Dell Open Manage Server Administrator for ESXi 4.1

What are the Methods?

There are two methods thru which we can manage Dell Server Hardware where ESXi is installed.

• Using Dell Open Manage Server Administrator from Individual ESXi Servers
• Using Dell Open Manage Server Administrator Plug-in for vCenter. (Advance Functionality)

How stuff works?

• Both of these methods need Dell Open Manage Server Administrator Agent to be installed in the ESXi server. Generally this Agent doesn’t have any web interface, so we need software to pull out information from this Agent. This Agent provides different hardware management information from ESXi CIM (common interface model). Having said that after agent installation we have to make sure UserVars: CIMoemProviderEnabled
  advance setting is set to 1 in each agent installed server. For advance monitoring we may like to enable SNMP Traps which will be used by management applications.
• Hence in case of 1^st Method we need Dell Open Manage Server Administrator Manage Node software to be installed in any windows server. We will access web interface of Manage Node software & then connect to each ESXi host (where above agent is running) to see its hardware information. Just to note like normal Windows or Linux open server administrator application, we will not able to update any firmware from this interface.
• In case of 2^nd Method we have to deploy Dell vCenter Plug-in Virtual Appliance (OVF) to vCenter infrastructure. Then we have to register the required vCenter Servers in the appliance with other configuration. Using this tool we will able to update the server hardware firmware, because apart from agent, it can talk to the system using iDRAC interface using it’s credentials. May be due to this Dell is selling this product as a licensed product, you have to buy it. But I think they should give this product as free & if anybody needs support for this product they should only sell support package.

In this post I will demonstrate about Dell Open Manage Server Administrator Agent & Manage Node Installation & Configuration. I will talk about the 2^nd vCenter Plug-in method in another post!

My Environment:

• Server:        Dell Server PowerEdge R710
• Hypervisor:    VMware ESXi, 4.1.0, 348481

Required Software:

• Agent:        OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-6.5.0-2247.VIB-ESX41i_A01.zip
• Manage Node:     OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-WIN-6.5.0-2247_A01.10.exe
• Installation Tool: VMware-vSphere-CLI-4.1.0-254719

Agent Installation & Configuration Process!

• Before we start agent installation make sure the ESXi node is in maintenance mode. To put the node into maintain ace mode either we have to shut down all virtual machines or move them to another node.
• Open vSphere CLI & change the directory to Bin folder which contains a lot management Perl scripts
  
• Use below command to install the “OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-6.5.0-2247.VIB-ESX41i_A01.zip” agent file in the server
  

  “vihostupdate.pl –server <ServerName/IP> –username root –password <password> -i -b “Path to the Agent file”
  

• Here is the screenshot of command;

• While it is updating you can see the task in recent task window of vSphere Client

• After Agent Installation Reboot the Host to get the changes to be effective.
• If you like to verify if it this agent installed or not you can use vihostupdate.pl –server <ServerName/IP> –username root –password <password> –query
• If you like to remove this agent you can use vihostupdate.pl –server <ServerName/IP> –remove –buletin <Name>
• Now we have to make sure UserVars: CIMoemProviderEnabled
  advance setting is set to 1
• Select the ESX Server – Configuration Tab – Advance Setting – On right hand side make sure UserVars: CIMoemProviderEnabled is set to 1. If it is set to 0, change the value & reboot the server.
• Reboot the ESXi server to get this setting effective

Dell Open Manager Manage Node Installation & Configuration Process!

As I mentioned earlier you need Dell Open Manager Manage Node to connect to above installed agents to do server hardware administration & monitoring. This installation is pretty straight forward like next-next &done. Use OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-WIN-6.5.0-2247_A01.10.exe file to install the same. You may like to install in any windows server; in my lab environment I prefer vCenter server.

After Installation you can start the application by double clicking Dell Server Administrator inside the same server or accessing https://<servername&gt; :1311/servlet/OMSALogin?msgStatus=null remotely

Here is the screenshot how it looks;

• In Hostname/Ip Address field type ESXi Server Name or IP
• And in Username & Password field corresponding username & password. In lab I have tried with ESXi “root” username & corresponding password
• If you don’t have trusted certificate installed you may like to select “Ignore certificate warnings”
• After we successfully authenticate should able to see different hardware & firmware details like normal dell open manage server administrator. Here is the screenshot!

• Here is a screenshot you can see my PERC H200 Integrated RAID card firmware has been outdated.

• Here is another screenshot about my network cards