Introduction to the RDP

As stated earlier in the chapter, the RDP incorporates Altiris eXpress Deployment Server and ProLiant Integration Module. The ProLiant Integration Module consists of the SSSTK, HP-supplied deployment events, and important documentation, while the Altiris eXpress Deployment Server provides deployment automation configured through the console. This section explores these components in better detail to provide basic understanding of RDP functionality.

Deployment Server Console Overview

The Deployment Server Console provides the means to view and deploy servers within your network. The information in this section provides a brief description of the views and functions provided with the Deployment Server Console.

Deployment Server Console View

Using the Deployment Server Console simplifies operations, is easy to use, and is composed of the four components detailed below.

• Computers pane : On the upper-left side of the console, this pane displays New Computers and All Computers default listings (new servers connected to the Deployment Server and ready for initial deployment appear in the New Computers list).

• Jobs pane : On the lower-left side of the console, this pane lists jobs provided with the ProLiant Integration Module for Deployment Server.

• Details pane : On the right side of the console, this pane displays details for selections highlighted within the Computers pane or Jobs pane.

• Console toolbar : At the top of the console under the menu toolbar, this toolbar provides icons to access various Altiris functions, such as (left to right): Boot Disk Creator, RapidInstall Editor, PC Transplant Editor, ImageExplorer, Remote Agent Installer, PXE Configuration, and BIS Configuration

Deployment Server Console Interactions

Events and operations are observed and performed at the console.

• View new computers or server status changes when they automatically appear in the Deployment Server Console view after an image deployment or scripted install.

• Start a job on a server by

  • Dragging and dropping the server from the Computers pane to the job in the Jobs pane

  • Dragging and dropping the job from the Jobs pane to the server in the Computers pane

• In the Computers or Jobs pane, click the plus sign ( + ) icon before each selection name to expand the selections.

• Right-click a server or job to access menu options, such as properties, job scheduling, or power management.

Figure 9.15. Deployment Server Console view.

ProLiant-Specific Features

This section describes enhancements made to the Altiris Deployment Server Console specifically for ProLiant servers.

Integration with Lights-Out Management

Lights-Out Management enables the management of remote servers and the performance of remote console operations regardless of the state of the OS or hardware.

The Deployment Server provides the capability to use the power management features of Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) and Remote Insight Lights-Out Edition (RILOE) to power on, power off, or cycle power on the target server. Each time a server connects to the Deployment Server, the Deployment Server determines whether iLO or RILOE is installed in the server. If either is installed, the Deployment Server gathers information, including the DNS name, IP address, and first username, as shown in Figure 9.16. To perform management actions using RILOE or iLO, you must enter the password if it has not been previously saved. This password is saved in the SQL database using a standard encrypted password field. Any commands from the Deployment Server to RILOE or iLO are sent through HTTPS, so the communication is secure and encrypted.

Figure 9.16. Lights-Out information.

To display the stored Lights-Out information for each server:

1. Within the Computers pane, right-click the server.

2. Select Properties, and then scroll down and select the Lights-Out icon.

To access the iLO or RILOE interface from the Deployment Server Console:

1. Within the Computers pane, right-click the server.

2. Select Power Control>RILOE/iLO “ Interface.

This interface provides easy access to iLO and RILOE features, such as remote console.

Physical Devices View

The RDP detects and displays server blades based on their physical rack, enclosure, and bay locations. After server blades are connected to the Deployment Server, the Computers pane displays the Physical Devices listing. The servers are viewed according to their Rack\Enclosure\Bay (R\E\B) settings. Because R\E\B is a new feature and is only available with server blades, this view option is presented only if the Deployment Server database contains R\E\B information for any computer. A job can be deployed on a server listed in this view.

The table in Figure 9.17 lists the server icons that are used in the Physical Devices View in the Deployment Server Console.

Figure 9.17. Physical Devices view.

Virtual Rack/Enclosure/Bay (R/E/B)

ProLiant BL servers can be predefined with configuration settings and assigned jobs before the servers are connected to the Deployment Server, as shown in Figure 9.18. This feature is equivalent to using the Deployment Solution Virtual Computer feature. However, the Virtual Bay feature is available only with the RDP installation.

Figure 9.18. Create Virtual Bays screen.

To create a virtual bay:

1. If the Physical Devices option is not already enabled, select View, Show Physical Devices.

2. In the Computers pane, right-click Physical Devices, and select New Virtual Bay.

3. At the Create Virtual Bays screen:

• Enter the rack name.
  
  
• Enter the enclosure name.
  
  
• Select the enclosure type.
  
  
• Browse to locate the initial job.
  
  
• Select the server change rule.
  
  

4. Click OK.

note

The rack and enclosure name in the virtual bay must match the rack and enclosure name of the target enclosure.

The appropriate number of bays for your enclosure is based on the enclosure type selected. This information is derived from the initialization file, enclosures.ini, located in the .\Deployment Server directory.

5. At the Computer Configuration Properties screen, select Microsoft Networking, and then click Define Range (see Figure 9.19).

Figure 9.19. Networking configuration.

6. At the Computer Name Range screen, enter the fixed portion of the server names , and then click OK.

7. At the Computer Configuration Properties screen, select TCP/IP, and enter the IP information for the first server blade (see Figure 9.20). Click OK. Subsequent server blades are assigned the same information, except the IP address increases incrementally for each blade.

Figure 9.20. Multiple node IP configurations.

The new virtual bays appear under Physical Devices with virtual bay icons when the virtual enclosure is selected. The server names and IP addresses appear in the Details pane.

The R/E/B numbers are listed in the Physical Devices view, with bays indicated by virtual icons. When a server blade with a matching R/E/B connects to the network and is identified by the Deployment Server, the awaiting configuration and jobs automatically execute. The virtual icon changes to a managed server icon in the Deployment Server Console.

ProLiant BL Server Rip and Replace

ProLiant BL servers include rule-based deployment based on a change in physical location. This feature enables rapid serviceability when replacing failed server blades, a procedure called "rip-and-replace."

The Deployment Server tracks the physical location of every ProLiant BL server and detects when a new server has been placed in a particular bay. The Change Rules feature can be configured to initiate one of several different deployment actions when the Deployment Server detects a new server placed into a previously occupied bay. Rules are set for individual server blades.

note

A server blade must be discovered and deployed by the Deployment Server or be located in a virtual bay to access the server change rules.

note

Licenses applied to a specific server cannot be removed or transferred to another server.

To access the server change rule:

1. Within the Computer pane, right-click the server.

2. Select Properties, and then scroll down and select the Bay icon (see Figure 9.21).

Figure 9.21. Setting bay rules.

The following rules can be configured from the Bay properties window:

• Re-Deploy Computer : Takes the previous server configuration history and replays it on the new server. All tasks and jobs in the server history replay starting from the most recent image or scripted installation job. This is only available after the server is deployed or a virtual bay has been created.

• Run Predefined Job : Processes any job specified by the user , including the Initial Deployment job.

• Wait for User Interaction : Performs no job or task. The Deployment Agent on the server is instructed to wait, and the icon in the console is changed to reflect a waiting server.

• Ignore the Change : Ignores the new server, meaning that no jobs are initiated. If the server existed in a previous bay, the history and parameters for the server are moved or associated with the new bay. If the server is a new one (never before seen), its properties are associated with the bay, and the normal process defined for new servers, if any, is followed.