- Notes, cautions, and warnings
- Introduction
- Using Lifecycle Controller
- Operating system deployment
- Monitor
- Hardware inventory view and export
- About view and export current inventory
- About view and export factory-shipped inventory
- Viewing hardware inventory — current or factory shipped
- Exporting hardware inventory — current or factory shipped
- Viewing or exporting hardware inventory after part replacement
- Viewing or exporting current inventory after resetting Lifecycle Controller
- Lifecycle Controller log
- Firmware update
- Configure
- System control panel access options
- Configuring iDRAC
- Configuring system time and date
- Configuring vFlash SD card
- Configuring RAID
- Configuring RAID using software RAID
- Creating a secure virtual disk on a RAID controller
- Key encryption
- Local key encryption mode
- Breaking mirrored drives
- System setup — Advanced Hardware Configuration
- Collect system inventory on restart
- Configuring local FTP server
- Configuring a local USB drive
- Configuring NFS and CIFS servers
- Conditions while configuring HTTP / HTTPS server
- Maintain
- Platform restore
- Backup server profile
- Export server profile
- Import server profile
- Import server license
- Part replacement configuration
- Repurpose or retire system
- Hardware diagnostics
- SupportAssist Collection
- Easy-to-use system component names
- Using the system setup and boot manager
- Troubleshooting and frequently asked questions
Dell Lifecycle Controller GUI v2.70.70.70 User's Guide
Frequently asked questions
- When Lifecycle Controller downloads updates where
are the files stored?
The files are stored in a volatile memory, on the main system board. This memory is not removable and is not accessible through the operating system.
- Is a virtual media device or vFlash SD card required
to store data for updates?
No. The files are stored in memory on the main system board.
- What is virtual media?
Virtual media is remote media such as CDs, DVDs, and USB disk drives that a server identifies as local media.
- What should I do if an update fails?
If an update fails, Lifecycle Controller restarts, and then attempts all the pending updates that are selected. After the final restart, the system opens the Lifecycle Controller Home page. Launch Firmware Update again, select the updates that failed, and then click Apply.
NOTE: If the iDRAC firmware update is interrupted, you may have to wait up to 30 minutes before attempting another iDRAC firmware update. - What is vFlash SD card?
vFlash SD card is a formatted SD (Secure Digital) card that plugs into iDRAC Enterprise. vFlash SD card can be formatted and enabled through iDRAC to make it accessible as a USB drive for data storage. Virtual flash is a partition on vFlash SD card to which you can remotely write an ISO file. For more information, see the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) User’s Guide at www.dell.com/esmmanuals.
- Can I add my own drivers to use for operating
system installation?
No, you cannot add your own drivers for operating system installation. For more information on updating the drivers that are used for operating system installation, see Updating Platform.
- Can I update the drivers used by an already-installed
operating system through Lifecycle Controller?
No, Lifecycle Controller only provides drivers that are required for operating system installation. To update the drivers used by an installed operating system, see your operating system’s Help documentation.
- Can I add my own drivers and firmware for updating
Lifecycle Controller to a local USB drive?
No, only drivers and firmware downloaded from the Dell Server Updates DVD are supported. For more information, see Configuring Local USB Drive.
- Can I delete Lifecycle Controller?
No.
- Can I use a virtual media for the operating system
media source during installation?
Yes. For more information about iDRAC, see the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) User’s Guide at www.dell.com/esmmanuals.
- Can I use a virtual USB drive to update the repository?
Yes. For more information on using a virtual USB drive to update the repository, see the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) User’s Guide at www.dell.com/esmmanuals.
- What is UEFI? With which version of UEFI does Lifecycle
Controller comply?
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is a specification that defines a model for the interface between the operating systems and firmware on a server. The interface consists of data tables that contain platform-related information, along with boot and runtime calls available to the operating system and operating system loaders. This interface provides a standard environment for booting an operating system and running preboot applications. Lifecycle Controller complies with the UEFI version 2.3. For more information, go to uefi.org.
- Within Hardware Configuration, what is the difference
between the Configuration Wizards and Advanced Configuration?
Lifecycle Controller offers two methods to configure hardware: Configuration Wizards and Advanced Configuration.
Configuration Wizards guide you through a sequence of tasks to configure your system devices. The Configuration Wizards include iDRAC, RAID, System Date/Time, and Physical Security. For more information, see Configuring System and Advanced Hardware Configuration.
Advanced Configuration allows you to configure Human Interface Infrastructure (HII) –enabled devices (for example, NICs and BIOS). For more information Advanced Hardware Configuration.
- Does Lifecycle Controller support rollback of BIOS
and firmware?
Yes. For more information, see Firmware Rollback.
- Which devices support system updates?
Currently, Lifecycle Controller supports updates to the BIOS, iDRAC firmware, power supply firmware, and certain RAID and NIC controller firmware. For more information, see Updating Firmware.
- What should I do if my system stops responding while using Lifecycle Controller?If your system stops responding while using Lifecycle Controller, a black screen with red text is displayed. To resolve this problem, try restarting your system and enabling Lifecycle Controller. If the issue persists, contact your service provider. For more information about recovering Lifecycle Controller from the Lifecycle Controller Update Required mode, see the Recovery from Lifecycle Controller Update Required white paper available at www.delltechcenter.com/lc.
- How do I find out the currently installed version
details of the Lifecycle Controller product?
Click About on the top right corner of the Lifecycle Controller home page.
- What should I do if I have an issue with mouse
cursor synchronization when I access Lifecycle Controller through
the iDRAC Virtual Console?
Make sure that the Single Cursor option under Tools menu is selected on the iDRAC Virtual Console client. For more information, see the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) User’s Guide at www.dell.com/esmmanuals.
- Why should the CSIOR be enabled?
The Collect System Inventory On Restart (CSIOR) option must be enabled so that Lifecycle Controller can automatically collect the details of the hardware and software available on the system, update the database, and invoke part firmware update and hardware configuration at system startup. If you do not enable CSIOR, you must boot into LC UI and exit to sync and update software or hardware inventory.
- Why are some features not accessible in Lifecycle
Controller?
The features such as Lifecycle Log, Hardware Inventory (View and Export), Part Replacement, and vFlash SD card configuration depend on the latest iDRAC firmware. Make sure that the latest iDRAC firmware with Enterprise license is installed.
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