June 8, 2016 at 10:25Servers under control
A well-functioning IT infrastructure is the foundation for a successful business. An important role in this is played by the management of information systems. What exactly distinguishes the modern approach to IT management? First of all, it is simplicity (built-in server management tools or software agents), efficiency (automated and replicated processes) and high reliability (uninterrupted operation and availability of management tools).
Sysadmin tool for
company Dell has developed a data center software package for Dell OpenManage system administrators. It contains a number of tools and modules for managing a large number of servers and requires the Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) or the OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA) software agent to work.
Using the iDRAC management board installed in the Dell PowerEdge server with a Lyfecycle Controller allows you to implement features such as deploying, updating, monitoring, and servicing server hardware. Thanks to iDRAC, the replacement of failed components is up to six times faster. IDRAC is compatible with all operating systems and hypervisors.
Using Lifecycle Controller, administrators can configure hardware and BIOS, deploy operating systems and configure RAID, update drivers and firmware, and save hardware profiles.
Another access method supported by OpenManage is the OMSA agent installed on the server. Dell OpenManage Server Administrator is a complete system management solution that supports two ways of working:
Server Administrator allows system administrators to control systems locally and remotely.
What's in the package?
Dell system management solutions include OpenManage management consoles (Essentials, Mobile, Power Center , Chassis Management Controller), converged infrastructure management tools (Active System Manager), tools and utilities (Repository Manager, OpenManage Server Administrator), integration tools with management consoles of other vendors (Microsoft System Center, VMware vCenter) and connections to management consoles HPE, IBM, Oracle, Nagios.
The main component of Dell OpenManage is the OpenManage Essentials management console. It automatically detects, deletes, catalogs Dell PowerEdge servers, storage systems, network equipment, and Dell SonicWALL firewalls. When using iDRAC, the product does not require software agents. Dell OpenManage Essentials also allows you to automatically deploy a large number of servers using hardware and operating system profiles.
Dell OpenManage Essentials software gives administrators a comprehensive picture of the health status of Dell resources in the dashboard interface. Users can configure the service notification when specified events occur in the data center. OpenManage Essentials also installs firmware (firmware) and drivers on PowerEdge servers, and Dell Repository Manager is used to update systems behind the firewall. Let us dwell on the main functions of the product in more detail.
Key Features of Dell OpenManage Essentials
Key features of Dell OpenManage Essentials (OME) include:
For example, Dell OME significantly (from 74 to 5) reduces the number of steps involved in configuring the Dell PowerEdge R730 server compared to legacy methods.
Add-on Modules
Dell OpenManage Essentials also includes four add-on modules:
Other features
The Dell OpenManage Essentials console monitors the status of PowerEdge servers, Dell PowerVault and Dell EqualLogic storage systems, and Dell PowerConnect switches. This simple, cost-effective approach to integrated management meets the needs of most enterprises. In addition, OpenManage tracks warranty periods for Dell hardware.
Thus, OpenManage Essentials software simplifies and automates the tasks of managing data center equipment, for example, allows you to automate the management of Dell PowerEdge servers throughout their entire life cycle. It is easy to install, and working with it is not difficult.
Using the Dell OpenManage Power Center, you can monitor the energy use of servers (up to 2,000 servers), collect and view energy statistics.
OpenManage Essentials supports the deployment of servers using templates, reveals changes in their configuration. OME automates a total of 213 manual processes. In particular, you can assign a configuration template to the server and quickly check whether it matches it.
OpenManage integrates Dell SupportAssist Remote Support. Dell employees can remotely inventory client hardware, monitor their performance, perform diagnostics and monitoring, and collect logs. Moreover, not only Dell equipment is supported, but also systems of other vendors. As a result, it takes 91% less time to support server profiles, and network settings are up to 55% faster.
For new Dell servers (for example, R630, R730 and R730xd), the front panel supports Near Field Communication (NFC) communications: by simply pressing a button on the server panel, you can connect to the server via an Android smartphone with the Dell OpenManage mobile application installed and get full information about server, upload the updated configuration to the server, as well as perform a reboot and some other actions.
Now the mobile application has the ability to directly connect to Dell servers via NFC. The previous version for connecting from a mobile device required entering the IP address of the iDRAC controller. Starting with version 8, the iDRAC management platform, in addition to the integrated Quick Sync NFC interface, includes the ability to host new temperature and power profiles for Intel processors.
HTML 5 support for accessing the iDRAC vConsole and vMedia improves the reliability and security of using the iDRAC virtual console and media - it does not require ActiveX or Java.
Dell OpenManage Essentials vs. HPE OneView
It's interesting to compare these management consoles of two leading server vendors. Such testing was conducted at Principled Technologies . The test configuration included a Dell PowerEdge R630 server with iDRAC (with Lifecycle Controller Express) and an HPE ProLiant DL360 server with iLO Advanced Management Controller and Insight Control Console software.
Time (sec) spent on creating a server template.
The following results were obtained. Dell OME deploys 40% faster, easier to use (only one tool is needed for all tasks), 63% faster to update (firmware downloads and installs automatically), and 93% cheaper on license cost.
This means that the owner of 50 Dell servers will save up to $ 51,400 by using OME, and the owner of 200 servers will save up to $ 205,600. To accomplish comparable tasks, OME uses one tool for $ 70, and the HPE OneView for two for $ 1,098. When deploying OME in a Hyper-V or VMware virtual environment, the Dell Management Console uses one virtual machine, and OneView uses at least three. Creating a server template in OME requires up to 88% less time. In addition, unlike HPE tools, OME can quickly detect deviations in server configuration from initial values. And small companies with Dell OpenManage tools can reduce deployment time by 40% and simplify server management.
Sysadmin tool for
company Dell has developed a data center software package for Dell OpenManage system administrators. It contains a number of tools and modules for managing a large number of servers and requires the Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) or the OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA) software agent to work.
Using the iDRAC management board installed in the Dell PowerEdge server with a Lyfecycle Controller allows you to implement features such as deploying, updating, monitoring, and servicing server hardware. Thanks to iDRAC, the replacement of failed components is up to six times faster. IDRAC is compatible with all operating systems and hypervisors.
Using Lifecycle Controller, administrators can configure hardware and BIOS, deploy operating systems and configure RAID, update drivers and firmware, and save hardware profiles.
Another access method supported by OpenManage is the OMSA agent installed on the server. Dell OpenManage Server Administrator is a complete system management solution that supports two ways of working:
- Via an integrated web browser-based graphical user interface (GUI).
- Through the command line interface (CLI) within the operating system.
Server Administrator allows system administrators to control systems locally and remotely.
What's in the package?
Dell system management solutions include OpenManage management consoles (Essentials, Mobile, Power Center , Chassis Management Controller), converged infrastructure management tools (Active System Manager), tools and utilities (Repository Manager, OpenManage Server Administrator), integration tools with management consoles of other vendors (Microsoft System Center, VMware vCenter) and connections to management consoles HPE, IBM, Oracle, Nagios.
The main component of Dell OpenManage is the OpenManage Essentials management console. It automatically detects, deletes, catalogs Dell PowerEdge servers, storage systems, network equipment, and Dell SonicWALL firewalls. When using iDRAC, the product does not require software agents. Dell OpenManage Essentials also allows you to automatically deploy a large number of servers using hardware and operating system profiles.
Dell OpenManage Essentials software gives administrators a comprehensive picture of the health status of Dell resources in the dashboard interface. Users can configure the service notification when specified events occur in the data center. OpenManage Essentials also installs firmware (firmware) and drivers on PowerEdge servers, and Dell Repository Manager is used to update systems behind the firewall. Let us dwell on the main functions of the product in more detail.
Key Features of Dell OpenManage Essentials
Key features of Dell OpenManage Essentials (OME) include:
- Resource management of data centers and their accounting. The data collected for resource accounting should be complete and include virtualization platforms, network devices, printers, computer hardware, and software. Updating this data should not interfere with other daily tasks. Dell OpenManage Essentials uses the standard protocols SNMP, IPMI, CIM, WMI, as well as other protocols that allow you to fully automate this task.
- System configuration management. The overall operational state of the IT infrastructure depends on the ability to manage configurations of various systems. OpenManage provides centralized management of a heterogeneous environment.
- Dell System Update Management. Monitoring driver and firmware updates is an important element of IT. OME has integrated Dell System Update features and offers various management options to suit your IT environment.
- Monitoring systems and troubleshooting failures. The Dell OME toolkit provides active monitoring of systems via SNMP and IPMI, sends a list of identified problems for troubleshooting to support.
- Reporting on resources and operations of the data center. Advanced reporting features are available to track progress and verify processes.
For example, Dell OME significantly (from 74 to 5) reduces the number of steps involved in configuring the Dell PowerEdge R730 server compared to legacy methods.
Add-on Modules
Dell OpenManage Essentials also includes four add-on modules:
- Using the Dell OpenManage Mobile application, data center administrators can control PowerEdge servers from a mobile device: receive notifications, help desk requests, view event and inventory logs.
- Dell OpenManage Connections plug-ins enable Dell Management to communicate with Oracle Enterprise Manager, HPE Operations Manager, IBM Tivoli, and CA Technologies NSM. Through the interface plug-in OpenManage Connections, you can simultaneously manage new servers and use the management software of other vendors to work with legacy systems.
- Dell OpenManage Integration Suite for Microsoft System Center functions similarly to OpenManage Connections, but it is designed specifically for the Microsoft System Center management system.
- To manage virtual infrastructure, Dell OpenManage Integration Suite for VMware vCenter integrates with servers running VMware vCenter. This module comes with the Chassis Management Controller monitoring service. Through integration with vCenter, you can save ESX and ESXi server configurations.
Other features
The Dell OpenManage Essentials console monitors the status of PowerEdge servers, Dell PowerVault and Dell EqualLogic storage systems, and Dell PowerConnect switches. This simple, cost-effective approach to integrated management meets the needs of most enterprises. In addition, OpenManage tracks warranty periods for Dell hardware.
Thus, OpenManage Essentials software simplifies and automates the tasks of managing data center equipment, for example, allows you to automate the management of Dell PowerEdge servers throughout their entire life cycle. It is easy to install, and working with it is not difficult.
Using the Dell OpenManage Power Center, you can monitor the energy use of servers (up to 2,000 servers), collect and view energy statistics.
OpenManage Essentials supports the deployment of servers using templates, reveals changes in their configuration. OME automates a total of 213 manual processes. In particular, you can assign a configuration template to the server and quickly check whether it matches it.
OpenManage integrates Dell SupportAssist Remote Support. Dell employees can remotely inventory client hardware, monitor their performance, perform diagnostics and monitoring, and collect logs. Moreover, not only Dell equipment is supported, but also systems of other vendors. As a result, it takes 91% less time to support server profiles, and network settings are up to 55% faster.
For new Dell servers (for example, R630, R730 and R730xd), the front panel supports Near Field Communication (NFC) communications: by simply pressing a button on the server panel, you can connect to the server via an Android smartphone with the Dell OpenManage mobile application installed and get full information about server, upload the updated configuration to the server, as well as perform a reboot and some other actions.
Now the mobile application has the ability to directly connect to Dell servers via NFC. The previous version for connecting from a mobile device required entering the IP address of the iDRAC controller. Starting with version 8, the iDRAC management platform, in addition to the integrated Quick Sync NFC interface, includes the ability to host new temperature and power profiles for Intel processors.
HTML 5 support for accessing the iDRAC vConsole and vMedia improves the reliability and security of using the iDRAC virtual console and media - it does not require ActiveX or Java.
Dell OpenManage Essentials vs. HPE OneView
It's interesting to compare these management consoles of two leading server vendors. Such testing was conducted at Principled Technologies . The test configuration included a Dell PowerEdge R630 server with iDRAC (with Lifecycle Controller Express) and an HPE ProLiant DL360 server with iLO Advanced Management Controller and Insight Control Console software.
Time (sec) spent on creating a server template.
The following results were obtained. Dell OME deploys 40% faster, easier to use (only one tool is needed for all tasks), 63% faster to update (firmware downloads and installs automatically), and 93% cheaper on license cost.
This means that the owner of 50 Dell servers will save up to $ 51,400 by using OME, and the owner of 200 servers will save up to $ 205,600. To accomplish comparable tasks, OME uses one tool for $ 70, and the HPE OneView for two for $ 1,098. When deploying OME in a Hyper-V or VMware virtual environment, the Dell Management Console uses one virtual machine, and OneView uses at least three. Creating a server template in OME requires up to 88% less time. In addition, unlike HPE tools, OME can quickly detect deviations in server configuration from initial values. And small companies with Dell OpenManage tools can reduce deployment time by 40% and simplify server management.