Help Me Choose: Embedded Systems Management

The integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) with Lifecycle Controller is embedded in every Dell PowerEdge™ server to provide secure remote server access for a multitude of common management functions.

IT administrators can perform the management tasks through the iDRAC web interface, remote access to the keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) of the server operating system. The iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller offers a complete set of server management features, which work regardless of operating system state or the presence of a hypervisor, including configuration, OS deployment, firmware updates, health monitoring, and maintenance.

OpenManage Essentials Server Configuration Management (ConfigMgmt) automates PowerEdge server bare-metal deployment and provides quick and consistent replication of server configurations as well as automated maintenance processes that detect and correct PowerEdge configurations not in compliance with a customer’s pre-defined baseline setting. Use of standardized templates and processes reduce the possibility of errors and ensure continuous server availability. Server configuration can be completed as a single process –even before the server is ever turned on – to accelerate time to productivity.

Feature

iDRAC8 Basic

iDRAC8 Express

iDRAC8 Express for Blades

iDRAC8 Enterprise

200-500 series
Rack/Tower servers
(standard)

200-500 Rack/Tower
(upgrade option)
600+ Rack/Tower
(standard)
All FX modules (FM, FC)

All M1000e blades
and VRTX modules

All servers (upgrade option)

Interfaces/Standards
IPMI 2.0YESYESYESYES
DCMI 1.5YESYESYESYES
Web Based GUIYESYESYESYES
Racadm command line (local/remote)YESYESYESYES
SMASH-CLP (SSH-only)YESYESYESYES
TelnetYESYESYESYES
SSHYESYESYESYES
WSMANYESYESYESYES
Network Time Protocol

-

YESYESYES
Connectivity
Shared NICYESYES

N/A

YES*
Dedicated NIC*YESYESYESYES*
VLAN taggingYESYESYESYES
IPv4YESYESYESYES
IPv6YESYESYESYES
DHCPYESYESYESYES
Dynamic DNSYESYESYESYES
OS pass-throughYESYESYESYES
Front panel USBYESYESYESYES
Security
Role-based authorityYES YESYESYES
Local usersYESYESYES YES
SSL encryptionYESYES YESYES
IP blocking

-

YESYES YES
Directory services (AD, LDAP)

-

-

-

YES
Two-factor authentication

-

-

-

YES
Single sign-on

-

-

-

YES
PK authentication

-

YESYESYES
Remote Presence
Power controlYESYESYESYES
Boot controlYESYESYESYES
Serial-over-LANYESYESYESYES
Virtual Media--YESYES
Virtual Folders---YES
Remote File Share---YES
Virtual Console--YESYES
VNC Connection to OS---YES
Quality/bandwidth control---YES
Virtual Console collaboration (6 users)--YESYES
Virtual Console chat---YES
Virtual Flash partitions---YES**
Power & Thermal
Real-time power meterYESYESYES YES
Power thresholds & alerts-YESYESYES
Real-time power graphing- YESYESYES
Historical power counters-YESYES YES
Power capping---YES
Power Center integration---YES
Temperature monitoringYESYES YES YES
Temperature graphing-YESYES YES
Health Monitoring
Full agent-free monitoringYESYESYESYES
Predictive failure monitoringYESYESYESYES
SNMPv1, v2, and v3 (traps and gets)YESYESYESYES
Email Alerting-YESYESYES
Configurable thresholdsYESYESYESYES
Fan monitoringYESYESYESYES
Power Supply monitoringYESYESYESYES
Memory monitoringYESYESYESYES
CPU monitoringYESYESYESYES
RAID monitoringYESYESYESYES
NIC monitoringYESYESYESYES
HD monitoring (enclosure)YESYESYESYES
Out of Band Performance Monitoring

-

-

-

YES
Update
Remote agent-free update YESYESYESYES
Embedded update toolsYESYESYESYES
Sync with repository (scheduled updates)---YES
Auto-update---YES
Deployment & Configuration
Embedded OS deployment toolsYESYES YES YES
Embedded configuration toolsYES YES YES YES
Auto- Discovery-YESYESYES
Remote OS deployment -YESYESYES
Embedded driver packYESYESYESYES
Full configuration inventoryYESYESYESYES
Inventory exportYESYESYES YES
Remote configurationYESYESYESYES
Zerotouch configuration---YES
System Retire/RepurposeYESYES YES YES
Diagnostics, Service, & Logging
Embedded diagnostic tools YESYESYES YES
Part Replacement-YESYESYES
Server Configuration Backup---YES
Server Configuration RestoreYESYESYES YES
Easy Restore (system configuration)YESYESYESYES
Health LED / LCDYESYESYES YES
Quick Sync (require NFC bezel)YESYES

NA

YES
iDRAC Direct (front USB management port)YESYESYESYES
iDRAC Service Module (iSM)YESYESYESYES
Embedded Tech Support ReportYESYES YESYES
Crash screen capture

-

YESYES YES
Crash video capture---YES
Boot capture---YES
Manual reset for iDRACYESYES YESYES
Virtual NMIYES YESYESYES
OS watchdogYESYESYESYES
Embedded Health ReportYESYESYES YES
System Event LogYES YESYES YES
Lifecycle LogYESYESYES YES
Work notesYESYESYES YES
Remote Syslog---YES
License managementYESYES YESYES