OS installation using SmartStart

    Each time you buy HP Proliant and open the box with a new server, in addition to the server and the necessary mounting options, you also get a “box with disks”, which most engineers raised on ancient IT “wisdom” put aside, safely forgetting about it after 10 minutes. These boxes are usually remembered when cleaning rooms and when difficulties arise with the servers.

    In the meantime, you can greatly simplify the configuration and administration of the server using only the standard software packages located in each such box and available to all ProLiant owners. Let's see what exactly is on the disks, and separately get acquainted with the HP SmartStart utility on a specific example of <installing OS MS Windows 2008 R2 SP1>.

    So, inside the box are several disks:

    Smartstart

    - A disk distributed free of charge with each HP Proliant (except for some 100-series servers); Designed for server preparation, installation of MS Windows OS and diagnostics of equipment and components.

    Firmware DVD

    - a disk that includes wizards and a set of firmware that were relevant at the time the server left the factory (you can download the latest FW DVD from the HP website .

    Documentation Disc

    - another disc that will help in difficult times (the old rule is "if nothing helps, then read the documentation" oddly enough).

    Latest Disc - Management DVD

    - a very remarkable disk with a monitoring system (System Insight manager - HP SIM) can also be updated by downloading from the Company's website , but now about SmartStart and its benefits.

    If the OS is installed with the participation of the SmartStart disk, then in the end we will see approximately the following picture by clicking on the link on the desktop after installation: where the server components and their statuses will be visible. All links on the SMH page are clickable and lead to a more complete description. The same data will be transmitted to the monitoring system (when you have it). If the OS comes from the original distribution from Microsoft, then this will not happen. On the network, such a system will also not be able to report almost nothing about its well-being.





    The general advantages of such an installation are the ability to specify the settings (keys, etc.) at the very beginning and the further installation will take place without the participation of an engineer up to Winlogon. This saves time and allows the engineer to take on more urgent tasks. All settings have already been entered into the Setup Wizard: If the OS is installed using SmartStart, all the necessary drivers and utilities are automatically taken from SmartStart and installed during the OS installation. In case of installation from the OS distribution kit, it will be necessary to install the Proliant Support Pack after installation and in most cases additional work (depending on the equipment).







    In addition to installation assistance to help an engineer, two very remarkable utilities are always provided with the server - Insight Diagnostics Online Edition and Insight Diagnostics Offline Edition. These utilities allow you to collect hardware information and diagnostics. The only difference is where the utilities are launched - Online Edition - from under the installed OS and Offline Edition - from SmartStart.

    Agree, a useful help and, if, understand and carefully read - there should be no problems. However, if there is a desire to learn more, you can get training at the CA KP located directly in the central office of the Company. The installation procedure is included in several courses and, of course, this is not limited to training. List of courses where installation is considered: one and two. Of course, these courses are not limited to.

    A useful reference in English: Version 8.70 HP ProLiant Support Pack for Windows and Linux User Guide

    For many years, the set of disks was a good companion of all HP Proliant servers, but progress does not stop and the developers figured out how to simplify the installation of the server even more and came to the rescue modern technologies. Now, in each HP Proliant Gen8 server in the iLO Management Engine, a flash module with an analogue of HP SmartStart, the HP Intelligent Provisioning system, is soldered on the motherboard. If necessary, it can be updated via the Internet directly through iLO, that is, in fact, what happened on the surface happened - the integration of the server setup and diagnostics wizard into the server itself.

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