How to use auto-discovery with iDRAC Enterprise?

Question

All I want to do is:

1. have "auto discovery" enabled on my iDRAC enterprise at the factory
2. rack the server, cable iDRAC to dhcp-enabled management network
3. have the iDRAC DHCP, find the "Provisioning Server", and get updated with login credentials (for us to use with racadm, idrac webui, etc.)

I don't need to do any configuring of the system, install OS, or anything else.

I just want idrac to dhcp out of the box, and end up with an account that can be used to login.

All the docs I can find on Dell's site refer to a "Provisioning Server", but I honestly can't tell if they have some reference product, or if they only have software that "integrates" with other vendor's existing management systems.

I'd be happy to set up whatever is needed, I just can't find something that explicitly describes the process (only references to the fact that it is supported).

Solution

Dell provides several products that integrate with existing management solutions to provide the provisioning server piece to complete iDRAC auto discovery.

For SCCM you can use "Lifecycle Controller Integration for Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (DLCI for ConfigMgr)"

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/usgen1/DriverDetails/DriverFileFormats?DriverId=H9R23

For VMWare vCenter you can use "Dell Management Plug-In for VMware vCenter"

http://www.dell.com/vCenterPlugin

http://www.delltechcenter.com/DMPVV

Dell Management Console is another option

For more information on how to set up your DHCP or DNS server to support auto discovery see:

http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/extras/m/white_papers/20178466.aspx

-Lee B #Iwork4Dell

Comments

[jwiz]

The problem is that the only way you can order servers (from the factory) with idrac set to dhcp is if you have "auto discovery" turned on. Otherwise, they come statically configured to a 192.168 IP on the idrac. And if you have "auto discovery" turned on, then root:calvin is disabled as an account, as it wants to connect to some kind o f management server and get the allowed credentials from it.

[jwiz]

I don't want to integrate with anything. That's the problem. I'm looking for a way to just do the one, very simple, thing that I want to do. If I did have an existing huge enterprise management system, then I would probably be able to use one of their various provided plugins to do it. But I don't have (or even want) one of those.

[Lee Ballard]

because of the security check that the iDRAC does there are currently no simple stand alone reference provisioning servers. If this is a one time thing you can get a demo of "Dell Management Plug-In for VMware vCenter" then power cycle all your servers. This will put root:calvin back on them. You don't have to use it for provisioning.

[zymhan]

There is a significant difference between ssh'ing to the iDRAC, and using a provisioning service. Also your link is dead.

[ewwhite]

@WildVelociraptor Why bother responding to a 6 year-old post?

[zymhan]

@ewwhite because I found this post while trying to solve a problem, and Stack Exchange is about pruning old, incorrect, and irrelevant information.