Dell OpenManage Integration with Microsoft Windows Admin Center Version 3.0 User’s Guide

Update nodes Windows Server HCI, Azure Stack HCI, and Failover clusters using OpenManage Integration extension

Use Cluster-Aware Updating (CAU) feature in OpenManage Integration with Windows Admin Center (OMIMSWAC) extension to view compliance reports and update components of cluster nodes without affecting the workloads. The components include firmware, BIOS, and drivers.

To generate compliance report and perform firmware, BIOS, and drivers update for Windows Server HCI, Azure Stack HCI, and Failover clusters, do the following:

1. Log in to Windows Admin Center and launch OpenManage Integration extension.
2. Click View > Compliance. Another menu appears, select Hardware Updates. Hardware Compliance Summary page appears. Alternatively, go to the Action menu, under HARDWARE COMPLIANCE AND REMEDIATION, click Check Compliance.
3. To generate a new compliance report against a validated catalog, click Check Compliance, and select a catalog from the Update Source as follows. By default, an applicable online catalog is selected based on the cluster.
   • To download the catalog automatically from dell.com, select Online (HTTPs) - <catalog name>. You can use the online catalog when the OpenManage Integration extension is connected to the Internet. You can also access the Internet using proxy settings. See configure proxy settings.
     The available online catalogs are:

     • For PowerEdge servers: Dell Enterprise Catalog which contains the validated versions of components for PowerEdge servers.
     • For MX servers: Dell MX Solution Catalog which contains the validated versions of components for PowerEdge MX Modular.
     • For AX nodes and Storage Spaces Direct Ready Nodes: Update Catalog for Microsoft HCI solutions.
   • To use the DRM catalog that is configured in a CIFS location, select Offline-Dell Repository Manager Catalog.
     You can select the offline catalog wit or without Internet connection to generate a compliance report. You can also use the offline catalog for customized DRM catalog.

     1. To use offline DRM catalog, ensure the latest catalog files are generated by using the Dell Repository Manager (DRM) application. The supported version of DRM application can be downloaded from Dell Repository Manager. To create a DRM catalog, refer to the Technical article.
     2. If the DRM catalog is created and stored in a share path, select DRM Settings and specify the CIFS share path where DRM catalog is located and provide credentials to access the share path.
   NOTE:

   • We recommend to use 'Update Catalog for Microsoft HCI solutions' catalog for Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server HCI.
   • You must provide individual catalog files with the user credentials for server manager, and cluster manager respectively.
4. If the extension is not connected to the Internet, click Configure DSU and IC to configure Dell System Update (DSU) and Inventory Collector (IC) tools. The extension uses DSU and IC tools to generate the latest compliance report.
5. When finished, click Check Compliance.
   The extension downloads the catalog, collects the DSU and IC tools that are configured, and generates a Compliance Report. If DSU and IC tools are not configured manually, then the extension downloads them from downloads.dell.com to generate a compliance report.
6. View the compliance report that is generated and displayed in the Harware Compliance Summary page. Click View Report to view component level compliance information. Click Export Report to export the compliance report in .csv format.
7. To select the non-compliant components for update, click Fix Compliance, and then select one of the option below. By default, the components that require update are selected.
   • Run now: This will execute the cluster update immediately and reboot nodes if required.
   • Schedule update: Select a future date and time when the cluster update will be performed. This will download and copy the required files and keep the cluster ready for update at the specified time.

     At any given time, only one CAU job can be scheduled per cluster. Any new CAU job (Run now or Schedule later) will replace the existing scheduled job.

   You may deselect the selected components or select the 'non-compliant' 'downgradable' components for update. However, if you want to change any of the default selections, ensure that the dependencies between the corresponding component firmware and drivers are met. For more specific selection, you can select each color code present under the bar chart or use the search box to filter out the required components. Select 'clear' at the upper right of the "Compliance Report" pane to remove the color code filter.
8. When finished, click Update. If infrastructure lock is enabled, a pop-up appears, click Disable to disable the lock and update the components.
   • The operation will enable the CredSSP automatically. To improve the security, disable the CredSSP after the operation is complete.
   • If Kernel Soft Reboot is enabled on the cluster, OpenManage Integration extension will ignore that and do a full reboot to apply all BIOS/Firmware related updates. For more information, see When to use Kernel Soft Reboot.
   NOTE:

   • BitLocker is "Suspended" for the Azure Stack HCI cluster version 22H2, while the hardware update is in progress. BitLocker is again enabled after the update is completed.
   • While the update is in progress, it is recommended not to exit or close the browser. If you close or exit the browser, node updates may fail and the update status may not be shown.
9. OpenManage Integration extension checks the necessary prerequisites required to complete the update job. If all prerequisites are compliant, the extension will proceed to update the components.
   The update job continues in the background regardless of whether the UI session is alive or not. If the UI session is alive, node level progress status is displayed. The extension notifies once the update job is finished.

   NOTE: If any of the component update requires a restart, nodes will be restarted one at a time, moving cluster roles such as VMs between nodes to prevent downtime.
10. If any of the prerequisite fails, a banner message appears. Click View Details to see the non-compliant prerequisites, and ways you can resolve them. Resolve the non-compliant prerequisites, and try the operation again. For more information about prerequisites check, see Prerequisites check details.
    If the update operation fails, check the log files stored at the following path for more details.

    • Gateway system: <Windows Directory>\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Temp\generated\logs
    • Windows 10 gateway system: <Windows installed drive>\Users\<user_name>\AppData\Local\Temp\generated\logs
    • After the scheduled cluster update is over, DSU logs for individual nodes can be found in <Windows Directory>\Temp\OMIMSWAC folder on the respective nodes.