I need to configure the PowerConnect 5316M switch embedded in the Blade chassis PE 1855. Unfortunately the previous administrators have lost the CD pack, so I need the OpenManage Switch Administrator tool. Do you know where I can download it? Is it included into the OpenManage Server administrator pack? Thanks in advance to all. Modern IT infrastructures are powerful and flexible, yet, often complex and challenging to manage. The Dell EMC OpenManage systems management portfolio helps tame the complexity of your IT infrastructure with intuitive tools that work together to deliver automated, repeatable processes, based on your unique policies, enabling effortless management.
I recently acquired a couple of Dell PowerEdge R310 servers. These are now part of my testing environment and although not exactly cutting-edge technology, they do the job just fine. Incidentally, these servers are an excellent choice for a home lab as you can find them dirt cheap especially on eBay.
To download the latest version of OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA) for your system: Navigate to Dell.com/support and select your model or enter service tag. Select Drivers & downloads Select the Operating System for your system. Overall, Dell Openmanage Switch Administrator is a very Dell Openmanage Switch Administrator program, but it proved to be very useful at those times when the cursor gets in the way. Dell Openmanage Switch Administrator works Dell Openmanage Switch Administrator your e-mail client and the Internet and examines every incoming e-mail. Dell Openmanage Switch Administrator for Mac is an instant messaging Dell Openmanage Switch Administrator with quite a few extras added. Dell Openmanage Switch Administrator for Mac is available from the Dell Openmanage Switch Administrator Store as well as many download sites. It installs easily.
An added bonus is the fact that ESXi 6.5 U1 installed like a charm first time around. No issues whatsoever. I used this custom Dell ESXi ISO image to mitigate against missing drivers and I now have both servers running in a cluster. Note that the R310 is not supported by VMware for 6.5 use. This means you lose support should you require it. You can read my How to use VMware compatibility tools post to learn on how to rule out hardware and software compatibility issues.
The subject of today’s post is the Dell OpenManage suite of management products. These tools will help you to better manage your Dell-based server and network infrastructure. The one product I’ll be covering today is Dell OpenManage Server Administrator, OMSA for short.
Installing OMSA on ESXi is a 2 or 3-part process. The first step is to install a VIB on ESXi which reports back to a free OMSA Web Server component installed separately on a Windows server. Optionally, you can also install the OpenManage Integration for VMware vCenter appliance on vCenter Server which gives you access to features other than what’s available via the Web Server. The Integration appliance can be evaluated, fully, for a 90-day period up to 5 hosts.
This post covers the process of deploying the OMSA VIB to ESXi 6.5.
Downloading and Installing the OpenManage VIB
First things first, download your applicable version of the OMSA VIB from here. You’ll find that there’s a corresponding version for every ESXi release. In my case, I selected 8.5 since I’m deploying it to ESXi 6.5.
Download links for the OMSA VIB
When it comes to deploying the OMSA VIB, you can either install it manually using the esxcli shell command or via vSphere Update Manager if you have vCenter Server installed. The latter is the preferred option when you have a sizable amount of hosts to patch, or deploy VIBS to.
The Manual Way
After you download the OMSA VIB file, upload it to the host using Datastore Browser. If ESXi is vCenter managed, use the vSphere Web client or the HTML5 vSphere client instead. For standalone instances, use the embedded host client. Alternatively, use an SCP client to transfer the VIB file to the host.
Once uploaded, enable SSH on the ESXi host and use putty, or similar, to log in as root.
Using the ESXi host client to upload the OMSA VIB to a datastore
Run the following command from the shell command. Substitute datastore with the name of the datastore to which the OMSA VIB has been uploaded.
ESXi host about to reboot after application of OMSA VIB
In the second part of this mini-series, I’ll cover the process of installing the OMSA Web application as well as the vCenter Server plug-in. Both components will enable you to connect and manage the Dell Server hosting your ESXi instance. Here’s a taster of what’s next.
The web-based component of OpenManage Server Administrator seen here managing a Dell R310 server running ESX 6.5 U1
Until then, do have a look at the other posts on this blog while keeping an eye out for this post’s sequel.
Your thoughts on Dell OpenManage Server Administrator
Have you followed the steps in this guide? If so, please let me know how you got on. If you’ve experienced any problems with the steps above, I’m here to help out. Finally, if you have anything on your mind about Dell OpenManage Server Administrator – installing it on ESXi or otherwiese – let me know in the comment section below. I’m here to help you!
Free download: Dell EMC OpenManage™ Essentials systems management software.
Free download: Dell EMC OpenManage™ Essentials systems management software.
Simplify and automate your most essential hardware management tasks to maximize IT productivity and business continuity.
OpenManage Essentials (OME) v2.5 is an easy-to-install, simple-to-use, one-to-many systems management console optimized to provide comprehensive lifecycle management for Dell EMC PowerEdge modular, rack and tower servers. OpenManage Essentials also delivers extensive monitoring, control and support for both Dell EMC and third-party hardware.
Take advantage of these additional OpenManage Essentials benefits:
Dell Openmanage Server Administrator Dow…
- Agent-free firmware updates for PowerEdge servers
- Rapid detection, remediation and ongoing maintenance if server firmware or hardware configurations drift from user-defined, baseline settings
- Ability to generate a server “virtual identity profile” for stateless configuration management
- Streamlined network setup and management of PowerEdge MX7000, FX and VRTX modular infrastructure
- “Geographic View” mapping to assist in remote management of FX2 and VRTX systems
- Anytime, anywhere access to hardware health status and alerts through OpenManage Mobile
- Automated support case generation enabled through Dell EMC SupportAssist
To start using OpenManage Essentials, simply complete this form to access your software download.
Complete this form to download your free OpenManage Essentials systems management software
Dell Switch Management Software
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