Chapter 9. ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack (RDP)

One of the biggest challenges for IT systems architects , planners, managers, Administrators, and systems engineers is the rapid rate of change in the industry. ProLiant Essentials Rapid Deployment Pack (RDP) is part of HP's adaptive initiative to help with managing change. RDP provides a higher level of systems deployment and management capability.

The ProLiant Essentials RDP Windows Edition is an integrated HP and Altiris solution that automates the process of deploying and provisioning server software, enabling companies to quickly and easily adapt to changing business demands.

The RDP integrates two powerful products: Altiris eXpress Deployment Solution and the ProLiant Integration Module. The ProLiant Integration Module consists of the SmartStart Scripting Toolkit (SSSTK), HP supplied deployment events, and important documentation. This deployment solution is a fast, easy, point-and-click solution for deploying servers using imaging or scripting, and maintaining server software images, all from a management console. The management console's Graphical User Interface (GUI) provides an intuitive drag-and-drop of configurations to deploy the operating system's (OS's), software updates and applications. Deploying a server is as simple as dragging and dropping predefined images or scripts onto a single server or large group of servers.

Designed for the new ProLiant BL blade servers, but supporting all ProLiant servers, the RDP has advanced features that can detect and display server blades based on their physical rack, enclosure, and bay location. You can set the deployment console to automatically install or redeploy a previous computer's configuration to a new blade when replaced .