Help Me Choose: Systems Management Upgrades

Optional Factory IP Address Settings for iDRAC

Dell EMC offers several options to best fit a customer’s existing environment for deploying a server. All of these can be set from the factory to allow an IT administrator to access the iDRAC to remotely configure the server. There is no charge for any of these options. Only one setting is possible.

  1. DHCP (Default): iDRAC ships from the factory with DHCP turned on. This setting is for customers that have a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server already installed in their data center environment and who likely use iDRAC as part of their automated or scripted deployment process.

  2. DHCP with Zero Touch: For those customers who use iDRAC’s Server Configuration Profile (SCP), this allows the iDRAC to connect with the DHCP server as well as configure itself with additional files/settings as provided by a DHCP server. Read our white papers for more information on Server Configuration Profiles.

  3. Static IP: The iDRAC will be set to a static IP address as described in the iDRAC User Guide.

  4. Provisioning Server: For customer IT environments utilizing third-party consoles along with either the OpenManage Integration Suite for Microsoft System Center or OpenManage Integration for VMware vCenter for OS deployments or updates to PowerEdge servers. By enabling the Provisioning Server option, the PowerEdge servers will, on first boot, search for a Provisioning Server to take control and begin the automated deployment or update process.

Shared LAN on motherboard (LOM) setting

iDRAC networking can be assigned to its dedicated external network port or to share the main, onboard network port (LOM). This setting can be changed as desired by a system administrator.

Dedicated (Default): Uses the dedicated network interface port labeled “iDRAC”. This interface is not shared with the host operating system or application traffic. Dell iDRAC Security Best Practice is to use this setting. The Dedicated option allows iDRAC to be assigned an IP address from the same subnet or different subnet in comparison to the IP addresses assigned to the Host LOM or NICs. Note, in modular or blade servers, the Dedicated option is displayed as “Chassis (Dedicated)”.

Shared LOM: The iDRAC shares the same physical connection on the Shared LOM but is separated from OS and application traffic using VLAN implementation.

MAC Address Reporting Service

The MAC Address Reporting Service is a secure method to provide the iDRAC and server LOM0 MAC addresses and the server service tag using the Dell Digital Locker portal. iDRAC Enterprise or Datacenter license is required. Benefits include:

• Provides MAC addresses prior to delivery and/or before unboxing a server allowing administrators to provision and plan their environment prior to physical deployment
• Eliminates the need to manually scan labels to identify MAC addresses reducing deployment times