Dell OpenManage Essentials Owner's Manual
Dell OpenManage Essentials
Version 2.0
Release Notes
Release Notes
OpenManage Essentials
Dell OpenManage Essentials provides a central point of access to monitor and manage systems on a
local area network (LAN). By allowing an administrator a comprehensive view across the enterprise,
OpenManage Essentials can increase system uptime, reduce repetitive tasks, and prevent interruption in
critical business operations.
Version 2.0
Release Date: September 2014
Previous Version 1.3
Importance
OPTIONAL: Dell recommends the customer review specifics about the update to determine if it applies
to your system. The update contains changes that impact only certain configurations, or provides new
features that may/may not apply to your environment.
Platform(s) Affected
For a complete list of affected Dell systems and supported operating systems, see the
Essentials version 2.0 Support Matrix
at delltechcenter.com/ome or dell.com/OpenManageManuals.
Dell OpenManage
What is Supported
For a complete list of supported devices, operating systems, and web browsers, see the
OpenManage Essentials version 2.0 Support Matrix
dell.com/OpenManageManuals.
at delltechcenter.com/ome or
Dell
What’s New
Enhanced scalability to support 4000 devices and 40,000 alerts.
Support for the following features:
– Import a configuration template from a reference server or chassis, edit the template, and deploy
the template on another server or chassis.
– View the status of server or chassis compliance to an associated configuration template.
– OpenManage Essentials – Server Configuration Management license.
NOTE: Installing and using OpenManage Essentials does not require the OpenManage Essentials
— Server Configuration Management license. Only the server configuration management
feature requires that the OpenManage Essentials — Server Configuration Management license is
installed on target servers. For more information, see the “OpenManage Essentials — Server
Configuration Management License” section in the
s Guide
– Perform guided device discovery by selecting device types and providing the required protocol
configuration details.
– Update the firmware, BIOS, or drivers on managed nodes through the operating system without
Dell OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA).
– Deploy or update iDRAC Service Module (iSM).
– Launch the virtual console of an iDRAC configured for Single Sign-On (SSO).
at dell.com/openmanagemanuals.
Dell OpenManage Essentials Version 2.0 User’
– Deploy 64-bit Dell Update Packages (DUPs).
– Boot a system from a network-mounted ISO using iDRAC.
– Availability of new and additional reports.
– Availability of additional inventory information.
– Display of warranty pop-up notification for devices.
Support for the following devices:
– Dell PowerEdge 13th Generation servers.
– Dell Networking, Dell Compellent, Dell PowerVault, and Dell EqualLogic devices — support for
additional models.
NOTE: For a complete list of supported device models, see the
Version 2.0 Support Matrix
at dell.com/openmanagemanuals.
Dell OpenManage Essentials
Known Issues
System Updates
NOTE: OpenManage Essentials does not support the software update task on the management station.
This is because the software update task is interrupted and the final results of the update are not known.
You can perform software updates using the other Dell Tools.
Before creating an update task for non-compliant systems, it is recommended that you update to the
latest catalog from ftp.dell.com by clicking the “Get the latest” button under the System Update tab. Make
sure that you have Internet connectivity to download the latest catalog.
Issue 1:
Description
When performing the system update task as a sudo user on a target that does not have OMSA installed,
the Scheduled F/W & Driver Inventory task fails with the "sudo requires password" error. [48587]
Resolution
Edit the sudoers file using the visudo command, and add the following:
For target systems running a 32-bit operating system:
Cmnd_Alias OMEUPDATE = /bin/tar,/opt/dell/srvadmin/bin/omexec
,/tmp/LinuxPreInstallPackage/runbada,/tmp/LinuxPreInstallPackage/omexec, /tmp/invcol.bin
<sudo_username> ALL=OMEUPDATE,NOPASSWD:OMEUPDATE
For target systems running a 64-bit operating system:
Cmnd_Alias OMEUPDATE = /bin/tar,/opt/dell/srvadmin/bin/omexec,
/tmp/LinuxPreInstallPackage64/runbada, /tmp/LinuxPreInstallPackage64/omexec,/tmp/invcol64.bin
<sudo_username> ALL=OMEUPDATE,NOPASSWD:OMEUPDATE
Issue 2:
Description
Simultaneously running the OMSA deployment task and in-band system update task on the same server
is not supported. [44598]
Issue 3:
Description
Dell Update Packages (DUPs) for supporting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 updates are not yet available in
the update catalog, and those system will appear as compliant in OpenManage Essentials. After the
packages are available OpenManage Essentials will be able to calculate compliance and update the
target systems.
Issue 4:
Description
In rare cases, inapplicable package may be listed in the compliance report, but the updates are not
applied to the target node if the package is not applicable.
Issue 5:
Description
Intel PCI-E driver package information for a server displayed in OpenManage Essentials might be
different than the driver package information displayed in SUU. Package name, Component name,
Current Version, and Repository Version might be different. [473495]
Issue 6:
Description
Broadcom NetXtreme driver package information for a server displayed in OpenManage Essentials might
be different than the driver package information displayed in SUU. Package name, Component name,
Current Version, and Repository Version might be different. [473493]
Issue 7:
Description
For systems with a Trusted Computing Group (TCG) 1.2-compliant Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip,
software updates for the BIOS fail if the following are true:
The Microsoft Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption feature is enabled.
The TPM feature is set (using BIOS) to ON with Preboot Measurement.
For information about TPM security settings, see the "Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Online
Help" or the "Dell OpenManage Server Administrator User's Guide" available at
dell.com/OpenManageManuals and on the appropriate media supplied by Dell.
For software updates for BIOS to function, perform the following steps:
1. Disable the Microsoft Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption feature. For information on disabling this
feature, see the Microsoft documentation at microsoft.com.
2. Update the BIOS.
3. Re-start the system.
4. Re-enable the Microsoft Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption feature.
You can use OpenManage Essentials to view the TPM information in the device Details page.
Issue 8:
Description
If after successfully running the software update task on Windows HyperV server, the server is still
displayed under "Non-Compliant" tab, wait for 30-45 minutes. The server is displayed under the
"Compliant" Tab.
Issue 9:
Description
While updating PERC using OpenManage Essentials, two firmware packages may be displayed for PERC
4e/Di RAID Controller, if you use the 6.5 SUU DVD. You can use any of the packages to update your PERC.
Issue 10:
Description
After creating a system update task to run immediately, it may take several minutes or more to see the
task created, because the update packages are downloaded in the background before the task is
registered.
Issue 11:
Description
When enable downgrades is selected, ensure that you refresh the browser before attempting
update/downgrade.
Issue 12:
Description
ActiveX installation is blocked through OpenManage Essentials.
Resolution
To resolve this issue, run Windows update to download the latest certificate sources.
Issue 13:
Description
A warning message “No Compliant updates found in selected repository” is displayed if you have created
a bundle for updating iDRAC using Repository Manager Version 1.4.
Resolution
Use FTP or the SUU DVD to update your iDRAC.
Issue 14:
Description
While performing in-band updates to the Broadcom NIC firmware on ESX servers, you may
intermittently notice that the task status displays failed, even though the update was performed
successfully. This is because of an incorrect status message that is provided by the update package
during execution.
Resolution
1. Reboot the target and perform inventory to verify if the update is successful.
2. Re-apply the update if required.
Issue 15:
Description
When quota management is enabled on the management station and a user approaches the quota limit,
system update tasks created by the user are not initiated. The Task Execution History Status displays the
pause icon. [29773]
Resolution
Increase the quota assigned to the user and then re-run or re-create the system update task.
Issue 16:
Description
System update task does not work if the security group policy called Admin Approval Mode for the builtin Administrator account is enabled on the system running OpenManage Essentials. [30884]
Resolution
OpenManage Essentials cannot elevate permissions to copy and execute updates when Admin Approval
Mode is enabled on the OpenManage Essentials system. Use the default settings to execute the System
Update task.
Issue 17:
Description
System Update tasks through iDRAC (out-of-band) do not complete. [30029]
Resolution
1. Delete the job queue in iDRAC.
2. Reset the iDRAC.
3. Re-inventory the iDRAC to get the updated inventory.
4. Re-run the System Update tasks.
Issue 18:
Description
OMSA deployment task displays success, even if OMSA is not installed on the target system. [26652]
Issue 19:
Description
OpenManage Essentials only supports system updates on PowerEdge systems. Sometimes PowerVault
NX devices may display in the compliance report even though system updates on PowerVault NX
devices are not supported by OpenManage Essentials.
Installation
It is recommended that you install OpenManage Essentials by using either the "Setup.exe" or
“Autorun.exe" file.
Issue 1:
Description
An SQL ODBC Driver timeout error is displayed during the installation of OpenManage Essentials. [47759]
Resolution
This error may be seen invalidly if the host name cannot be resolved on the OpenManage Essentials
server.
1. Ping the host name of the OpenManage Essentials server to confirm that name resolution works.
2. If the ping fails, fix the DNS issues before attempting to install or use OpenManage Essentials.
Note: Both the installer and application require proper name resolution to function properly.
3. If name resolution is successful, follow the instructions in the "Troubleshooting: Timeout Expired"
knowledge base article at technet.microsoft.com.
Issue 2:
Description
In the Prerequisite Checker screen, the following message may be displayed:
"An error occurred while attempting to execute a Visual Basic Script. Please confirm that Visual Basic files
are installed correctly."
Resolution
– In Internet Explorer, make sure that the "Active Scripting" and "Scripting of Java applets" options
are enabled.
a. Click "Tools" -> "Internet Options" -> "Security" -> "Custom Level". The "Security Settings"
window is displayed.
b. Under "Scripting" setting, make sure that "Active Scripting" and "Scripting of Java applets"
are set to "Enable".
– Verify if running VB scripts is disabled by the Windows Scripting Host (WSH).
a. Click "Start"-> "Control Panel" -> "Default Programs".
b. Click "Associate a file type or protocol with a program".
c. In the "Set Associations" window, under Extensions, select ".vbs" and verify that the
"Description" is displayed as "VBScript File". If the "Description" is not displayed as
"VBScript File", click "Change Program" and select open with "Microsoft Windows Based
Script Host".
– The Windows Scripting Host (WSH) may be incompatible, corrupted, or not installed. By default,
WSH is installed during operating system installation. To download the current version of WSH,
go to: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms950396.aspx
Issue 3:
Description
After installing Essentials on a database retained from an earlier Essentials installation, the following are
unsuccessful:
– Discovery/Inventory
– Remote task/Scheduled tasks
– Proxy connection
– Email alert action [40085]
Resolution
The following must be provided after the Essentials installation:
– Protocol-specific credentials for discovery and inventory.
– Credentials for remote/scheduled tasks.
– Proxy credentials.
– Email alert action credentials.
– Any other feature that requires credentials.
Issue 4:
Description
The "OpenManage Essentials Install" window displays junk characters in the Japanese language
operating system. [39199]
Resolution
1. Click "Start"-> "Control Panel"-> "Region and Language".
2. In the "Format" drop-down list, select "Japanese (Japan)"
3. Click "Apply".
4. Try installing OpenManage Essentials again.
Issue 5:
Description
After installing OpenManage Essentials, if you reinstall the database application (which is used by
OpenManage Essentials) the OpenManage Essentials database is detached from the database application.
Issue 6:
Description
If you are installing OpenManage Essentials using "Administrators" group user, and UAC is enabled, the
Prerequisites installer window is blocked after the reboot. You have to allow setup to proceed with rest
of the prerequisites installation using the System tray icon.
Issue 7:
Description
If using the prerequisites link, and SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 does not install on a specific operating system
version and service pack, verify the SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 support matrix. Windows Server 2008 x86
(SP2) is required to install SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1.
Issue 8:
Description
If you have an older version of the “OpenManage Essentials installation prerequisite” application installed
on your system and the application is not getting upgraded using the "Install all critical prerequisites"
button or the specific prerequisite URL, verify the support matrix of the specific application. You may
have to uninstall the previous version and then install the newer version recommended by OpenManage
Essentials from its installer prerequisites window.
Examples:
- SilverLight
- Microsoft SQL Server
Issue 9:
Description
OpenManage Essentials installation may stop after a system reboot.
Cause
This issue occurs because the files are extracted to the %temp% directory and the files get deleted after a
system reboot.
Resolution
To resolve this issue, re-launch the OpenManage Essentials executable file again.
Migration
The following tasks will not get migrated from ITA:
Server Software Update
Client Software Update
IPMI Command Line
Power Control Device (via ASF)
Performance Management
Import Dell Catalog
Server Administrator Deployment for Windows
Server Administrator Deployment for Linux
While migrating tasks from IT Assistant to OpenManage Essentials, all 'Run Now' tasks are migrated as
disabled.
While migrating tasks from IT Assistant to OpenManage Essentials, if 'Run Once' tasks have the start
schedule in the future they will start in the future. If the start schedule is in the past, they will not start.
Migration of IT Assistant to OpenManage Essentials installation using local database, or OpenManage
Essentials using remote database is not supported.
While migrating alerts from IT Assistant to OpenManage Essentials, alert filters get migrated, but alert
actions do not get migrated from ITA.
While migrating from IT Assistant 8.x to OpenManage Essentials 1.0 to OpenManage Essentials 1.0.1, if
you encounter a problem during OpenManage Essentials 1.0.1 repair, rename the folder containing
OpenManage Essentials 1.0 installation and retry the repair.\
It is recommended that you ensure that all system update and remote tasks are completed before you
upgrade OpenManage Essentials. If a system update folder migration error occurs during upgrade, you
can copy the folder manually from the %temp% folder, or you can re-run the required tasks after
upgrade.
Issue 1:
Description
After upgrading from OpenManage Essentials version 1.1.1 to 2.0, or 1.1.1 to 1.2 to 1.3 to 2.0, the Custom
URL settings page may display multiple custom URLs based on the classification of a device in the device
tree.
For example, if a custom URL is created for the Servers device group and the servers in your environment
are classified under the Servers, RAC, and VMware ESX Servers device groups in the device tree, after
upgrading to OpenManage Essentials version 2.0, the Custom URL settings page displays three Custom
URLs (one for each of the device groups under which the servers are classified in the device tree). [40774]
Issue 2:
Description
After upgrade to OpenManage Essentials version 2.0:
– The devices are not classified correctly.
– The devices that were reported in the "Non-Compliant Systems" tab are displayed in the
"Compliant Systems" tab. [40445]
Resolution
After the upgrade, you must initiate the discovery and inventory for all ranges.
1. Click Manage->Discovery and Inventory.
2. Under Discovery Ranges, click All Ranges. The Discovery Range Summary is displayed.
3. Select all the discovery ranges, right-click and select "Perform Discovery and Inventory Now".
Issue 3:
Description
If an earlier version of OpenManage Essentials is installed in a custom location under the "Program Files
(x86)" folder, upgrade to the latest version of OpenManage Essentials is unsuccessful. [39859]
Resolution
NOTE: It is not recommended to create or copy a custom folder under the "Program Files (x86)" folder
and then use the folder for installing any application. Doing so may result in unexpected behavior
during/after upgrade of the application.
1. Uninstall the existing version of OpenManage Essentials while retaining the existing OpenManage
Essentials database.
– At the "Uninstalling OpenManage Essentials removes the OpenManage Essentials
database. Do you want to retain the database?" prompt, click Yes.
2. Install the latest version of OpenManage Essentials.
Issue 4:
Description
Migrating from ITA 8.9 or updating from OpenManage Essentials 1.0.1 silent installation of the
“Troubleshooting Tool” and “MIB Import” tool along with any other products selected in the auto run
screen fails to install or upgrade on Windows 2008 SP2 32-bit and 64-bit. This occurs when
OpenManage Essentials asks for system reboot during critical pre-requisite installation.
Resolution
Manually install these components from their respective installers located in the Windows folder where
OME is extracted to.
Issue 5:
Description
While migrating of tasks from ITA 8.9 to OME, all scheduled task that are configured to “Run Once”
appears as “Periodic Daily” and is disabled. This issue occurs because ITA task information is incomplete
when sent to OME during the migration process. This does not affect any of the existing tasks that OME
has configured.
Resolution
It is recommended that any tasks that are not required must be deleted before starting migration.
Issue 6:
Description
After an upgrade from OME 1.0/1.0.1 or migration from ITA, RAC health status will be unknown if it was
discovered using IPMI protocol and user or operator privileges.
Resolution
Provide the user account in the discovery wizard with IPMI admin privileges on the RAC and re-run
discovery to get the health status.
Issue 7:
Description
Customizations to the Devices portal layout are deleted on upgrading to OpenManage Essentials 2.0.
[18342]
Issue 8:
Description
While upgrading from OpenManage Essentials version 1.0.1 or 1.1 installed with remote SQL Server 2005
to OpenManage Essentials version 1.2, the following message is displayed:
“SQL Server 2005 is detected on the target system. The minimum version of SQL Server supported by
Essentials is SQL server 2008.” [31161]
Resolution
In this case, you must manually migrate the data from SQL Server 2005 to other supported SQL Server
versions, and then upgrade to OpenManage Essentials version 1.2. For more information, see the
Frequently Asked Questions section in the OpenManage Essentials version 1.2 User's Guide.
Issue 9:
Description
After upgrading OpenManage Essentials from version 1.1 to 1.2, the Microsoft Hyper-V servers are not
grouped under Microsoft Virtualization Servers in the Devices portal's device tree. [31770]
Resolution
The Microsoft Hyper-V servers are automatically grouped under Microsoft Virtualization Servers on the
next discovery or inventory, if scheduled. You can also select "Perform Inventory Now" on the respective
discovery IP range to resolve the issue manually.
Issue 10:
Description
After upgrading from OpenManage Essentials version 1.0.1 to 1.2, while accessing hardware logs for any
server, you start seeing one or more exceptions in the console.
Resolution
1. Stop “OmeDAService “, “OmeHostService“, “DSM Essentials Task Manager” and “DSM Essentials
Network Monitor”, services.
2. Restart the IIS server.
3. Start “OmeDAService “, “OmeHostService“, “DSM Essentials Task Manager” and “DSM Essentials
Network Monitor”, services.
4. Launch the OME console.
Launching OpenManage Essentials
Issue 1:
Description
If the host name of the management station is changed after the installation of OpenManage Essentials,
you will be prompted to provide the system credentials when OpenManage Essentials is launched.
[38871]
Issue 2:
Description
OpenManage Essentials launches in Internet Explorer even if any other browser is set as the default
browser. [35491]
Issue 3:
Description
OpenManage Essentials does not launch or displays an exception when the number of connections to
the OpenManage Essentials website is limited in IIS.
Resolution
The OpenManage Essentials console requires constant communication with the web server to ensure
that the data is up-to-date at all times. The communication between the console and the web server is
performed utilizing web method calls in a multi-threaded environment. As such, multiple, simultaneous
connections to the web server are required in order for OpenManage Essentials to operate properly. As a
general rule, ensure that your web server is configured for a minimum of 50 active connections.
Issue 4:
Description
When launching OpenManage Essentials, the following error is displayed: "Client Logon credentials not
authorized error". [31507]
Resolution
Restart the DSM Essentials Host service.
Issue 5:
Description
OpenManage Essentials does not launch when the IP address of the remote database is changed. [31801]
Resolution
Reinstall OpenManage Essentials and target the existing remote database with the new IP address.
Discovery and Inventory
The processor count in OpenManage Essentials differs for managed systems that contain processors
with multiple cores or HyperThreading enabled. The count differs based on whether the managed
system is discovered using the CIM or SNMP protocol. Systems discovered using SNMP report physical
processors, and the systems discovered using CIM reports logical processors.
Issue 1:
Description
In the OpenManage Essentials GUI, if you attempt to create a discovery range with an IP address ending
in ".0", the following error message is displayed: "The last octet cannot be 0". Depending on the subnet
mask, an IP address ending in ".0" is valid for a device. [48781].
Resolution
To workaround ths issue, import a .csv file with a device IP ending in ".0". OpenManage Essentials
discovers and classifies the device properly using this method.
Issue 2:
Description
If you create a new custom device group with modular servers, and perform another discovery, all the
server objects in that group are lost. [49224]
Resolution
To workaround this issue, do not select the group node for discovery, but rather just the devices within
that group.
Issue 3:
Description
An EqualLogic storage array is displayed even after excluding the EqualLogic discovery range.
Resolution
If the EqualLogic Group Management, EqualLogic Storage Group, and all the EqualLogic member IP
addresses are included in a single discovery range configuration, excluding that range will exclude the
entire group in the device tree.
If these IP addresses are distributed among multiple discovery range configurations, to exclude the
EqualLogic group, all the associated discovery ranges must be excluded.
Issue 4:
Description
For Dell PowerVault MD storage arrays with thin virtual disks, the Virtual Disk Information table in the
OpenManage Essentials device inventory displays the name of the repository for thin provisioning
instead of the thin virtual disk name. [42606]
Issue 5:
Description
For Dell PowerVault MD storage arrays, OpenManage Essentials displays critical health status, even if the
device is in a warning state. [42607]
Issue 6:
Description
The model number for both Dell Force10/Networking C150 and C7004 Ethernet switches is displayed as
C150/C7004 switch in the device inventory. The model number for both Dell Force10/Networking C300
and C7008 Ethernet switches is displayed as C300/C7008 switch in the device inventory. [43443]
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