Authors:
Shuvan Saha
Sindhu Murthy
Product Group
Using Dell™ Repository Manager to
Create a Deployment Media (Bootable
ISO) to Perform Systems Updates
This Dell Technical White Paper addresses how to leverage configuration
scripts while updating Dell servers.
Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
This document is for informational purposes only and may contain typographical errors and
technical inaccuracies. The content is provided as is, without express or implied warranties of any
kind.
© 2012 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. Dell and its affiliates cannot be responsible for errors or omissions
in typography or photography. Dell, the Dell logo, and PowerEdge are trademarks of Dell Inc. Intel and
Xeon are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft,
Windows, and Windows Server are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation
in the United States and/or other countries. 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 disclaims
proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.
April 2012| Rev 1.0
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
Contents
Executive Summary................................................................................................... 4
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 4
How to create a customized deployment media (bootable ISO) for pre-operating system update using
Dell Repository Manager ............................................................................................. 4
Prerequisites ......................................................................................................... 4
Select Script > Option 1 – Replace Default script ............................................................. 10
Select Script > Option 2 - Append to default script ........................................................... 10
Summary .............................................................................................................. 12
Figures
Figure 1. Populating the bundles .................................................................................. 5
Figure 2. Specifying the export bundle destination ............................................................ 6
Figure 3. Installing the plugin ..................................................................................... 7
Figure 4. Verifying the plugin download ......................................................................... 8
Figure 5. Selecting the custom bundle script ................................................................... 9
Figure 6. Adding a custom BASH script .......................................................................... 10
Figure 7. Viewing the Export Summary .......................................................................... 12
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
Executive summary
Executive Summary
This technical white paper describes the techniques for updating Dell Systems using DellTM Repository
Manager (DRM) in a pre-operating system environment as well as how to change the vital system
configuration settings (like BIOS, RAID, RAC and so on) during this operation. These configuration
settings are exclusive to each system or uniform settings across systems, depending on your
requirements. This white paper provides an overview of the system update process using the
deployment media created by DellTM Repository Manager. This white paper describes the steps that you
should follow to:
1. Import the Dell Catalog containing system updates into DellTM Repository Manager
2. Create a bootable ISO image containing the selected updates and customized script
3. Deploy the updates to the Dell systems along with the script
Introduction
In the enterprise environment, change management is a time-consuming activity yet important and
necessary. DellTM Repository Manager is a Microsoft Windows-based application that eases tedious
change management tasks for administrators. DellTM Repository Manager facilitates the download,
filter, and conversion of updates into various convenient deployable formats.
DellTM Repository Manager, through the deployment media, assists IT administrators with updating Dell
systems with the latest Dell BIOS, firmware, as well as configuring the system settings at the same time
within a pre-operating system environment, which simplifies the systems management process.
NOTE: Deployment media uses the Dell Deployment Toolkit (DTK) engine at the backend and supports
system configuration.
How to create a customized deployment media (bootable ISO)
for pre-operating system update using Dell Repository Manager
Prerequisites
The following prerequisites are required for the creation of deployment media:
Install Dell
Download the latest version of Dell
http://support.dell.com/ or at http://DellTechCenter.com/RepositoryManager.
TM
Repository Manager on a system with Internet access.
TM
Repository Manager from the Dell Support Site -
Launch Dell
icon for servers to open the application).
1. Click the X button (top right corner) to close the welcome window splash screen.
2. Click Open > Dell FTP Catalog link.
TM
Repository Manager in Server Mode (double click the Dell
TM
Repository Manager
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
3. Provide the network credentials to connect to an FTP site if the system is running behind a
firewall.
4. Verify and accept the Security Warning pop-up windows for digital signature verification.
5. The Dell FTP catalog is loaded. Populate the bundles as shown in the screen shot below.
Populating the bundles Figure 1.
Use only search filters to view the desired bundles. Only Linux specific bundles are supported
for this export option.
6. Click Export.
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
7. Select Deployment Media (Using the Linux Bundle). Click Next.
Specifying the export bundle destination Figure 2.
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
8. Click the link to install the required plug-in. Accept the security warning pop-up window for
digital signature verification.
Installing the plugin Figure 3.
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
9. Once the plugin download is complete, click Next.
Verifying the plugin download Figure 4.
10. Choose the location to save the ISO image. Click OK.
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
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11. You are provided with an option to include your own script in the ISO image, or choose to
include only the default script and proceed with the creation of the image.
Selecting the custom bundle script Figure 5.
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
12. Add a custom BASH script to run system configuration commands by either replacing the
default script or appending the custom script to the default script. This provides additional
options to configure the system settings, in addition to running system updates.
Figure 6.
Adding a custom BASH script
Select Script > Option 1 – Replace Default script
Make your customized script the same format as the script apply_bundles.sh, which is obtained from
the DellTM Repository Manager Install location.
Select Script > Option 2 - Append to default script
You have the flexibility to append the customized script for system configuration to achieve both or
either of the following:
Uniform configuration for all systems in the deployment media
Exclusive configuration for individual systems in the deployment media
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
Provide a sample script of the format below:
#!/bin/bash
# This is a Sample Script
# Below path is required for Dell Deployment Toolkit Commands to run
export PATH=$PATH:/opt/dell/toolkit/bin
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$PATH:/opt/dell/toolkit/lib:/opt/lsi
name=`syscfg --sysname | cut -f 2 -d\= `; # This would return the Model Name
& Number of the System its currently Running on
case "$name" in
"PowerEdge R810") # Mention the Server Model Name & Number for which the
following settings will be applied exclusively
raidcfg -ctrl; # Dell Deployment Toolkit Command
syscfg --numlock=on;; # Dell Deployment Toolkit Command
"PowerEdge R715") # Mention the Server Model Name & Number for which
the following settings will be applied exclusively
syscfg –bootsequence=3,2,1; # Dell Deployment Toolkit Command
racadm -r 10.94.171.51 -u user_name -p xxxxx getsysinfo;; # Dell
Deployment Toolkit Command
"PowerEdge 1950") # Mention the Server Model Name & Number for which
the following settings will be applied exclusively
racadm -r 10.94.171.51 -u root -p calvin getsysinfo # Dell
Deployment Toolkit Command
raidcfg –ctrl –ac=cvd –c=id –ad=id;; # Dell Deployment Toolkit
Command
*) # The below settings will be applied to the Systems which are NOT
mentioned above – Uniform settings
syscfg --numlock=off; # Dell Deployment Toolkit Command
racadm -r 10.94.171.51 -u user_name -p xxxxx getsysinfo;; # Dell
Deployment Toolkit Command
esac
exit 0
3. Browse to the location of the script (saved in UNIX format). Click Next.
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
4. In the Export Summary window, click Finish.
Viewing the Export Summary Figure 7.
A bootable ISO image is created. This ISO image uses the Deployment Media Linux Kernel to run the
Dell Update Packages. Burn the ISO image to: either a CD ROM/DVD, convert into a USB key image
(make a bootable USB key image with the ISO using any third-party utility), or mount through the
virtual media feature of iDRAC to perform remote updates.
If the deployment media (ISO) is created using multiple system bundles, all the bundles are
displayed on the console when you boot the server through the media. To start running, enter
the number corresponding to the bundle and press <ENTER>. For example, if PER200 is the
second in the list, press <2> and apply the bundle.
If the deployment media is created using a single baseline (a single bundle), execution
automatically starts when you boot the server through the media.
Summary
DellTM Repository Manager lets you keep Dell systems up to date in pre-operating system environment.
The DellTM Repository Manager documentation is available at:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/SOFTWARE/smdrm/
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Using Dell™ Repository Manager to Create a Deployment Media (Bootable ISO) to Perform Systems
Updates
This document lists in detail the hardware and software requirements for its installation.
Dell Deployment Toolkit documentation is available at:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/software/dtk
Learn more:
Visit Dell.com/PowerEdge for more information about enterprise-class servers from Dell.
Visit DellTechCenter.com/RepositoryManager for more information about Dell Repository Manager tool.
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