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Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 7 (iDRAC7) Version 1.50.50 User's Guide

Deploying Operating System Using VMCLI

Before you deploy the operating system using the vmdeploy script, make sure that:
  • VMCLI utility is installed on the management station.
  • Configure User and Access Virtual Media privileges for iDRAC7 are enabled for the user.
  • IPMItool is installed on the management station.
    • NOTE: IPMItool does not work if IPv6 is configured either on the managed system or the management station.
  • iDRAC7 is configured on the target remote systems.
  • System is able to boot from the image file.
  • IPMI Over LAN is enabled in iDRAC7.
  • Network share contains drivers and operating system bootable image file, in an industry standard format such as .img or .iso.
    • NOTE: While creating the image file, follow standard network-based installation procedures, and mark the deployment image as read-only to make sure that each target system boots and executes the same deployment procedure.
  • Virtual Media status is in attach state.
  • vmdeploy script is installed on the management station. Review this sample vmdeploy script included with VMCLI. The script describes how to deploy the operating system to remote systems in the network. It internally uses VMCLI and IPMItool.
    • NOTE: The vmdeploy script is dependent on some support files in the directory during installation. To use the script from another directory, copy all the files with it. If the IPMItool utility is not installed, copy the utility along with the other files.

To deploy the operating system on target remote systems:

  1. List the iDRAC7 IPv4 addresses of the target remote systems, in the ip.txt text file. List one IPv4 address per line.
  2. Insert a bootable operating system, CD or DVD, into the management station drive.
  3. Open a command prompt with administrator privileges and run the vmdeploy script:

    vmdeploy.bat -r <iDRAC7-IPAddress or file> -u <iDRAC7-user> -p <iDRAC7-user-passwd> [ -f {<floppy-image> | < device-name>} | -c { <device-name>|<image-file>} ] [-i <DeviceID>]

    • NOTE: vmdeploy does not support IPv6, since IPv6 does not support the IPMI tool.
    • NOTE: The vmdeploy script processes the -r option slightly differently than the vmcli -r option. If the argument to the -r option is the name of an existing file, the script reads iDRAC7 IPv4 or IPv6 addresses from the specified file and runs the utility once for each line. If the argument to the -r option is not a filename, then it should a single iDRAC7 address. In this case, the - r works as described for the VMCLI utility.

    The following table describes the vmdeploy command parameters.

    Table 1. vmdeploy Command Parameters

    Parameter

    Description

    <iDRAC7-user> 
    iDRAC7 user name. It must have the following attributes:
    • Valid user name
    • iDRAC7 Virtual Media User permission

    If iDRAC7 authentication fails, an error message is displayed and the command is terminated.

    <iDRAC7-ip | file> 

    iDRAC7 IP address or the file containing the iDRAC7 IP address.

    <iDRAC7-user-password> or <iDRAC7-passwd>

    Password for the iDRAC7 user.

    If iDRAC7 authentication fails, an error message is displayed and the command is terminated.

    -c {<device-name> | <image-file>}

    Path to an ISO9660 image of the operating system installation CD or DVD.

    <floppy-device> 

    Path to the device containing the operating system installation CD, DVD, or Floppy.

    <floppy-image> 

    Path to a valid floppy image.

    <Device ID>

    ID of the device to boot once.


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