embedded BMC with iDRAC6 Express card

Embedded BMC with iDRAC6 Express card + iDRAC6  Enterprise card

USC or USC-LCE

USC-LCE

Available Features

BMC with iDRAC6 Express Operating System Deployment, Hardware Diagnostics, USC Settings, Platform Update, Hardware Configuration, Driver Repository, Lifecycle Log, Hardware Inventory (current and factory shipped)

iDRAC6 Enterprise - adds Full Remote Management, Dedicated NIC port, Virtual Console, Virtual Media, part replacement, vFlash SD card management, Platform Restore

1. For Dell Blade systems — BMC, iDRAC6 Express card, and iDRAC6 Enterprise card are included as standard configurations.

Introduction 15

What’s new in USC/USC-LCE 1.5

The new features are:

• Backup and Export server profile

• Import server profile

• View and export factory shipped inventory

• Configure and upgrade firmware for Converged Network Adapters (CNA) cards. Supported on the following CNA card:

Broadcom:

– M710HD Dual Port 10Gig 57712 NDC

• Software RAID configuration

• Enhancement to the RAID configuration feature — Virtual disk slicing support

• Driver packs support for new operating systems1. For more information, see

USC/USC-LCE – Supported Dell Systems and Operating Systems

section in the

support.dell.com/manuals

1. Indicates the newly introduced feature for USC.

Dell Systems Software Support Matrix

available at

Upgrading to USC or USC-LCE

Depending on the system, you can upgrade from a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) to an Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 6 (iDRAC6) Express or an iDRAC6 Enterprise card; this hardware upgrades the USC to USC-LCE. See

Updating Platform

for more information.

NOTE: You can upgrade Dell systems series y21x-y51x to USC-LCE. See the

Hardware Owner’s Manual for more information.

16 Introduction

Using USC or USC-LCE

Before using USC/USC-LCE, you must ensure that the following prerequisites are met:

• Ensure that your network is configured.

• Ensure that the system has the latest versions of iDRAC and BIOS installed. See

Launching USC or USC-LCE

To launch USC or USC-LCE during the system boot, press <F10> key within 10 seconds of the Dell logo being displayed to enter System Services. When USC or USC-LCE is launched for the first time, it displays USC Settings wizard that allows you to configure the preferred language and network settings. See

NOTE: If the system does not enter System Services, see Table 2-1 for cause and

resolution.

Readme

for more information.

Using USC Settings Wizard

for more information.

Using USC or USC-LCE 19

Launch Messages—Causes and Resolutions

Table 2-1 lists the messages that appear during system launch, and their cause and resolution.

Table 2-1. Launch Error Messages—Causes and Resolutions

Message Cause Resolution

System Services disabled

System Services update required

System Services not available

• The system is turned on or restarted while iDRAC is initializing. This occurs if:

– The system is turned

on immediately after AC is applied to the system.

– The system is

restarted immediately after resetting iDRAC.

• The product is manually disabled.

The embedded device that stores the product may contain corrupted data.

Another process is currently using iDRAC.

• Wait for a minute after resetting iDRAC to restart the system, so that iDRAC initializes.

•See Disabling USC or USC-LCE for information on disabling USC or USCLCE.

Update the product using USC or USCLCE Dell Update Package (DUP.) See the Dell Update Packages User’s Guide at support.dell.com/manuals for more information.

If an operating system is not installed on the system or if running the DUP does not fix the problem, run the USC or USC-LCE repair package. See

USC

Repairing USC-LCE for more

information.

Wait for 30 minutes for the current process to complete, reboot the system, and retry. Alternatively, see

Request to Enter System Services

Repairing

Canceling

20 Using USC or USC-LCE

Enabling USC or USC-LCE

Press

<Ctrl><E> within five seconds after system start-up.

The

iDRAC6 Configuration Utility

Navigate to

Select

Save your changes and exit the

System Services

Disable System Services

is displayed.

iDRAC6 Configuration Utility

. The

system reboots automatically.

Disabling USC or USC-LCE

To prevent the system from entering USC or USC_LCE during startup, do the following:

Press

<Ctrl><E> within five seconds after system start-up.

The

iDRAC6 Configuration Utility

Navigate to

Select

Save your changes and exit the

System Services

Disable System Services

is displayed.

iDRAC6 Configuration Utility

. The

system reboots automatically.

Canceling Request to Enter System Services

If USC or USC-LCE causes the system to repeatedly reboot, you can cancel the request to enter System Services.

CAUTION: This action cancels all tasks USC or USC-LCE is in the process of

executing. It is strongly recommended that you cancel the request to enter System Services only when absolutely necessary.

Press

<Ctrl><E> within five seconds after system start-up.

The

iDRAC6 Configuration Utility

Navigate to

Select

Save your changes and exit the

System Services

Cancel System Services

system reboots automatically.

page is displayed.

iDRAC6 Configuration Utility

. The

Using USC or USC-LCE 21

Using USC for the First Time

When using USC for the first time, it is recommended that you run the wizards:

USC Settings

network settings.

OS Deployment

Hardware Diagnostics

system.

See Also:

USC and USC-LCE Features

— Run the wizard to change the language, keyboard, or

— Run to install the operating system.

— Run diagnostics-check regularly to maintain the

Using USC-LCE for the First Time

When using USC-LCE for the first time, it is recommended that you run the following wizards:

USC Settings

network settings.

Platform Update

Using USC Settings Wizard

Use USC Settings wizard to specify the language, keyboard layout, and network settings for USC or USC-LCE only. This does not change system or other application settings.

22 Using USC or USC-LCE

Specifying Language, and Keyboard Type

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

USC Settings

Language and Keyboard

down-arrow keys to select the options.

From the

Click

Finish

Configuring Network Settings (NIC Card)

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

From the

Language

Keyboard Type

drop-down menu, select the language.

drop-down menu, select the keyboard type.

to save the new settings.

USC Settings

Network Settings

NIC card

drop-down menu, select the NIC card to

configure.

In the

IP Address Source

drop-down menu, select one of the following

options:

NOTE: The IP Address Source function only supports IPv4.

•

No Configuration

•

DHCP

— Obtains an IP address from a DHCP server.

•

Static IP

— Uses a static IP address. Specify the following

address properties —

— Does not configure the NIC.

Gateway, DNS Address

contact the network administrator.

Click

Finish

to save the settings.

. Use the up-arrow and

IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default

. If you do not have this information,

NOTE: If USC settings are not configured correctly, an error message is displayed.

Accessing Help

Each USC or USC-LCE screen has a Help icon in the upper-right corner. Click Help to display help for the current screen.

Viewing Readme

Click About View Readme to display the Readme file.

Using USC or USC-LCE 23

24 Using USC or USC-LCE

USC and USC-LCE Features

This chapter provides a brief description of the Unified Server Configurator (USC) and Unified Server Configurator-Lifecycle Controller Enabled  (USC-LCE) features. Also helps you familiarize with USC and USC-LCE wizards to use USC-LCE most effectively. Table 3-1 lists the features that USC and USC-LCE supports. Each feature is a wizard in USC and  USC-LCE.

Table 3-1. USC and USC-LCE Wizards

Wizards/Menu Description USC USC-LCE

Home Navigate back to Home screen. Ye s Ye s

Lifecycle Log

USC-LCE Platform Update

and

Platform Rollback

Hardware Configuration

Operating System Deployment

Platform Restore

Hardware Diagnostics

Using USC Settings Wizard

About View the version information of USC-LCE and

View and export lifecycle log, and add a work note to lifecycle log.

Apply updates or perform platform rollback for the system.

Configure system devices. No Yes

Install an operating system. Ye s Ye s

Backup, export, and restore system profile. No Yes

Perform diagnostics to validate the memory, I/O devices, CPU, physical disks, and other peripherals.

Specify the language, keyboard layout, and network settings while using USC or USC-LCE.

UEFI.

No Yes

Ye s Ye s

USC and USC-LCE Features 25

Lifecycle Log

Lifecycle Controller provides the history of firmware changes of the related components installed on a managed node. The log contains the following:

• Firmware update history based on device, version, and date

• Events based on severity, category, and date

• User comments history based on date

NOTE: Lifecycle log is available even if the operating system is not installed on the

system and is independent of the power state of the system.

Using this wizard, you can view, export, and add a work note to a log history.

See Also:

• Viewing Lifecycle Log History

• Exporting Lifecycle Log

• Adding a Work Note to Lifecycle Log

USC-LCE Platform Update

Use the Platform Update wizard to:

• View the current versions of the installed applications and firmware.

• Display the list of available updates.

• Select the required updates, downloads (automatic), and apply the updates.

To ensure optimal system performance and avoid system failures, it is recommended that you download and apply updates on a regular basis.

Contact your IT administrator for the preferred method to access the updates in your organization. The IT administrator can provide the updates on any of the following locations or media:

•FTP server

• Local USB device

•

Dell Server Updates

•Network share

26 USC and USC-LCE Features

DVD

If the FTP server or network share is used for update, configure the network card using USC Settings wizard before accessing the updates.

See Also:

• Updating Platform

FTP Authentication

USC supports anonymous login by authenticating the blank username, a password of your choice, and the FTP server address with the FTP server to download the catalog information. If you use a firewall, you should configure it to allow outgoing FTP traffic on port 21. The firewall must be configured to accept incoming FTP response traffic.

See Also:

• Using USC Settings Wizard

• Updating Platform

• Configuring a Local FTP Server

Platform Rollback

USC-LCE enables you to roll back the BIOS or firmware to a previouslyinstalled version. It is recommended to use this feature if you have a problem with the current version, and want to revert to the previously-installed version.

NOTE: You cannot roll back the hardware diagnostics application, and operating

system driver pack installation to earlier versions.

This feature is available:

• If you have used the USC-LCE update feature to update BIOS and firmware, or

• If you have updated the system BIOS or firmware using a postoperating system Dell Update Package.

NOTE: If you have used other update methods, this feature is not available.

See Also:

• Rolling Back to Previous BIOS and Firmware Versions

USC and USC-LCE Features 27

Hardware Configuration

USC-LCE provides different wizards for configuring hardware, and they are:

Configuration Wizards

Use the configuration wizards to configure system devices. The Configuration Wizards include Physical Security Configuration, System Date/Time Configuration, iDRAC Configuration, RAID Configuration, Key Encryption, and vFlash SD card Configuration.

See Also:

• Controlling Access to the System Control Panel

• Configuring System Date/Time

• Configuring iDRAC

• RAID Configuration

NOTE: You can also configure RAID through the OS Deployment wizard. For

more information, see

Wizard

• Creating a Secure Virtual Disk on Series 7 Controller

• Configuring vFlash SD Card

• Key Encryption

HII Advanced Configuration

Use the Human Interface Infrastructure (HII) to configure BIOS, and certain devices such as NIC. See

Configuring RAID Using Operating System Deployment

HII Advanced Configuration

for more information.

Hardware Inventory–View and Export

NOTE: The Hardware Inventory feature is disabled if the iDRAC firmware is not

updated to the supported version. Make sure to install iDRAC firmware version 3.2 for Blade systems and 1.7 for Rack and Tower systems.

About View and Export Current Inventory

You can view the hardware information about the currently installed hardware components that are internal to the system chassis and the configuration for each component. The table lists all the currently installed hardware

28 USC and USC-LCE Features

components (for example, fans, PCI devices, NICs, DIMMs, PSU, and so on), and their properties and values. From the Filter by Hardware Component drop-down menu, select the hardware component to view its properties and values. You can export this information or

Network Share. The XML file is saved in this format -

in the XML format into a

USB Device

HardwareInventory_<servicetag>_<timestamp>.xml.

For more information on the easy-to-use names of the hardware components, see Table B-1.

NOTE: Incorrect inventory data is displayed or exported after performing Delete

Configuration and Reset Defaults. See

after Resetting Lifecycle Controller

Viewing and Exporting Hardware Inventory

for displaying correct inventory data.

See Also:

• Viewing Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped

• Exporting Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped

About View and Export Factory Shipped Inventory

You can view the hardware information about the factory installed hardware components and their configuration. The table lists all the factory installed hardware components (for example, fans, PCI devices, NICs, DIMMs, PSU, and so on), and their properties and values. From the Filter by Hardware Component drop-down menu, select the hardware component to view its properties and values. You can export this information into a

USB Device,

Network Share,

or both the locations.

in this XML format

For more information on the easy-to-use names of the hardware components, see Table B-1.

View and Export factory shipped inventory feature may be grayed-out on the system due to one of the following:

• This feature requires factory installed data. Although the current version supports this feature, the factory installed data is not present on the system.

• Delete Configuration and Reset Defaults was applied and this has permanently deleted the Factory Shipped Inventory.

USC and USC-LCE Features 29

See Also:

• Viewing Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped

• Exporting Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped

Delete Configuration and Reset Defaults

You can delete the current iDRAC settings and reset iDRAC to factory defaults. It also deletes lifecycle logs and the factory shipped inventory information on the managed node. For more information, s

Configuration and Resetting Defaults

ee Deleting

Operating System Deployment

Driver Access

For USC

USC does not provide local drivers repository or does not support single Update Package packages:

• ftp.dell.com

•

Local FTP

•USB device

•

Dell Systems Build and Update Utility

See Also:

Selecting Operating System Driver Source Location (for USC only)

(DUP.) Use one of the following options to access the driver

DVD

Dell

For USC-LCE

USC-LCE provides a local repository for drivers that are required for operating system installation. Based on the operating system being installed, the OS Deployment wizard extracts these drivers and copies them to a staging directory.

NOTE: Although, USC-LCE has embedded drivers that are factory installed, there

may be latest drivers available. Before installing the operating system, run the Platform Update wizard to ensure that the latest drivers are available. See

Platform

for more information.

30 USC and USC-LCE Features

Updating

Driver Extraction

The drivers required for the operating system, or updates recommended for updating the system after installation, are extracted to a temporary location. These files are deleted after an 18-hour period or when you press the <F10> key to either cancel operating system installation or re-enter USC after rebooting.

NOTE: During the 18-hour period when drivers are extracted to a temporary

location after the operating system is installed, you cannot update USC or USC-LCE, drivers, or hardware diagnostics using a DUP. If you attempt an update using a DUP during this time period, the DUP displays a message that another session is active.

Driver Installation Methods

Table 3-2 lists the driver installation methods for different operating systems.

Table 3-2. Driver Installation Method

Operating System Installation Methods

Microsoft

NOTE: See USC-LCE readme for more

information.

Red Hat Linux Enterprise Linux version 4.8 Manually install the extracted drivers

Red Hat Enterprise Linux version 5.5, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server version 10 SP3, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server version 11 SP1 and later versions

Windows operating systems

Extracted drivers are installed during the operating system installation.

after the operating system installation.

Extracted drivers are installed during the operating system installation.

RAID Configuration

During operating system installation, you can do one of the following:

• Deploy the operating system without configuring RAID

• Configure the disks using the optional RAID configuration wizard and deploy the operating system.

Table 3-3 lists the operations USC or USC-LCE performs based on the availability of the RAID controller and the option selected.

USC and USC-LCE Features 31

Table 3-3. RAID Configuration

RAID Controller Availability Operations

• System does not have a RAID controller

• Bypass the optional RAID configuration

• System has a RAID controller and you selected the optional RAID configuration

OS Deployment wizard installs the operating system to a default location, which is typically the disk identified as Disk 0 in the BIOS utility.

Configure a virtual disk and select a virtual disk as the boot device.

Platform Restore

Part Replacement Configuration

Use this feature to automatically update a new part to the firmware version or the configuration of the replaced part, or both.

See

Also:

• Part Replacement Configuration

Backup Server Profile

Use this feature to do the following and store the backup image files in the vFlash SD card:

•Back up the following:

– Hardware and firmware inventory such as BIOS, LOMs, USC

supported add-in NIC cards, and Storage Controllers (RAID level, virtual disk, and controller attributes)

– System information

– Lifecycle Controller firmware images, data and configuration, and

iDRAC firmware and configuration.

• Optionally secure the backup image file with a passphrase

32 USC and USC-LCE Features

System or Feature Behavior During Backup

• System Services is not available.

• A partition with a label name SRVCNF is automatically created on the vFlash SD card to store the backup image file. If a partition with the label name SRVCNF already exists, it is overwritten.

• Takes up to 45 minutes depending on the server configuration.

• Takes a back up of everything; you cannot back up information for one device (for example, backup only LOM firmware and configuration).

• Does not back up diagnostics or driver pack information.

See Also:

Back Up Server Profile

Export Server Profile

Use this feature to export the backup image file on the vFlash SD card to a USB device or network share.

System or Feature Behavior during Export

• Takes up to 15 minutes depending on the server configuration.

• USC -LCE exports the backup image file in the

_<service_tag>_<time_stamp>.img

format. The <service_tag> is copied from the backup image file name. The <time_stamp> is the time when the backup was initiated.

• After a successful export, the event is logged in the Lifecycle Log.

See Also

• Exporting Server Profile to a USB Device or Network Share

• Viewing Lifecycle Log History

DELLBR

USC and USC-LCE Features 33

Import Server Profile

Use this feature to import and restore the server to a previously known working state from a backup image file that is either located on a vFlash SD card, network share, or USB.

NOTE: You can cancel a restore job using Ctrl-E during POST and select Cancel

System Services, or reset the iDRAC. This initiates the recovery process and restores the system to a previously known state. Recovery process must not take more than five minutes. To check if the recovery process is complete, view the Lifecycle logs.

System or Feature Behavior During Import

• The System Services that is not available during restore, is enabled after system shutdown.

• Restores everything that was backed up.

• Import may take up to 45 minutes depending on the server configuration.

• Diagnostics or driver pack information is not restored.

• If extra reboots occur during tasks executed in System Services, it is because there was an issue while trying to set the device configuration, which attempts to run the task again. Check the Lifecycle Logs for information on the failed device.

• Import operation for a card fails if the slot in which it was installed earlier has changed.

• System restores all Lifecycle controller content.

See Also

• Importing Server Profile from a vFlash SD Card, Network Share, or USB

Device

• Importing Server Profile after Motherboard Replacement

Hardware Diagnostics

It is recommended that you run diagnostics as part of a regular maintenance plan to validate that the system and the attached hardware are functioning properly using the Hardware Diagnostics utility. Since the diagnostics utility has a physical (as opposed to logical) view of attached hardware, it is able to

34 USC and USC-LCE Features

identify hardware problems that the operating system and other online tools cannot identify. You can use the hardware diagnostics utility to validate the memory, I/O devices, CPU, physical disks, and other peripherals.

See Also:

• Performing Hardware Diagnostics

• Updating Hardware Diagnostics Utility

USC or USC-LCE Repair

During Power-On Self-Test (POST), if the system displays the message System Services update required, the embedded device that stores USC or USC-LCE may contain corrupt data. To resolve this issue, see the following sections:

• Repairing USC

• Repairing USC-LCE

RAID Configuration

USC-LCE supports both software RAID and hardware RAID options.

See Also:

• Configuring RAID using Hardware RAID

• Configuring RAID using Software RAID

USC and USC-LCE Features 35

Key Encryption

Use this feature to:

• Set the encryption for PERC H700/H800 RAID controllers in one of the following modes:

– Local Key Encryption — Applies a local key on the RAID controller

and remove the keys.

– No Encryption — No encryption is applied on the controller and the

Set up local key encryption

See Also:

• Applying the Local Key on the RAID Controller

• Encrypt the existing unsecure virtual disks. To do this, enable the encryption on the controller.

Local Key Encryption Mode

You can perform the following tasks while the controller is in Local Key Encryption mode:

NOTE: For more information on the specification and configuration related

information for the PERC H700 and H800 controllers, see the PERC H700 and H800 Technical Guidebook.

• Encrypt unsecure virtual disks — Enable data encryption on all the security capable unsecure virtual disks.

option is available.

NOTE: This option is available if there are virtual disks connected to a

security capable controller.

• Rekey controller and encrypted disks with a new key — Replace the existing local key with a new key.

• Remove encryption and delete data — Delete the encryption key on the controller and all the secure virtual disks along with its data. After deletion, controller state changes to No encryption mode.

Seel Also:

• Encrypting Unsecure Virtual Disks

• Rekey Controller with a New Local Key

• Remove Encryption and Delete Data

36 USC and USC-LCE Features

USC and USC-LCE Operations

This section provides the tasks required to perform different operations on the Unified Server Configurator (USC) and Unified Server ConfiguratorLifecycle Controller Enabled (USC-LCE).

Viewing Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory Shipped

To view the currently installed or factory installed hardware components and their configuration:

From the left pane, click

Click

View Current Inventory or View Factory Shipped Inventory

the current or factory shipped inventory.

See Also:

• About View and Export Current Inventory

• About View and Export Factory Shipped Inventory

Exporting Hardware Inventory–Current or Factory

Hardware Configuration

to view

Shipped

To export the currently installed or factory installed hardware components and their configuration:

Prerequisites

• If you use the network share, set the correct

USC Settings Wizard for more information.

• If you are storing the exported file in an USB device, ensure that an USB device is connected to the managed node.

• If you are storing the exported file in network share, ensure that you have shared folder with the correct login credentials.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 37

Network Settings

. See Using

Workflow

To export the current or factory shipped hardware inventory:

In the left pane, click

Click

Export Current Hardware Inventory

Hardware Inventory

Select

USB Device

Select

USB Device

device.

From the and enter the path to the folder on the device.

If the path is not provided, the file is stored in the root location of the device.

Click

Finish

Network Share

Select

Network Share

network.

Choose Device

Hardware Configuration

Export Factory Shipped

Network Share

if you are exporting the inventory log to a local USB

drop-down menu, select the required device

to export the inventory.

if you want to store the file in a shared folder on a

To export using Network Share, select details:

For CIFS

•

Share Name

— Type the path to the shared folder to export the

file. For example, type

•

Domain and User Name

required to log on to the network share. For example,

name@myDomain

•

Passwo rd

— Type the correct password.

•File Location — 2010\Apr

. If there is no domain, type the login-name.

Type the sub-directories if any. For example,

38 USC and USC-LCE Operations

CIFS

NFS

and type the following

\\xxx.xxx.xx.xx\sharename

— Type the domain and user name

For NFS

•

Share Name

store the file. For example,

•File Location 2010\Apr

Click

Test Network Connection

the IP address that you provided. By default, it pings the Gateway and DNS server IP.

Click

Finish

to export the inventory.

See Also:

• About View and Export Current Inventory

• About View and Export Factory Shipped Inventory

— Type the path to the shared folder where you must

\\xxx.xxx.xx.xx\sharename

— Type the sub-directories if any. For example,

to verify if USC-LCE is able to connect to

Viewing and Exporting Hardware Inventory after Resetting Lifecycle Controller

NOTE: After performing Delete Configuration and Reset Defaults, the system shuts

down.

To view or export the hardware inventory data after resetting the Lifecycle Controller:

Power on the system and wait for a couple of minutes for iDRAC to start functioning.

Since

Collect System Inventory on Restart (CSIOR

reset, press <F10> to launch USC so that the system inventory is collected. After USC launches, exit the wizard and wait for the system to reboot.

Disconnect the power cord and wait for 30 seconds. Reconnect the power cord and boot the system to USC.

) is not enabled after

USC and USC-LCE Operations 39

Updating Platform

You can update to the latest version of USC-LCE using the Platform Update wizard. It is recommended that you run the Platform Update wizard on a regular basis to access the latest updates. For USC-LCE, you can update the firmware and BIOS using individual DUPs (single component DUP.)

NOTE: Make sure that the file name for the single component DUPs does not have

any blank space.

See Also:

• Launching Platform Update Wizard

• Selecting Download Method

• Viewing Current Version Information

Version Compatibility

The version compatibility feature enables you to install the Lifecycle Controller, BIOS, and iDRAC versions that are compatible with system components. In case of compatibility issues during update, Lifecycle Controller displays upgrade or downgrade error messages.

Viewing Current Version Information

To view the current versions and time stamp of various system components firmware:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

Platform Update

View Current Versions

Launching Platform Update Wizard

To launch the platform update wizard:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

40 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Platform Update

Launch Platform Update

Selecting Download Method

To download the updates following sources:

•FTP server

– Dell FTP Server

– Configuring Proxy Server

NOTE: Make sure that the catalog file and DUPs that are downloaded from

ftp.dell.com, are copied into the root folder of the source.

• Local FTP — For more information, see Accessing Updates on a Local

FTP Server.

• Local Drive

• Network Share

•

Dell Server Updates

Dell FTP Server

To download drivers from the Dell FTP server, enter ftp.dell.com in the Address field.

Configuring Proxy Server

To download drivers from an FTP server using a proxy server:

Select

FTP Server

Enter the following details.

•

Address

•

User Name

•

Pas sword

•

Catalog Location or Update package path

— The IP address of the local FTP server or

— The password to access this FTP location.

location/sub-directory where the catalog resides.

This step is optional for operating system driver source.

using the

Platform Update

wizard

, use one of the

DVD

ftp.dell.com

— The user name to access the FTP location.

— The specific

NOTE: If the catalog file and DUP are downloaded from ftp.dell.com, do not

copy them into a sub-directory.

•

Proxy Server

•

Proxy Port

— The server host name of the proxy server.

— The port number of the proxy server.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 41

•

Proxy Type

— The type of proxy server. HTTP and SOCKS 4 proxy

types are supported by USC-LCE.

•

Proxy User Name

— The user name required for authentication on

the proxy server.

•

Proxy Password

— The password required for authentication on the

proxy server.

•

Test Network Connection

— To verify if USC-LCE is able to connect to the IP address that is provided. By default, it pings the Gateway and DNS server IP, and also pings any host and proxy IP.

See Also:

FTP Authentication

Local Drive (CD/DVD/USB)

To perform platform updates from a local drive (USB device or

Updates

DVD), use one of the methods:

• Single component DUPs.

NOTE: Make sure that the file name for the single component DUPs does not

have any blank space.

• Repository

NOTE: If the catalog file and DUP are downloaded from ftp.dell.com, do not

copy them into a sub-directory.

Dell Server

Using Single Component DUPs

From the drop-down menu, select the volume label.

In the

Catalog Location or Update package path

DUP (for example,

APP_WIN_RYYYZZZ.EXE

, enter the name of the

) or if the DUP is present in a sub-directory, enter both the sub-directory name and name of the DUP (for example,

subdirectory\APP_WIN_RYYYZZZ.EXE

42 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Using Repository

From the drop-down menu, select the volume label.

In the

Catalog Location or Update package path

, if the catalog file is located in the root folder, do not enter the file name. However, if the catalog file is located in a sub-directory, enter the sub-directory name (for example,

subdirectory

See Also:

Configuring a Local USB Device

Network Share

To perform platform updates from a shared folder over a network, select Network Share (CIFS or NFS) and enter the details:

Enter the network share details. For more information, see Ta b l e 4-1.

Click

Test Network Connection

to verify if USC-LCE is able to connect to the IP address that you provided. By default, it connects to the Gateway and DNS server IP.

Click

Table 4-1. Network Share Details

For CIFS For NFS

Share Name — Path to the shared folder where the DUPs or repository is located. For example, \\xxx.xxx.xx.xx\sharename.

Domain and User Name — Type the correct domain and user name required to log on to  the network share. For example, login-name@myDomain, and if there is  no domain, type the login-name.

Password

— Type the correct password NA

USC and USC-LCE Operations 43

Table 4-1. Network Share Details

For CIFS For NFS

Catalog Location or Update package path

NOTE: If the catalog file and DUP are downloaded from ftp.dell.com, do not copy them

into a sub-directory.

Using Single Component DUPs

NOTE: Make sure that the file name for the single component DUPs does not have any

blank space.

Enter the name of the DUP (for example, APP_WIN_RYYYZZZ.EXE) or if the DUP is present in a sub-directory, enter both the sub-directory name and name of the DUP (for example, subdirectory\APP_WIN_RYYYZZZ.EXE).

Using Repository

If the catalog file is located in the root folder, do not enter the file name. However, if the catalog file is located in a sub-directory, enter the sub-directory name (for example, subdirectory).

Selecting and Applying Updates

To select and apply the updates:

In the left pane of the available updates is displayed.

Select the required updates and click the components for which the current updates are available.

Click

Apply

The system reboots after the update process is complete. When applying more than one update, the system may reboot between updates directly into USC-LCE and continue updating.

Home

page, click

Apply

Select Updates.

The list of

. By default, USC-LCE selects

If the iDRAC firmware update is interrupted, you may need to wait up to 30 minutes before attempting another firmware

update.

See Also:

• Comparing Versions

• Updating Devices That Affect Trusted Platform Module Settings

• Updating RAID Controller Firmware

44 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Important

• USC-LCE does not support the update or rollback of PERC 5/E Adapter for external storage, SAS 5i/R Adapter for tape, PERC S100 and PERC S300 Adapters, and Intel NIC Adapters.

•A NIC

wrapper.efi

error may be displayed if you try updating the NIC using platform update in USC without the latest versions of iDRAC and BIOS. To ensure this error does not occur, upgrade to the latest BIOS and iDRAC versions.

CAUTION: While using USC to update the power supply unit firmware, the system

shuts down after the first task. It takes a couple of minutes to update the PSU firmware and then automatically turns on.

Rolling Back to Previous BIOS and Firmware Versions

You can roll back to previous BIOS and firmware versions using the Rollback wizard.

Important

If you update the BIOS or firmware only once, the rollback feature provides the option to revert to the factory-installed BIOS or firmware image. If you update the BIOS or firmware more than once, the factory-installed images are overwritten and you cannot revert to them.

Launching Rollback Wizard

To launch the platform rollback wizard:

Boot the system and press the Dell logo appears. USC-LCE is launched.

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

Platform Update

Launch Platform Rollback

page displays a list of available rollback components.

<F10> key within 10 seconds after the

. The

Platform Rollback

USC and USC-LCE Operations 45

Selecting and Applying Rollbacks

To select and apply the rollbacks:

In the

Platform Rollback

Click

Apply

page, select the required rollback image(s).

After the update process is complete, the system reboots. When applying more than one update, the system may reboot between updates directly into USC-LCE and continue updating.

See Also:

• Comparing Versions

• Updating Devices That Affect Trusted Platform Module Settings

• Updating RAID Controller Firmware

Comparing Versions

If you want to compare the version of the update or rollback with the version currently installed on the system, compare the versions in the

Current

•

and

Available

Component

fields.

— Displays the available updates. Select the check box

for each update you want to apply.

•

Current

Available

— Displays the component version currently installed

the system.

— Displays the version of the available update.

Updating RAID Controller Firmware

To update RAID controller firmware:

In the left pane of the

Select the repository option, and click

Home

page, click

Platform update

The components are displayed with current and available firmware updates.

Select the storage card and click

Apply

The update process is initiated and the firmware update is completed.

46 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Updating Devices That Affect Trusted Platform Module Settings

If BitLocker protection is enabled on your system, updating certain components requires you to enter a recovery password or insert a USB flash drive containing a recovery key during the next system boot. This situation occurs only if the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) security setting is set to On with Pre-boot Measurements. For information on how to set TPM settings, see the BIOS User Guide available at support.dell.com/manuals.

When USC-LCE detects that TPM security is set to On with Pre-boot Measurements, a warning message displays indicating that certain updates require the recovery password or USB flash drive with the recovery key. The warning message also indicate components that affect the BitLocker.

You can choose either not to update or to roll back those components by navigating to the Select Updates page and deselecting the check boxes for the components.

Updating Hardware Diagnostics Utility

You can update the Hardware Diagnostics utility using the Dell Update Packages (DUPs) or Platform Update wizard.

Table 4-2. Updating the Hardware Diagnostics Utility

For USC For USC-LCE

Download the required Dell Update Package (DUP) from support.dell.com, and run the DUP as an executable in the installed operating system.

Use the Platform Update wizard to update.

Download the required Dell Update Package (DUP) from support.dell.com, and run the DUP as an executable in the installed operating system.

See Also:

• Hardware Diagnostics

• Updating Platform

USC and USC-LCE Operations 47

Performing Hardware Diagnostics

To perform hardware diagnostics:

To start the Hardware Diagnostics utility:

In the left pane of USC or USC-LCE, click

In the right pane, click diagnostics utility launches, follow the on-screen instructions.

To exit the Hardware Diagnostics utility, reboot the system and press

<F10>

When the tests are complete, results of the diagnostics tests are displayed on the screen. To resolve the problems reported in the test results, search the resolutions at support.dell.com.

See Also:

Hardware Diagnostics

to re-enter USC or USC-LCE.

Run Hardware Diagnostics

Hardware Diagnostics.

. When the

Installing Operating System

Prerequisites

• Optical DVD drive is connected.

• Hard disks must be connected. For PERC controllers, at least one physical disk must be available for virtual disk creation.

Workflow

To install the operating system:

To launch USC/USC-LCE, boot your system and press the within 10 seconds after the Dell logo appears.

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

•

Go directly to OS Deployment

•Optional:

RAID controller. See information

48 USC and USC-LCE Operations

OS Deployment

Deploy OS

Configure RAID First

Using Optional RAID Configuration

and select one of the following:

and click

<F10> key

, if

the system has a

for more

For

USC

— Select the driver source. See Selecting Operating System

Driver Source Location (for USC only) for more information.

Select the operating system from the list, media, and complete the remaining tasks. See

System

for more information.

NOTE: If you select an operating system that supports UEFI boot mode,

options–BIOS or UEFI are provided for selecting the boot mode.

Reboot the system. See Rebooting System for more information.

See Also:

• Installing Drivers for RHEL 4.8 Operating System

• Operating System–Post Installation Scenarios

• Assigning a Windows-Bootable System Partition to Drive C

• Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 on a System with SAS7

(H200) Controller

insert the operating system

Selecting Operating

Selecting Operating System Driver Source Location (for USC only)

For USC, download the operating system drivers from an a

Local Drive

(USB, network share, or DVD).

Online Repository

To download drivers from an online repository:

Select the

Download the drivers using one of the following methods:

• Dell FTP Server

• Locally Configured Online Repository

• Configuring Proxy Server

Online Repository

FTP Repository

USC and USC-LCE Operations 49

Online Repository

To save the drivers locally from the online repository, select

From the

Save Locally

drop-down menu, select the USB drive to save the

Save Locally

system drivers.

Make sure to connect a USB device to the USB drive.

Click

See Also:

Selecting Download Method

Locally Configured Online Repository

To download drivers from a locally-configured online repository, in the Address field, enter the server host name or the IP address of the server that has the drivers.

See Also:

• Configuring a Local FTP Server

• FTP Authentication

Local Drive

To download the drivers from a USB device or Dell Lifecycle Controller OS Driver Packs DVD, select Local Drive

NOTE: USC supports internal SATA optical drives and USB optical drives and 

USC-LCE supports internal SATA optical drives, USB optical drives, and Virtual Media devices. If the installation media is corrupt or not readable, then USC and USC-LCE may not detect the presence of a media. In this case, an error message is displayed stating that no media is available. For USC-LCE: Virtual Media is supported through iDRAC. See the iDRAC User’s Guide for your system’s iDRAC device for more information on setting up Virtual Media through iDRAC.

See Also:

Configuring a Local USB Device

and click

50 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Using Optional RAID Configuration

If the system has a RAID controller, you can configure a virtual disk as the boot device.

Configuring RAID Using Operating System Deployment Wizard

Important

•

For USC , th e Raid Configuration wizard is available only through the

OS Deployment

• For USC-LCE, you can configure RAID through the RAID configuration page from the

RAID Configuration

NOTE: ESX 3.5 and Citrix operating systems do not support series 7

controllers.

To configure RAID using OS Deployment wizard:

In the left pane of the

Select

Configure RAID Now

Configuration

configuration, including the series 6 and 7 controllers.

Select a storage controller.

The RAID Configuration options are displayed.

wizard

Hardware Configuration

Home

page, click

. This option launches the

wizard that displays all the storage controllers available for

TabConfiguration Wizards

OS Deployment

RAID



Complete RAID settings and click

The RAID configuration is applied on the disks, and USC or USC-LCE returns to the

OS Deployment

Finish.

wizard.

Bypass RAID configuration:

Select Go Directly to OS Deployment and click Next. This option launches the OS Deployment wizard and the operating system is installed on the default boot device identified in the BIOS utility.

See Also:

• Selecting Operating System

• Installing Operating System

USC and USC-LCE Operations 51

Selecting Operating System

You can select an operating system based on its availability and user preference. Take any one of the following action:

• Selecting an Operating System Available in the List

• Selecting Custom Operating System

• Selecting an Operating System Not Available in the List

Selecting an Operating System Available in the List

To install an operating system that is available in the list:

From the list, select the required operating systems, and click

If a UEFI capable operating system is selected, USC-LCE displays two installation modes —

Insert the standard operating system installation media when prompted, and click

If the standard operating system installation media is validated, continue with the installation. Else, insert the correct media and click

. USC or USC-LCE validates the media.

NOTE: USC or USC-LCE renders the drivers through the OEMDRV directory to

the operating system.

UEFI

BIOS

. Select one of options and click

52 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Selecting Custom Operating System

To install a custom operating system:

From the list, select the required operating system and click

The drivers are extracted and USC or USC-LCE prompts you to insert the operating system installation media.

Insert the custom operating system media with all the operating system components that are specific to your requirements, and click

NOTE: USC or USC-LCE renders the drivers through the OEMDRV directory to

the custom operating system.

If the validation check fails, the message —

The selected media

doesn’t match the standard media certification of the OS <name of the selected operating system>

appears. Click

Ye s

to continue, else No to insert a different media and

retry.

Selecting an Operating System Not Available in the List

To install an operating system that is not available in the list:

Select the option

The drivers are not extracted. Therefore, prepare the drivers for the required operating system.

Insert the operating system installation media with all the operating system components that are specific to your requirements and click

Any Other Operating System,

and click

Next.

NOTE: USC or USC-LCE does not render the extracted drivers in the OEMDRV

directory to the operating system.

Click

to continue.

NOTE: USC or USC-LCE does not validate the media.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 53

Driver Extraction and Installation

Table 4-3. Driver Extraction and Installation for Different Operating Systems

Operating System Method of Extraction

Microsoft Windows operating system

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 The drivers are extracted to OEMDRV under

The drivers are extracted to an internal USB drive named OEMDRV.

/oemdrv/*.rpm. Manually install the extracted drivers after the installation is complete.

See Also:

• Driver Extraction

• Rebooting System

Installing Drivers for RHEL 4.8 Operating System

To install the drivers:

Mount the USB device containing the operating system drivers labeled

OEMDRV

mkdir OEMDRV

mount /dev/sdc1 /mnt/OEMDRV

. Use the following command to mount:

NOTE: Path to the operating system drivers on the OEMDRV drive:

/oemdrv/*.rpm

Use the following command to install the drivers:

rpm -Uvh *.rpm

54 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Rebooting System

Click Finish to reboot the system and continue with the operating system installation. Upon reboot, the system boots to the operating system installation media.

CAUTION: During the beginning of Microsoft Windows Server® 2003 installation,

the installer will automatically detect and possibly assign the default drive letter

USC and USC-LCE temporary storage device OEMDRV. Creating a new

C to Windows-bootable system partition on the hard-disk will assign the partition to a drive letter other than C; this is standard Windows installer behavior. To assign

new partition to C, see

the

Post Reboot Scenarios

Table 4-4 lists the post reboot scenarios, its user actions, and impact.

Table 4-4. Post Reboot Scenarios and User Actions

Scenario User Action and Impact

USC or USC-LCE prompts you to press a key before booting to the operating system installation media

Operating system installation is interrupted and the system reboots before installation is completed.

Want to cancel operating system installation.

Cannot update USC or USC-LCE by running a DUP in the operating system environment for the next 18 hours

Assigning a Windows-Bootable System Partition to Drive

Press any key, else the system boots to the hard-disk and not the operating system installation media.

USC or USC-LCE prompts you to press a key to boot from the operating system installation media.

Press the <F10> key.

NOTE: Pressing the <F10> key at any point

during the installation process or while rebooting causes any drivers provided by the OS Deployment wizard to be removed.

USC or USC-LCE does not allow this after the operating system installation.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 55

Operating System–Post Installation Scenarios

Post installation of operating system, complete the following USC or USCLCE tasks for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux

4.8 operating systems:

• Assigning a Windows-Bootable System Partition to Drive C

• Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 on a System with SAS7 (H200)

Controller

Assigning a Windows-Bootable System Partition to Drive C

After completing the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 operating system installation through USC or USC-LCE, the server reboots and begins the text-mode portion of the installation.

To ensure that Microsoft Windows installs on drive C:

NOTE: The Windows Server 2003 setup displays a list of existing drive partitions

and unpartitioned space available on the system.

Create a hard-disk partition: select the unpartitioned space, and press

<c>

. Follow the on-screen instructions.

NOTE: The partition may not be enumerated as drive C.

Delete the partition: select the newly-created partition, and press Follow the on-screen instructions.

Create a primary hard-disk partition: select the unpartitioned space again, and press

Microsoft Windows installs on drive C.

<c>

. Follow the on-screen instructions.

<d>

For more information, see

NOTE: The partition is now enumerated as drive C.

support.microsoft.com/kb/896536.

Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 on a System with SAS7 (H200) Controller

To ins ta ll Re d Hat En terprise Linux 4.8:

Copy the driver image file (* driver image file location when prompted for a driver diskette.

On the

56 USC and USC-LCE Operations

OS Deployment

.img

or *.dd) into a USB drive. Specify the

page, select

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8

After USC reboots to the operating system installer CD/DVD, enter the command: >

Insert the Driver Update Disk (DUD) when prompted, and specify the location of the USB drive and press

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

linux dd

<Enter>

Controlling Access to the System Control Panel

To control access to the system control panel:

From the USC/USC-LCE

In the right pane, select

Click

Physical Security Configuration

Set System Control Panel Access to one of the following options:

•Disabled

•View Only

•View and Modify

Click

Finish

to apply the changes.

To return to the

Configuration Wizards

System Control Panel Access Options

USC’s physical security configuration enables an administrator to restrict system control panel interface access. The options available are:

•

Disabled

the information displayed by the management controller, and you cannot specify actions.

•

View Only

information using the system control panel interface.

•

View and Modify

the system control panel interface.

— You do not have access to information or control, other than

— You can move through the data screens to obtain

— You can obtain information and make changes using

Home

page, select

Configuration Wizards

Hardware Configuration

, click

Back

or click

Cancel

to exit.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 57

Configuring System Date/Time

To set the date and time for the system:

From the USC/USC-LCE

In the right pane, select

Click

System Date/Time Configuration

The default system date and system time shown in USC-LCE is the date and

time reported by the system BIOS.

Modify the

Click

To return to the

System Date

Finish

to apply the changes.

Configuration Wizards

Home

page, select

Configuration Wizards

and

Time (HH:MM:SS AM/PM)

Hardware Configuration

, click

Back

or click

, as required.

Cancel

to exit.

Configuring iDRAC

To configure iDRAC parameters applicable to the system, such as LAN, common IP settings, IPv4, IPv6, Virtual Media, and LAN user configuration use the iDRAC Configuration Wizard.

To configure and manage iDRAC parameters:

In the left pane of

In the right pane, click

Click

iDRAC Configuration

• LAN Configuration

• Advanced LAN Configuration

• Common IP Configuration

• IPv4 Configuration

• IPv6 Configuration

• Virtual Media Configuration

• LAN User Configuration

• Summary and Confirmation

Home

page, click

Configuration Wizards

, and configure the following parameters.

Hardware Configuration

58 USC and USC-LCE Operations

LAN Configuration

To view and configure:

From iDRAC Configuration, select

Enter details for iDRAC LAN, IPMI Over LAN, MAC Address, and NIC Selection.

Table 4-5. LAN Configuration Attributes

Attributes Description Values

iDRAC LAN

Enabling iDRAC LAN activates the remaining controls. Disabling iDRAC LAN deactivates the controls.

IPMI Over LAN

Enables or disables Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) commands on the iDRAC Local Area Network (LAN) channel.

MAC Address

View the Media Access Control (MAC) address that uniquely identifies each node in a network (read-only).

NIC Selection

NIC Mode

View or edit the NIC mode

The different types of NIC mode for enabling NIC are:

• Dedicated

• Shared with failover

• Shared with failover - LOM 2

• Shared with failover - All LOMS

LAN Configuration

Enable or Disable

USC and USC-LCE Operations 59

Dedicated

This option enables remote access to utilize the dedicated network interface available on the Dell Remote Access Controller (DRAC). The DRAC interface is not shared with the host operating system and routes management traffic to a separate physical network, thus separating it from the application traffic.

NOTE: This option is available only if an iDRAC6 Enterprise controller is present in

the system.

Shared with failover

This option enables remote access to share the network interface with the host operating system. The remote access device network interface is fully functional when the host operating system is configured for NIC teaming. The remote access device receives data through the LAN on motherboard LOM 1 and LOM 2, but it transmits data only through LOM 1. If LOM 1 fails, the remote access device fails over to LOM 2 for all data transmission. The remote access device continues to use LOM 2 for data transmission. If LOM 2 fails, the remote access device fails over all data transmission back to LOM 1.

Shared with failover - LOM 2

This option enables remote access to share the network interface with the host operating system. The remote access device network interface is fully functional when the host operating system is configured for NIC teaming. The remote access device receives data through the LAN on Motherboard LOM 1 and LOM 2, but transmits data only through LOM 2. If LOM 2 fails, the remote access device fails over to LOM 1 for all data transmission. The remote access device continues to use LOM 1 for data transmission. If LOM 1 fails, the remote access device fails over all data transmission back to LOM 2.

If one LOM fails but is later restored, you can manually revert back to the original LOM settings by editing the NIC selection through the iDRAC Hardware Configuration wizard.

60 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Shared with failover - All LOMS

This option enables remote access to share the network interface with the host operating system. The remote access device network interface is fully functional when the host operating system is configured for NIC teaming. The remote access device receives data through NIC 1, NIC 2, NIC 3, and NIC 4; but it transmits data only through NIC 1. If NIC 1 fails, the remote access device transmits data on NIC 2. If NIC 2 fails, the remote access device transmits data on NIC 3. If NIC 3 fails, the remote access device transmits data on NIC 4. If NIC 4 fails the remote access device fails over all data transmission back to NIC 1, but only if the original NIC 1 failure has been corrected.

NOTE: Shared with failover - All LOMS option may not be available on

Enterprise controller.

iDRAC6

Advanced LAN Configuration

To set advanced LAN configuration:

From

iDRAC Configuration

Set additional attributes for

Auto Negotiate, LAN speed

Click OK to save your settings and return to the

Table 4-6. Advanced LAN Configuration Attributes

, select

Advanced LAN Configuration.

VLAN, VLAN ID, VLAN priority

, and

LAN duplex

LAN Configuration

menu.

Attribute Description Values

VLAN The VLAN mode of operation and parameters. When

VLAN is enabled, only matched VLAN ID traffic is accepted. When disabled, VLAN ID and VLAN Priority are not available, and any values present for those parameters are ignored.

VLAN ID Sets the VLAN ID value. Legal values are defined by IEEE

801.11g specification.

VLAN Priority

Sets the VLAN ID priority value. Legal values are defined by IEEE 801.11g specification.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 61

Enable or Disable

1 to 4094

0 to 7

Table 4-6. Advanced LAN Configuration Attributes

Attribute Description Values

Auto Negotiate

LAN Speed Configures the network speed to match the user's network

LAN Duplex

When auto-negotiate is on, it determines whether iDRAC automatically sets the Duplex Mode and Network Speed values by communicating with the nearest router or hub. When auto-negotiate is off, you must set the Duplex Mode and Network Speed values manually.

environment. This option is not available if AutoNegotiate is set to On.

Configures the duplex mode to match the user's network environment. This option is not available if AutoNegotiate is set to On.

On or Off

10 MB or 100MB

Full or Half

Common IP Configuration

To set common IP configuration:

From

iDRAC Configuration

2 Register the iDRAC name.

3 Set the domain name from DHCP.

4 Specify the domain name.

5 Specify the host name string

Click OK to save your settings and return to the menu.

, select

IP Configuration

iDRAC Configuration

62 USC and USC-LCE Operations

The information set during the configuration is erased if iDRAC is reset to the original defaults or if the iDRAC firmware is updated.

Table 4-7. Common IP Configuration Attributes

Attribute Description Values

Regist er iDRAC Name

iDRAC Name View or edit the iDRAC name used for registering the

Domain Name from DHCP

Domain Name View or edit the iDRAC domain name used if it is not

Host Name String

DNS. The name string can contain up to 63 printable ASCII characters.

You can edit the name string when Register iDRAC Name is set to No.

iDRAC acquires the domain name from the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

If set to No, you must enter the domain name manually.

acquired from DHCP.

You can specify a domain name when Domain Name from DHCP is set to No.

Specify or edit the host name associated with iDRAC.

The Host Name string can contain up to 62 ASCII printable characters.

Yes or No

Enable or Disable

Yes or No

Enable or Disable

IPv4 Configuration

To set IPv4 configuration:

From

IP Configuration

2 Set the RMCP+ encyption key.

3 Specify the IP Address Source.

Specify user-configured settings for

Click

to proceed.

, select

IPV4

, and enable or disable the protocol.

Alternate IP Address

USC and USC-LCE Operations 63

Attribute Description Values

IPv4

iDRAC NIC IPv4 protocol support.

Disabling IPv4 deactivates the controls

RMCP+ Encryption Key

IP Address Source

RMCP+ encryption key configuring (no blanks allowed). The default setting is all zeros (0)

The ability of the iDRAC NIC to acquire an IPv4 address from the DHCP server.

Disabling IP Address Source deactivates the Ethernet IP Address, and other user-configured controls.

Enable or Disable

0 to 40 hexadecimal

Enable or Disable

To specify user-configured controls, click Ethernet IP Address settings, and enter appropriate values for the following:

•

Ethernet IP Address

•

Subnet Mask

•

Default Gateway

•Get

DNS Servers from DHCP

– If set to

from the DHCP server, and deactivates the

Server 2

Yes

controls.

— Maximum value of 255.255.255.255

— Yes/No

, the iDRAC NIC acquires the DNS server information

DNS Server 1

and

DNS

– If set to No, the iDRAC NIC does not acquire the DNS Server

information from the DHCP server, and you must manually define the

DNS Server 1

and

DNS Server 2

fields.

• DNS Server 1 (Primary DNS Server)— Maximum value of

255.255.255.255

• DNS Server 2 (Secondary DNS Server)— Maximum value of

255.255.255.255

64 USC and USC-LCE Operations

IPv6 Configuration

To set IPv6 configuration:

From

IP Configuration

2 Specify the IP Address Source.

Specify user-configured settings for alternate Ethernet IP Address.

Click

to save your settings and proceed.

Attribute Description Values

IPv6 iDRAC NIC IPv6 protocol support. Disabling IPv6

deactivates the remaining controls

IP Address Source

The ability of the iDRAC NIC to acquire an IPv6 address from the DHCP server.

Disabling IP Address Source deactivates the Ethernet IP Address, Prefix Length, and Default Gateway controls.

To specify user-configured controls, click Ethernet IP Address settings, and enter appropriate values for the following:

•

Ethernet IP Address

FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF.

–The multi-cast (ff00:/8) and loopback (::1/128) values are not valid

addresses for the Ethernet IP fields described in this section.

– IPv6 Address forms supported:

•

X:X:X:X:X:X:X:X

values of the eight 16-bit pieces of the address. You can omit leading zeros in individual fields, but you must include at least one numeral in every field.

, select

IPV6

, and enable or disable the protocol.

— Maximum value of

address and/or the other address related

— In this form, X represents the hexadecimal

Enable or Disable

USC and USC-LCE Operations 65

•:: (two colons) — Using this form, you can represent a string of contiguous zero fields in the preferred form. The appear once in the address. You can also use this form to represent unspecified addresses (0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0).

•

x:x:x:x:x:x:d.d.d.d

when dealing with a mixed environment of IPv4 and IPv6 nodes. In this form, order 16-bit pieces of the address, and values of the four low-order 8-bit pieces of the address (standard IPv4 representation).

•

Prefix Length

•

Default Gateway

FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF

•Get

• DNS Server 1 (Primary DNS Server)— Maximum value of

• DNS Server 2 (Secondary DNS Server)— Maximum value of

DNS Servers from DHCP

– If set to

from the DHCP server, and deactivates the

Server 2

– If set to No, the iDRAC NIC does not acquire the DNS Server

information from the DHCP server, and you must manually define the

DNS Server 1

FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF.

FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF:FFFF

— Maximum value of 128. T

— Maximum value of

Yes

, the iDRAC NIC acquires the DNS server information

controls.

and

— This form is sometimes more convenient

represents the hexadecimal values of the six high-

represents the decimal

— Yes/No

DNS Server 1

DNS Server 2

fields.

can only

and

DNS

66 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Virtual Media Configuration

The Virtual Media is available only if the system includes iDRAC6 Enterprise. Use the Virtual Media Configuration wizard to set control modes for the available Virtual Media devices. See the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 6 (iDRAC6) User’s Guide available at support.dell.com/manuals for more information on supported Virtual Media devices.

To se t the :

From

iDRAC Configuration

2 Select one of the control modes:

• Attached

•Detached

• Auto-Attached

Click

to proceed.

Virtual Media Connection Mode

The connection modes available for Virtual Media configuration:

Table 4-8. VM Connection Mode

Mode Description

Attached The Virtual Media devices are available for use in the current

operating environment. Virtual Media enables a floppy image, floppy drive, or CD/DVD drive from your system to be available on the managed system’s console, as if the floppy image or drive were present (attached or connected) on the local system.

Detached The Virtual Media devices are not accessible.

Auto-Attached The Virtual Media devices are automatically mapped to the server

every time the user physically connects a media.

, select

Virtual Media Configuration

LAN User Configuration

Use this to configure LAN user settings such as: account access, accountrelated attributes, and smart card authentication. To do this:

From

iDRAC Configuration

2 Set user settings.

Click

to proceed.

, select

LAN User Configuration

USC and USC-LCE Operations 67

Table 4-9. LAN User Configuration

Parameter Description Value

Auto-Discovery Auto discovers the provisioning server Enable or Disable

Provisioning Server Address Criteria

Account Access Disabling account access deactivates all other

Account Username

Password Enables an administrator to specify or edit

Confirm Password

Account Privilege

Smart Card Authentication

Enter provision server address IPV4 or IPV6 or

Host Name

Enable or Disable

fields on the LAN User Configuration

Enables the modification of an iDRAC username

the iDRAC user's password (Encrypted)

Re-enter the iDRAC user's password to confirm

Assigns the user's maximum privilege on the IPMI LAN channel to the user groups

Smart Card Authentication for iDRAC log in. If enabled, a Smart Card must be installed to access the iDRAC.

maximum of 16 printable ASCII characters

Maximum of 20 characters

Admin, Operator, User, or No Access

Enable, Disable or Enable with RACADM

Provisioning Server Address Criteria

• A list of IP addresses and/or hostnames and ports separated by comma.

• Hostname can be fully qualified.

• IPv4 address – starts with ‘(‘ and ends with ‘)’ when specified at the same time with a hostname.

• Each IP address or hostname can be optionally followed by a ‘:’ and a port number.

• Example of valid strings are - hostname, hostname.domain.com

68 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Account Privilege

Table 4-10. Account Privilege

Privileges Admin Operator User No Access

Configure iDRAC Yes Yes - -

Configure Users Yes Yes - -

Clear Logs Yes - - -

Execute Server Control Commands Yes Yes - -

Access Console Redirection Yes Yes - -

Access Virtual Media Yes Yes - -

Test Alerts Yes Yes - -

Execute Diagnostic Commands Yes Yes - -

Smart Card Authentication

•

Enabled

band interfaces including SSM, Telnet, Serial, remote

— Enabling Smart Card login disables all command-line out-of-

RACADM, and

IPMI over LAN.

•

Disabled

— On subsequent logins from the graphical user interface (GUI), the regular login page displays. All command-line out-of-band interfaces—including Secure Shell (SSH), Telnet, Serial, and RACADM—are set to their default states.

•

Enabled with RACADM

— Enabling smart card login with RACADM disables all command-line out-of-band interfaces—including SSM, Telnet, Serial, remote RACADM, and IPMI over LAN—while still allowing RACADM access.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 69

Summary and Confirmation

To view the summary of changes and apply them:

From

iDRAC Configuration

View the summary of the changes you have made.

2 Click Confirm to apply the changes, or click Cancel to cancel all

changes and exit the iDRAC Configuration.

If you apply the changes, a changes are saved. When the operation is complete, a final screen displays the changes that was applied successfully, left or failed.

Click

Finish

to save your settings and return to the main wizard.

, select

Summary

Please Wait

message appears while your

Confirmation

unchanged,

Configuring RAID using Hardware RAID

If your system has one or more supported PERC RAID controller(s) with PERC 6.1 firmware or greater, or SAS RAID controller(s), use the RAID Configuration wizard to configure a virtual disk as the boot device.

Important

• USC can display only three storage controllers for RAID configuration on the console.

• If there are any internal storage controller cards on the system, all other external cards cannot be configured. If there are no internal cards present, then external cards can be configured.

Workflow

To launch the RAID Configuration Wizard:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

Click

RAID Configuration

tasks:

Creating a Secure Virtual Disk on Series 7 Controller

Select RAID Controller

70 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Hardware Configuration

Configuration Wizards

to launch the wizard and do the following

Foreign Configuration Found

Express or Advanced Wizard

Select Basic Settings

Express Wizard Only - Assign a Hot Spare

Express Wizard Only - Review Summary

Advanced Wizard Only - Select Physical Disks

Advanced Wizard Only - Additional Settings

Advanced Wizard Only - Review Summary

View Current Configuration

The View Current Configuration page displays the attributes of any virtual disks already configured on the supported RAID controllers attached to the system. You have two options:

• Accept the existing virtual disks without making changes. To select this option, click existing virtual disk, ensure that the virtual disk size and RAID level are appropriate.

•Use the and create a single and new virtual disk to be used as the new boot device. To select this option, click

NOTE: RAID 0 does not provide data redundancy. Other RAID levels provide

data redundancy and may enable you to reconstruct data in the event of a disk failure.

NOTE: You can create only one virtual disk using USC or USC-LCE. To create

multiple virtual disks, use Option ROM. To access Option ROM, press CTRL+R.

Back

. If you intend to install the operating system on an

RAID configuration

wizard to delete all the existing virtual disks

Select RAID Controller

The Select RAID Controller screen displays all supported RAID controllers attached to the system. Select the RAID controller on which you want to create the virtual disk, and then click Next.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 71

Foreign Configuration Found

The Foreign Configuration Found screen displays only if a foreign configuration resides on the selected RAID controller.

NOTE: If you have selected an S100 and S300 RAID controller, the foreign disks are

displayed as Non-RAID disks in USC-LCE. You must initialize them to create a virtual disk.

A foreign configuration is a set of physical disks containing a RAID configuration that has been introduced to the system but is not yet managed by the RAID controller to which it is attached. You may have a foreign configuration if physical disks have been moved from a RAID controller on another system to a RAID controller on the current system.

You have two options: Ignore Foreign Configuration and Clear Foreign Configuration.

• If the foreign configuration contains data that you want to keep, select

Ignore Foreign Configuration

space containing the foreign configuration is not available for use in a new

virtual disk.

• To delete all data on the physical disks containing the foreign configuration, select

Clear Foreign Configuration

disk space containing the foreign configuration and makes it available for use in a new virtual disk.

Click Next after making your selection.

. If you select this option, the disk

. This option frees the

Express or Advanced Wizard

Create a virtual disk using either the Express Wizard or the Advanced Wizard.

72 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Select the Express Wizard

The Express Wizard enables you to select the RAID level only. The Express Wizard then selects a virtual disk configuration for the user which

implements the selected RAID level and optionally enables you to assign a hot spare. Select Express Wizard to quickly create a virtual disk using recommended settings. This wizard is not available on all controllers.

NOTE: If the available physical disks are using both Serial Attached

SCSI (SAS) and Serial ATA (SATA) protocols, it is recommended that you use the Advanced Wizard.

Select Advanced Wizard

The Advanced Wizard enables you to specify which protocol is used when creating the disk pool for the virtual disks. A disk pool is a logical grouping of disks attached to a RAID controller on which one or more virtual disks can be created. In addition to the RAID level, the Advanced Wizard allows more flexibility with physical disk selection, span configuration, cache policy, and other virtual disk attributes. Select Advanced Wizard to specify all virtual disk settings.

NOTE: It is recommended that you have a good knowledge of RAID and your

hardware configuration to use the Advanced Wizard.

Click Next after making the selection.

Select Basic Settings

Select the RAID type for the virtual disk from the RAID Level drop-down menu:

•

RAID 0

maintain redundant data. When a physical disk fails in a RAID 0 virtual disk, there is no method for rebuilding the data. RAID 0 offers good read and write performance with 0 data redundancy.

•

RAID 1

If side of the mirror. RAID 1 offers good read performance and average write performance with good data redundancy.

•

RAID 5

information to maintain redundant data. If a physical disk fails, the data can be rebuilt using the parity information. RAID 5 offers good read performance and slower write performance with good data redundancy.

— Stripes data across the physical disks. RAID 0 does not

— Mirrors or duplicates data from one physical disk to another.

a physical disk fails, data can be rebuilt using the data from the other

— Stripes data across the physical disks, and uses parity

USC and USC-LCE Operations 73

•

RAID 6

parity information for additional data redundancy. If one or two physical disks fail, the data can be rebuilt using the parity information. RAID 6 offers better data redundancy and read performance but slower write performance with very good data redundancy.

•

RAID 10

a offers good read and write performance with good data redundancy.

•

RAID 50 —

array. A single physical disk failure can occur in each of the RAID 5 without any loss of data on the entire array. Although the RAID 50 has increased write performance, when a physical disk fails and reconstruction takes place, performance decreases, data/program access is slower, and speeds on the array are affected.

•

RAID 60 —

distributed double parity of RAID 6. Your system must have at least eight physical disk to use RAID 60. Because RAID 60 is based on RAID 6, two of set because loss to occur.

•

Vol um e

redundancy.

If you are using the Express Wizard, proceed to

a Hot Spare

If you are using the Advanced Wizard, click Next and proceed to

Wizard Only - Select Physical Disks

— Stripes data across the physical disks, and uses two sets of

— Combines mirrored physical disks with data striping. If

physical disk fails, data can be rebuilt using the mirrored data. RAID 10

A dual-level array that uses multiple RAID 5 sets in a single

Combines the straight block level striping of RAID 0 with the

physical disk from each of the RAID 6 sets could fail without loss

data. Failures while a single physical disk is rebuilding in one RAID 6

do not lead to data loss. RAID 60 has improved fault tolerance

more than half the number of total physical disk must fail for data

— A single disk drive or segment without any RAID level or

Express Wizard Only - Assign

transfer

Advanced

74 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Minimum Disk Requirement for Different RAID Levels

Table 4-11. RAID Level and Number of Disks

RAID Level Minimum Number 

of Disks

10 4

50 6

60 8

Express Wizard Only - Assign a Hot Spare

A hot spare is an unused backup physical disk that can be used to rebuild data from a redundant virtual disk. A hot spare can be used only with a redundant RAID level. Hot spares also have requirements for physical disk size. The hot spare must be as big as or bigger than the smallest physical disk included in the virtual disk. If the RAID level and physical disk availability do not meet these requirements, a hot spare will not be assigned.

To assign a hot spare to the virtual disk:

Select the

Click

Assign a Hot Spare Disk

to continue with the following section.

check box or leave the check box clear.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 75

Express Wizard Only - Review Summary

Review the virtual disk attributes you selected before creating a virtual disk.

CAUTION: Clicking the Finish button deletes all existing virtual disks except for

any foreign configurations that you specified should be kept. All data residing on the deleted virtual disks will be lost.

Click Finish to create a virtual disk with the displayed attributes.

To return to a previous screen to review or change selections, click Back. To exit the Wizard without making changes, click Cancel. For more control over the virtual disk attributes, click Cancel and use the Advanced Wizard to create the virtual disk.c

Advanced Wizard Only - Select Physical Disks

Use the Select Physical Disks screen to select the physical disks to be used for the virtual disk. The number of physical disks required for the virtual disk varies depending on the RAID level. The minimum and maximum numbers of physical disks required for the RAID level are displayed on the screen.

• Select the protocol for the disk pool from the

Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)

Serial ATA (SATA)

for high performance, and SATA drives provide a more cost-effective solution. A disk pool is a logical grouping of physical disks on which one or more virtual disks can be created. The protocol is the type of technology used to implement RAID.

• Select the media type for the disk pool from the menu:

Hard Disk Drives (HDD)

Solid State Disks (SSD)

traditional rotational magnetic media for data storage, and SSDs implement flash memory for data storage.

Protocol

drop-down menu:

. SAS drives are used

Media Type

drop-down

. HDDs use

76 USC and USC-LCE Operations

• Select the span length from the The span length value refers to the number of physical disks included in each span. Span length applies only to RAID 10, RAID 50, and RAID 60. The

Select Span Length

selected RAID-10, RAID-50, or RAID 60.

• Select the physical disks using the check boxes at the bottom of the screen. Your physical disk selection must meet the requirements of the RAID level and span length. To select all of the physical disks, click

Click Next after making your selections.

Select Span Length

drop-down menu is active only if the user has

drop-down menu.

Select All

Advanced Wizard Only - Additional Settings

Use the Additional Settings screen to specify cache policies and stripe element size. You can also assign a hot spare to the virtual disk.

• Specify the size of the virtual disk in the

• Select the stripe element size from the menu. The stripe element size is the amount of disk space a stripe consumes on each physical disk in the stripe. The drop-down menu may contain more options than initially displayed on the screen. Use the up-arrow and down-arrow keys to display all options.

• Select the read policy from the

–

Read Ahead

disk when seeking data. The Read Ahead policy may improve system performance if the data is written to sequential sectors of the virtual disk.

–

No Read Ahead

The No Read Ahead policy may improve system performance if data is random and not written to sequential sectors.

–

Adaptive Read Ahead

policy only if the most recent read requests accessed sequential sectors of the disk. If the recent read requests accessed random sectors of the disk, then the controller uses the No Read Ahead policy.

• Select the write policy from the

— The controller reads sequential sectors of the virtual

— The controller does not use the Read Ahead policy.

Read Policy

— The controller initiates the Read Ahead

Write Policy

Size

box

Stripe Element Size

drop-down menu.

drop-down

the

USC and USC-LCE Operations 77

–

Wri te Thro ugh

— The controller sends a write-request completion signal only after the data is written to the disk. The Write Through policy provides better data security than the Write Back policy since the system assumes the data is available only after it has been written to the disk.

–

Wri te Back

— The controller sends a write-request completion signal as soon as the data is in the controller cache but has not yet been written to disk. The Write Back policy may provide faster write performance, but it also provides less data security since a system failure could prevent the data from being written to disk.

–

Force Write Back

— The write cache is enabled regardless of whether the controller has an operational battery. If the controller does not have an operational battery, data loss may occur in the event of a power failure.

• To assign a hot spare to the virtual disk, select the

Assign a Hot Spare Disk

check box. A hot spare is an unused backup physical disk that can be used to rebuild data from a redundant virtual disk.

• Select the physical disk to be used as the hot spare from the

Disk

drop-down menu.A hot spare can be used only with a redundant

Hot Spare

RAID level. Hot spares also have requirements for physical disk size. The hot spare cannot be smaller than the smallest physical disk included in the virtual disk. If the RAID level and physical disk availability do not meet these requirements, the

Assign a Hot Spare Disk

check box is disabled.

Click Next after making your selection.

Advanced Wizard Only - Review Summary

The Summary screen displays the virtual disk attributes based on your selections.

CAUTION: Clicking the Finish button deletes all existing virtual disks except for

any foreign configurations that you specified should be kept. All data residing on the deleted virtual disks will be lost.

Click Finish to create a virtual disk with the displayed attributes.

To return to a previous screen to review or change selections, click Back. To exit the Wizard without making changes, click Cancel.

78 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Configuring RAID using Software RAID

Use this feature to configure RAID if a PERC S100 controller on the motherboard or a PERC S300 RAID controller card is present in the system. If the software RAID option is selected, USC-LCE displays the physical disks as Non-RAID disks or RAID-ready disks.

• Non-RAID disk — A single disk without any RAID properties. Needs initialization to apply RAID levels.

• RAID-ready disk — The disk is initialized and a RAID level can be applied.

NOTE: Linux and VMware operating systems cannot be installed using Software

RAID controllers (S100 and S300).

Prerequisites

• S100 controller

– In Option ROM, change the SATA Controller option to RAID Mode.

– Latest BIOS version must be installed. For more information on the

BIOS versions for different systems, see

NOTE: If you have an older BIOS, you can configure RAID only through Option

ROM.

• S300 — Latest firmware version for S300 controller must be installed.

Workflow

To set up software RAID, do the following tasks:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

Hardware Configuration

Configuration Wizards

USC-LCE Readme

USC and USC-LCE Operations 79

Click

RAID Configuration

tasks:

Select RAID Controller.

Select the non-RAID physical disks attached to the controller and click

to initialize them.

NOTE: This step is not available if the controller has no non-RAID disks

attached to it.

CAUTION: During initialization, all the data on the non-RAID disks are

deleted.

Select Advanced Wizard

Select Basic Settings

Advanced Wizard Only - Select Physical Disks

Advanced Wizard Only - Additional Settings

Advanced Wizard Only - Review Summary

to launch the wizard and do the following

Creating a Secure Virtual Disk on Series 7 Controller

NOTE: The controller must be encrypted with a Local Key.

To create a secure virtual disk on series 7 controller, follow these steps:

In the left pane, click

Select

RAID Configuration

The number of virtual disks present on every controller is displayed, along with information on whether the virtual disk is secure.

Hardware Configuration

and click

Select the controller and click

Select

Advanced Wizard

Select the required RAID level and click

Select

Self-encryption

self-encryption disks (SEDs) are displayed.

Select the required physical disks and click

80 USC and USC-LCE Operations

and click

from the Encryption Capability drop-down. The

In the

Additional Settings

click

Next.

The

Summary

Click

Finish

To verify the virtual disk creation, repeat the first two steps.

Page is displayed with details of the virtual disk attributes.

page, select the

Secure Virtual Disk

box and

Configuring vFlash SD Card

Use this feature to enable or disable the vFlash SD card, check the health and properties, and initialize the vFlash SD card. The Dell vFlash SD card enables the part replacement feature. USC-LCE support vFlash SD cards of sizes 1 GB, 2 GB, or 8 GB.

NOTE: The options under vFlash SD card are grayed-out if there is no SD card

inserted in the slot.

See the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 6 (iDRAC6) User’s Guide available at support.dell.com/manuals for more information on vFlash SD card and the installation procedure.

Use the vFlash SD Card Configuration to:

• Enable/disable vFlash SD card.

• Determine the vFlash SD card properties:

–Name

–Health

Table 4-12. Health Status and Response Action

Health State Response Action

OK None

Wa r ni n g Initialize and try again

Critical Remove, reset, and try again

Initialize and try again

– Size - Indicates the total size of the vFlash SD card.

– Available Space - Indicates the available size on the vFlash SD card to

create a new partition.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 81

– Type - Indicates the type of card, SD (Secure Digital) or MMC

(MultiMediaCard).

– Write Protected - Indicates if the write-protect latch on the vFlash SD

card is set to on or off position.

• Initialize vFlash - This deletes all the existing partitions on vFlash SD card.

NOTE: You can only use 256 MB of memory space in non-Dell SD cards.

Enable or Disable vFlash

If set to Enabled, the vFlash SD card is configured as a virtual drive; it appears in the BIOS boot order, allowing you to boot from the vFlash SD card. If set to Disabled, virtual flash is not accessible.

To enable or disable vFlash SD card:

NOTE: Ensure to set the write-protect latch on the vFlash SD card to Off position.

From the

Click

Initialize vFlash

The Initialize vFlash option is not available after you disable the vFlash SD card.

Click Initialize vFlash to erase all the data present on the vFlash SD card.

vFlash Media

Finish

to apply the changes.

drop-down menu, select

Enable

Disable

HII Advanced Configuration

To modify advanced settings using the HII Advanced Configuration:

In the left pane, select

In the right pane, click

Select the device you want to configure.

Depending on the configuration setting changes, the following message may be displayed: One or more of the settings requires a

reboot to be saved and activated. Do you want to reboot now?. You can select No and continue making additional

configuration changes or perform other tasks such as operating system deployment. All changes are applied during the next system boot.

82 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Hardware Configuration

HII Advanced Configuration

USC-LCE Hardware Configuration allows you to configure other devices through Human Interface Infrastructure (HII). HII is a UEFI-standard method for viewing and setting a device's configuration. You can utilize a single utility to configure multiple devices that had different pre-boot configuration utilities in the past. HII also provides localization, meaning that utilities that were previously English-only, such as the BIOS <F2> setup, may now have a localized HII equivalent.

The HII Advanced Configurationwizard has setups for these device types that are supported in : BIOS, NIC, and CNA.

•The

BIOS

setup is very similar to the current setup utility (press the

<F2>

key during system startup); however, HII can access only a subset of the utilities available in system startup.

•The

NIC

setup reflects various NIC attributes, some of which were visible in the controller option read-only memory (ROM). However, many of these attributes were previously only modifiable in Operating System utilities.

Depending on your system configuration, other device types may also appear in Advanced Configuration, if they support the HII configuration standard. HII Advanced Configuration wizard allows you to configure the following:

• System BIOS Settings

• Intel Pro/1000 PT Server Adapter

• Intel Pro/1000 PT Dual Port Server Adapter

• Intel Gigabit VT Quad Port Server Adapter

• Intel 10 Gigabit AF DA Dual Port Server Adapter

• Intel 10 Gigabit AT Port Server Adapter

• Intel 10 Gigabit XF SR Port Server Adapter

• Broadcom (Dual Port) 10G KX4

• Broadcom (Quad Port) GBE

• Intel (Quad Port) GBE

• Intel (Dual Port) 10G KX4

• Broadcom (Dual Port) 10G SFP+

• Broadcom (Quad Port) 10/100/1000 BASET

• Intel (Quad Port) 10/100/1000 BASET

• Intel (Dual Port) 10/100/1000 BASET

USC and USC-LCE Operations 83

• Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet

• Broadcom 5709C NetXtreme II GigE

• Broadcom 57710 NetXtreme II 10GigE

• Intel Ethernet X520 10 GBE Dual Port KX4-KR Mezz

• Broadcom 57712 (Dual Port) 10GigE

Important

• You can configure only one NIC at a time.

• Integrated Broadcom NICs are controlled both by the BIOS and by settings stored on the device itself. As a result, the the HII of integrated NICs has no effect; this setting is instead controlled by the BIOS on the an iSCSI or PXE boot mode, select

Integrated Devices

NIC—select the appropriate value:

Enabled with PXE

to use the NIC to boot from an iSCSI target.

Integrated Devices

. On this screen, you will see a list of each embedded

to use the NIC for PXE boot, or

screen. To set integrated NICs to

System BIOS Settings

Enabled

Boot Protocol

, then select

for no boot capability,

Enabled with iSCSI

Encrypting Unsecure Virtual Disks

Prerequisites

• Selected controller is security-capable

• Security capable virtual disks must be attached to the controller.

• Controller must be in Local Key encryption mode.

field in

84 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Workflow

NOTE: All virtual disks created under the same physical disk are automatically

encrypted.

To encrypt the unsecure virtual disks:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

Select the controller that is encrypted and click

NOTE: The encryption mode (Local Key Encryption) applied to the selected

controller does not change.

Select

Encrypt unsecure virtual disks

To enable encryption, select the unsecure virtual disks and click

Hardware Configuration

Configuration Wizards

and click

Key Encryption

Finish

Applying the Local Key on the RAID Controller

Prerequisites

• The controller must be security capable.

Workflow

To apply the local key on the RAID controller:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

Select the controller to apply a local key and click

Click

Set up local key encryption

Hardware Configuration

Configuration Wizards

and click

Key Encryption

NOTE: Some controller options are disabled if they do not support encryption.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 85

Enter the entered passphrase. The Encryption Key Identifier is a passphrase hint; you must enter the passphrase when USC-LCE prompts with this hint.

In the New Passphrase text box, enter a passphrase.

In the

Finish

Encryption Key Identifier

NOTE: The controller uses the passphrase to encrypt the disk data. A valid

passphrase contains 8 to 32 characters. It must include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, symbols, and without spaces.

Confirm Passphrase

text box, re-enter the passphrase, and click

that will be associated with the

Rekey Controller with a New Local Key

To rekey the controller with a new local key:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

Select the controller to which the local key is applied and click

In the

Existing Passphrase

associated with the displayed Encryption Key Identifier.

In the

New Encryption Key Identifier

The Encryption Key Identifier is a passphrase hint; you must enter the passphrase when USC-LCE prompts with this hint.

In the

New Passphrase

associated with the new encryption key identifier

Hardware Configuration

Configuration Wizards

text box, enter the existing passphrase

text box, enter the new identifier.

text box, enter the passphrase that will be

and click

Key Encryption

Remove Encryption and Delete Data

To remove the encryption and delete the data on the virtual disks:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

Select the controller on which you must remove the key that was applied and click

86 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Hardware Configuration

Configuration Wizards

and click

Key Encryption

In the right pane, select

Select

Delete encryption key and all secure virtual disks

CAUTION: The existing encryption, virtual disks, and all the data are permanently

deleted.

Remove encryption and delete data

and click

Finish

Upgrading to an iDRAC6 Express Card

This section provides information about installing an iDRAC6 Express card, transferring the iDRAC6 Express card from one system to another system, and Uninstalling iDRAC6 Express card. This hardware upgrade also upgrades USC to USC-LCE.

NOTE: This is applicable only to Dell System Series y21x-y51x.

NOTE: Some links and features are not accessible if an older version of iDRAC

firmware is used. Ensure that the latest iDRAC firmware is installed.

Installing iDRAC6 Express Card

To install the iDRAC6 express card:

Power off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect the system from the electrical outlet.

NOTE: To discharge the residual power in the system, press the

power button once.

Insert the iDRAC6 Express card into the iDRAC6 Express slot. See

the

Hardware Owner’s Manual

on installing iDRAC6 Express Card.

Reconnect the system and peripherals to their power sources.

iDRAC automatically starts. Wait one minute, before switching on the system, to allow the iDRAC to fully start.

for your system for more information

Turn on the system, and then press

<F10>

to enter USC.

USC automatically detects the iDRAC6 Express card installed on the system and completes the upgrade process.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 87

If the installation is successful, you are able to boot to Unified Server Configurator — Lifecycle Controller Enabled.

If the installation fails, you must upgrade iDRAC. See the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller User Guide for more information. After you upgrade the iDRAC, repeat the above instructions.

Transferring an iDRAC6 Express Card

If the iDRAC6 Express card is transferred from one system to another:

• The rollback feature is unavailable on the new system. See Rolling Back to

Previous BIOS and Firmware Versions for more information.

• All pending USC-LCE tasks that are in the process of execution are deleted on the new system.

• Run

• The driver packs, lifecycle log, and the rollback related files are deleted if

Platform Update

the new system.

the iDRAC6 Express card is transferred to a different Dell system. For example, if moving the iDRAC6 Express card from Dell PowerEdge R410 system to Dell PowerEdge T410 system.

NOTE: Ensure that you export the lifecycle log to a different location before

you transfer the iDRAC6 Express card.

wizard to download the appropriate driver pack for

Removing iDRAC6 Express Card

To remove the iDRAC6 express card:

Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect the system from the electrical outlet. To discharge the residual power in the system, press the power

Remove the iDRAC6 Express card from the iDRAC6 Express slot. See the

Hardware Owner’s Manual

Installing iDRAC6 Express Card.

Reconnect the system and peripherals to their power sources.

Turn on the system, and then press

button once.

for your system for more information on

<F10>

to enter USC.

88 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Configuring a Local FTP Server

If your organization’s users are on a private network that does not have access to external sites, specifically ftp.dell.com, you can provide platform updates from a locally-configured FTP server. The users in your organization can access updates or drivers for their Dell server from the local FTP server instead of ftp.dell.com. A local FTP server is not required for users who have access to ftp.dell.com through a proxy server. Check ftp.dell.com frequently to ensure your local FTP server has the most recent updates.

Requirements for a Local FTP Server

The following requirements apply when configuring a local FTP server.

• The local FTP server must use the default port (21).

•You must use system before accessing updates from the local FTP server.

Copying Repository to a Local FTP Server from the Dell Server Updates DVD

To copy the repository:

Download the

support.dell.com

NOTE: For updating the OS driver packs, use the Dell Lifecycle Controller

OS Driver Packs

Copy the repository folder of the DVD to the root directory of the local FTP server.

Use this local FTP server for Platform Update

USC Settings

Dell Server Updates

, and burn it to a DVD.

wizard to configure the network card on your

DVD

ISO to your system from

USC and USC-LCE Operations 89

Using Dell Repository Manager to Create the Repository and Copy it to a Local FTP Server

To create and copy the repository:

Copy the repository created using the Dell Repository Manager to the root directory of the local FTP server.

NOTE: See the Dell Repository Manager User Guide at

support.dell.com/manuals for information on creating a repository for your system.

Use this local FTP server for Platform Update.

Accessing Updates on a Local FTP Server

The users in your organization need to know the IP address of the local FTP server in order to specify the online repository when using the OS Deployment wizard through USC and Platform Update through USC- LCE.

If your users are accessing the local FTP server through a proxy server, then they need to know the following information for the proxy server:

• The proxy server host name or IP address

• The port number of the proxy server

• The user name required for authentication on the proxy server

• The password required for authentication on the proxy server

• The type of proxy server

• To download drivers by using a proxy server to access an FTP server, you must specify:

–

Address

–

User Name

–

Passwo rd

–

Proxy Server

server.

–

Proxy Port

–

Proxy Type

types are supported by USC.

— The IP address of the local FTP server or

— The user name to access the FTP location.

— The password to access this FTP location.

— The server host name or the IP address of the proxy

— The port number of the proxy server.

— The type of proxy server. HTTP and SOCKS 4 proxy

ftp.dell.com

90 USC and USC-LCE Operations

–

Proxy User Name

the proxy server.

–

Proxy Password

proxy server.

— The user name required for authentication on

— The password required for authentication on the

Configuring a Local USB Device

If your organization’s users are on a private network that does not have access to external sites like ftp.dell.com, you can provide updates from a locally-configured USB device.

The USB device used as a repository must hold at least 8 GB of content. A USB device is not required for users who have access to ftp.dell.com

through a proxy server.

For the latest updates, download the most recent Dell Server Updates ISO for your system from support.dell.com.

NOTE: USC supports internal SATA optical drives and USB optical drives and USC-

LCE supports internal SATA optical drives, USB optical drives, and Virtual Media devices. If the installation media is corrupt or not readable, then USC and USC-LCE may be unable to detect the presence of a media. In this case, an error message is displayed stating that no media is available.

Copying Repository to a Local USB Device from the Dell Server Updates DVD

To copy the repository:

Download the

support.dell.com

Copy the repository folder of the DVD to the root directory of the USB device.

Use this USB device for Platform Update.

Dell Server Updates

, and burn it to a DVD.

ISO to your system from

USC and USC-LCE Operations 91

Using the Dell Repository Manager to Create the Repository and Copy it to a USB Device

To create and copy the repository:

Copy the repository created using the Dell Repository Manager to the root directory of the

Use this

NOTE: See the Dell Repository Manager User Guide at

support.dell.com/manuals for information on creating a repository for your system.

USB device

for Platform Update.

Part Replacement Configuration

Part replacement configuration is an automatic update of the firmware, or configuration, or both for a new part to the level of the previous part if enabled; the update occurs automatically when you reboot your system after replacing the part. It is activated by a license, and can be disabled remotely, as well as through the USC interface.

Prerequisites

• The part replacement configuration functionality is available only if the system has a Dell vFlash SD card.

• Enable the invokes automatically on system startup.

Collect System Inventory On Restart

Part Firmware Update

and

Part Configuration Update

so that USC-LCE

NOTE: Ensure that Part Firmware Update and Part Configuration Update are

not disabled.

•When

• The replaced card/part should belong to the same family as the previous

92 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Collect System Inventory On Restart

system inventory information may become stale if new components are added without manually entering USC after turning the system on. In the manual mode, you must press <F10> after part replacement during reboot.

component.

is disabled, the cache of

Supported Devices

You can update the part firmware and configuration for the following devices:

NOTE: Only part firmware updates are supported on SAS cards and power supply

units.

•NICs (Broadcom)

• PERC, SAS, and CERC series 6 and 7

•Power Supply Units

Collect System Inventory on Restart

When you enable the Collect System Inventory On Restart property, hardware inventory and part configuration information is discovered and compared with previous system inventory information on every system restart. To do this:

In the left pane, click

Click

Part Replacement Configuration

Click either

Restart

Enabled

drop-down.

Platform Restore

Disabled

from the

Collect System Inventory on

Part Firmware Update

From the part firmware update drop-down, select one of the following:

•

Disabled

•

Allow version upgrade only

performed if the firmware version of the new part is lower than the existing part.

•

Match firmware of replaced part

to the version of the original part.

— Firmware update on replaced parts is not performed.

— Firmware update on replaced parts is only

— Firmware on the new part is updated

USC and USC-LCE Operations 93

Part Configuration Update

From the part configuration update drop-down, select one of the following:

•

Disabled

applied if a part is replaced.

•

Apply always

applied if a part is replaced.

•

Apply only if firmware match

configuration is applied only if the current firmware matches with the firmware of a replaced part.

— The feature is disabled and the current configuration is not

— The feature is enabled and the current configuration is

— The feature is enabled and the current

Back Up Server Profile

Prerequisites

• The server must have a valid service tag (7 characters).

• vFlash SD card must be installed, initialized, and enabled.

• vFlash SD card must have a minimum free space of 384 MB.

• Use only one iDRAC virtual console during backup operation.

Workflow

To back up the server profile:

In the left pane, select

In the right pane, select

To generate the backup file without entering the passphrase, click

Alternatively, to generate the encrypted backup file using a passphrase, enter the following details and click Finish.

Platform Restore

Backup Server Profile

Finish

In the

Backup File Passphrase

Rt@#12tv.

NOTE: A valid passphrase contains 8 to 32 characters. It must include a

combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, symbols, and without spaces. The passphrase is optional and if used for backup, it must be used during restore.

94 USC and USC-LCE Operations

field, enter a passphrase. For example,

In the

Confirm Passphrase

NOTE: You can check the iDRAC RAC logs for backup server profile status.

After the backup profile is completed, check the Lifecycle Logs for all Export entries. To view the log, see

See Also

Backup Server Profile

field, re-enter the passphrase and click

Viewing Lifecycle Log History

Finish

Exporting Server Profile to a USB Device or Network Share

Prerequisites

• vFlash SD card must have the latest backup image file.

• USB device must have a minimum free space of 384 MB.

• Network share must b e accessible and must have a minimum free space of 384 MB.

• Use the same vFlash SD card used during backup.

Workflow

To export the server profile to a USB device or a Network Share:

In the left pane, select

In the right pane, select

Select either USB Device or Network Share, enter the details and click

Finish

Platform Restore

Export Server Profile

USB Device

• From the device.

•In the where the backup image file must be stored on the selected device. By default, the file is stored in the root location of the device if the directory or sub-directory is not provided.

Choose Device

File Location

drop-down menu, select the attached USB

text box, enter the directory or sub-directory path,

USC and USC-LCE Operations 95

Network Share

CIFS

• Share Name — Network share name. For example, \\xxx. xxx. xxx. xxx or \\DataServer\ServerBkp.

• Domain and User Name — Network share domain and user name. For example, user name.

• Password — Network share login password.

• File Location — Sub-directory path. For example, 2010\Aug. By default, the file is stored in the root directory.

NFS

• Share Name — Network share name. For example, \\xxx. xxx. xxx. xxx or \\DataServer\ServerBkp.

• File Location — Sub-directory path. For example, 2010\Aug. By default, the file is stored in the root directory.

See Also

Export Server Profile

. If there is no domain, enter only the

Importing Server Profile from a vFlash SD Card, Network Share, or USB Device

Prerequisites

• The service tag of the server must be same as when the backup was taken.

• If you are restoring from a the Dell vFlash SD card, it must be installed and must contain the backup image in a folder labeled SRVCNF. This image must be from the same platform that you are trying to restore.

• If you are restoring from a network share, make sure that the network share where the backup image file is stored is still accessible.

• Use only one iDRAC virtual console during restore operation.

• A licensed Dell vflash SD card must be installed.

96 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Workflow

To import the server profile from a vFlash SD card, Network Share, or a USB device:

vFlash SD Card

In the left pane, select

In the right pane, select

Select vFlash Secure Digital (SD) Card and click

Select either

Preserve configuration

• Preserve configuration — Preserves the RAID level, virtual disk and controller attributes.

• Delete configuration — Deletes the RAID level, virtual disk and controller attributes.

If you have secured the backup image file with a passphrase, in the

File Passphrase

click

Finish

Network Share

In the left pane, select

In the right pane, select

Select Network Share and click

Select CIFS or NFS, enter the details and click

Select either

Preserve configuration

• Preserve configuration — Preserves the RAID level, virtual disk and controller attributes.

• Delete configuration — Deletes the RAID level, virtual disk and controller attributes.

If you have secured the backup image file with a passphrase, in the

File Passphrase

click

Finish

Platform Restore

Import Server Profile

Delete Configuration

Backup

text box, enter the passphrase entered during backup and

Platform Restore

Import Server Profile

Delete Configuration

Backup

text box, enter the passphrase entered during backup and

USC and USC-LCE Operations 97

USB Device

From the left pane, select

From the right pane, select

Select

USB Device

From the device.

In the where the backup image file must be stored on the selected device. By default, the file is stored in the root location of the device.

Select either

• Preserve configuration — Preserves the RAID level, virtual disk and

• Delete configuration — Deletes the RAID level, virtual disk and

If you have secured the backup image file with a passphrase, in the

File Passphrase

click

Choose Device

File Location

Preserve configuration

controller attributes.

text box, enter the passphrase entered during backup and

Finish

Platform Restore

Import Server Profile

and click

text box, enter the directory or sub-directory path,

drop-down menu, select the attached USB

Delete Configuration

Post-import Scenario

System powers off if turned on. If the system boots into an operating system, it attempts to perform a graceful shutdown. If unable to, it will perform a forced shutdown after 15 minutes.

System powers on and boot into System Services to execute tasks to perform firmware restore for supported devices (BIOS, Storage Controllers and Add-in NIC cards).

System reboots and goes into System Services to execute tasks for firmware validation, configuration restore for supported devices (BIOS, Storage Controllers and Add-in NIC cards) and the final verification of all tasks executed.

Backup

98 USC and USC-LCE Operations

System powers off and perform iDRAC configuration and firmware restore. After completion, iDRAC resets and takes up to 10 minutes before the system powers on.

System powers on and restore process is complete. Check the Lifecycle logs for the restore process entries.

See Also

Import Server Profile

Importing Server Profile after Motherboard Replacement

Prerequisites

• A backup of the server with the old motherboard.

• If you are restoring from a network share, make sure that the network share where the backup image file is stored is still accessible.

Workflow

After replacing the motherboard, follow the steps under

Network Share

, or

USB Device

to restore the system information.

vFlash SD Card

Post-requisites

• See Post-import Scenario

• The Service tag is restored from the backup file on the new motherboard.

USC and USC-LCE Operations 99

Viewing Lifecycle Log History

Use this feature to view:

• Firmware inventory

• History of firmware updates

• Update and configuration events only

NOTE: The details of the configuration changes are not shown.

• User comments

While viewing the lifecycle log, use different filtering and sorting options.

To view the Lifecycle Log History and to use the filtering options:

In the left pane, click

In the right pane, click

The page displays a table with the following event information:

• No — The serial number of the event.

• Category — The category under which the events belong.

• Description — A brief description of the event. For example, Dell OS Drivers Pack, v.6.4.0.14, X14 was detected.

• TimeStamp — When the event occurred.

Use the following options in information:

•

All

— Displays all the data in the Lifecycle Log

•

Any Other Event

For example, iDRAC, Inventory, Configuration Service, Job Control, Remote Update, OS Deployment, USC, and Others.

Use up/down arrows in the table to sort the data.

Lifecycle Log

View Lifecycle Log History.

— Displays the data based on the event selected.

Filter by Category

to see the required

100 USC and USC-LCE Operations

Dell Lifecycle Controller 1.6.5 Owner's Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

User’s Guide

Contents

Introduction

Why Use USC/USC-LCE?

USC and USC-LCE Features and Product Classification

What’s new in USC/USC-LCE 1.5

Upgrading to USC or USC-LCE

Other Documents You May Need

Using USC or USC-LCE

Launching USC or USC-LCE

Enabling USC or USC-LCE

Disabling USC or USC-LCE

Canceling Request to Enter System Services

Using USC for the First Time

Using USC-LCE for the First Time

Using USC Settings Wizard

USC and USC-LCE Features

Lifecycle Log

USC-LCE Platform Update

FTP Authentication

Platform Rollback

Hardware Configuration

Configuration Wizards

HII Advanced Configuration

Delete Configuration and Reset Defaults

Operating System Deployment

Driver Access

Driver Extraction

Driver Installation Methods

RAID Configuration

Platform Restore

Part Replacement Configuration

Backup Server Profile

Export Server Profile

Import Server Profile

Hardware Diagnostics

USC or USC-LCE Repair

RAID Configuration

Key Encryption

Local Key Encryption Mode

USC and USC-LCE Operations

Prerequisites

Workflow

Viewing and Exporting Hardware Inventory after Resetting Lifecycle Controller

Updating Platform

Version Compatibility

Viewing Current Version Information

Launching Platform Update Wizard

Selecting Download Method

Selecting and Applying Updates

Rolling Back to Previous BIOS and Firmware Versions

Updating Hardware Diagnostics Utility

Performing Hardware Diagnostics

Installing Operating System

Prerequisites

Workflow

Selecting Operating System Driver Source Location (for USC only)

Online Repository

Local Drive

Using Optional RAID Configuration

Configuring RAID Using Operating System Deployment Wizard

Bypass RAID configuration:

Selecting Operating System

Selecting an Operating System Available in the List

Selecting Custom Operating System

Selecting an Operating System Not Available in the List

Driver Extraction and Installation

Installing Drivers for RHEL 4.8 Operating System

Rebooting System

Post Reboot Scenarios

Assigning a Windows-Bootable System Partition to Drive C

Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 on a System with SAS7 (H200) Controller

Controlling Access to the System Control Panel

System Control Panel Access Options

Configuring System Date/Time

Configuring iDRAC