Platform-specific documentation/Dell PowerEdge RN00

From Wikitech
  • Lights Out Manager: Dell iDRAC/5
  • Model(s): Dell Poweredge RN00 series servers we use:
  • Dell PowerEdge R300
  • Up to 4 disks, most populated with 2.

Lights Out Management

The iDRAC/5 card has a dedicated enterprise addon RJ45 socket which can be used independently from the main NICs.

The drac prompt will be

 $

Common actions

Connecting to serial console

Log in with SSH on the DRAC5/i card as root, and use the command

$ connect com2

You might see a message that com2 is in use without it being indeed in use. After checking out with the rest of team reset the DRAC

$ racadm racreset

During system boot, Dell servers show this help screen with key mappings:


        Press the spacebar to pause...

        KEY MAPPING FOR CONSOLE REDIRECTION:

        Use the <ESC><0> key sequence for <F10>
        Use the <ESC><!> key sequence for <F11>
        Use the <ESC><@> key sequence for <F12>

        Use the <ESC><Ctrl><M> key sequence for <Ctrl><M>
        Use the <ESC><Ctrl><H> key sequence for <Ctrl><H>
        Use the <ESC><Ctrl><I> key sequence for <Ctrl><I>
        Use the <ESC><Ctrl><J> key sequence for <Ctrl><J>

        Use the <ESC><X><X> key sequence for <Alt><x>, where x is any letter
        key, and X is the upper case of that key

        Use the <ESC><R><ESC><r><ESC><R> key sequence for <Ctrl><Alt><Del>

Disconnect from the console with Control \

Changing DRAC User Password

Console in to DRAC.

Changing the password:

racadm config -g cfgUserAdmin -o cfgUserAdminPassword -i 2 <newpassword>

Changing the DRAC IP Configuration

Console in to DRAC.

racadm setniccfg -s <ipaddres> <subnetmask> <gateway>

If DRAC fails to connect

when booting go into DRAC settings under Lan settings change from shared to dedicated. Factory direct Dell Motherboard settings are for shared

Also check to make sure DRAC is turned on in the DRAC menu

Common Failures

Sometimes this command fails with the error message

connect: com2 port is currently in use 

The only workaround for this annoying bug so far seems to reset the DRAC:

$ racadm racreset soft

After about 30 seconds it should come up again.

Also, there seems to be a timeout on the DRAC console of 300s. When you have an idle SSH session, it won't throw you out after 300s, it will do that after you give the next command.

Power cycling

Log in with SSH on the DRAC5/i card, and use the command:

$ racadm serveraction action

where action is one of the following:

  • powerdown - power server off
  • powerup - power server on
  • powercycle - perform server power cycle
  • hardreset - force hard server power reset
  • powerstatus - display current power status of server

Alternatively, use the SM CLP shell, after logging in:

$ smclp

Then, use on of the following commands, as suited:

reset /system1
stop /system1
start /system1

PXE booting

racadm config -g cfgServerInfo -o cfgServerBootOnce 1
racadm config -g cfgServerInfo -o cfgServerFirstBootDevice PXE
racadm serveraction powercycle
console com2

Help screens

$ racadm help

and

$ racadm help command

BIOS settings

The following settings should normally be changed from the defaults & MUST BE CHANGED VIA PHYSICAL CONSOLE:

  • Serial communication: On with console redirection via COM2 & set to highest setting (115200)
  • Front-panel LCD set to the system hostname
  • If system fails pxe boot check the SATA settings in the BIOS if it is set to Auto Disable this setting "only for SAS systems"

You can also find the host's MAC address via the BIOS (for setting up DHCP)

Server Model Specifics

PowerEdge R300 Raid

  • There is PERC S100 Virtual Disk Management card installed in these systems; but that is WINDOWS-ONLY software raid supported chipset.
  • We do not use the raid utities of this card, install all disks as non-raid disks (use software raid from within Ubuntu.)
  • If the psuedo-raid controller has had disks setup within it, they need to be deleted out of any managed array.
  • The following steps assume system is offline, if it is not, system will need to be taken offline as this will require reboot, and will break any raid array installed (so system will require reinstall.)
  • Most systems never have this done, and these instructions are still included, but may never need doing again at this point, as we do not purchase these systems anymore (they are old model and have been phased out.)
  • Connect to serial console & reboot the system.
  • During post, when the Raid controller POSTS, press Ctrl+r.
  • If you don't get an Ctrl+R option during boot, go to BIOS (hit F2), go to SATA settings and switch from ATA mode to "RAID mode".
  • After enabling that you need to confirm it TWICE by hitting Y when warned about changing mode will result in data loss:
  • Now when you reboot you will see the raid controller bios option to hit Ctrl+r to enter.
  • Now you should get the CTRL+R option to get into PERC management.
  • Once inside the RAID bios, delete any virtual disks until all disks are not in arrays, then save and exit.

External Links