Installing the OS using SmartStart
Every time you buy HP Proliant and open a box with a new server, in addition to the server and the necessary installation options, you also get a “box with disks”, which most engineers brought up on ancient IT “wisdoms” put aside, safely forgetting about it after 10 minutes Remember about these boxes as a rule when cleaning the premises and in case of difficulties with the servers.
In the meantime, you can significantly simplify server setup and administration using only the regular software bundles in each such box and available to all ProLiant owners. Let's take a look at what exactly is on the disks, and take a separate look at the HP SmartStart utility on a specific example <OS installation MS Windows 2008 R2 SP1>.
So, inside the box are several disks:
- a disk distributed for free with every HP Proliant (except for some 100-series servers); designed to prepare the server, install the MS Windows OS and diagnose hardware and accessories.
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- a disk that includes wizards and a set of firmware relevant at the time of leaving the server from the factory (you can download the latest FW DVD from the HP website .
- another disk that will help in difficult moments (the old rule - “if nothing helps, then read the documentation” oddly works).
- a very remarkable disk with the monitoring system (System Insight manager - HP SIM) can also be updated by downloading from the Company's website , but now about SmartStart and the benefits of it.
If the OS is installed with the SmartStart disk, then in the end we will see something like the following picture by clicking on the link on the desktop after installation:
where 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 is shipped from the original distribution from Microsoft, then this will not happen. In the network, such a system, too, can hardly tell anything about its state of health.
The general advantages of such an installation are the ability to specify settings at the very beginning (keys, etc.) and the further installation will take place without the involvement of an engineer up to Winlogon. This saves time and allows the engineer to do more relevant tasks. All settings have already been made to the installation 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. If the installation is from the OS distribution, it will be necessary to install the Proliant Support Pack after installation and in most cases additional work will be required (depending on the equipment).
In addition to helping with the installation, two very remarkable utilities are always provided with the server along 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 start from - Online Edition - from under the installed OS and Offline Edition - from SmartStart.
Agree, useful help and, if you understand and read carefully - there should be no problems. However, if there is a desire to learn more - you can get training at TC HP, 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. The list of courses where the installation is considered: one and two . Of course, these courses are not limited.
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 did not stand still and the developers came up with how to simplify the installation of the server even more, and modern technologies came to the rescue. Now, in each HP Proliant Gen8 server in the iLO Management Engine, a flash module with an HP SmartStart analogue, HP Intelligent Provisioning, is soldered onto the motherboard. If necessary, it can be updated via the Internet directly through iLO, i.e. In fact, what happened on the surface happened - the integration of the server installation and diagnostics wizard into the server itself.
In the meantime, you can significantly simplify server setup and administration using only the regular software bundles in each such box and available to all ProLiant owners. Let's take a look at what exactly is on the disks, and take a separate look at the HP SmartStart utility on a specific example <OS installation MS Windows 2008 R2 SP1>.
So, inside the box are several disks:
Smartstart
- a disk distributed for free with every HP Proliant (except for some 100-series servers); designed to prepare the server, install the MS Windows OS and diagnose hardware and accessories.
')
Firmware dvd
- a disk that includes wizards and a set of firmware relevant at the time of leaving the server from the factory (you can download the latest FW DVD from the HP website .
Documentation Disc
- another disk that will help in difficult moments (the old rule - “if nothing helps, then read the documentation” oddly works).
Last DVD - Management DVD
- a very remarkable disk with the monitoring system (System Insight manager - HP SIM) can also be updated by downloading from the Company's website , but now about SmartStart and the benefits of it.
If the OS is installed with the SmartStart disk, then in the end we will see something like the following picture by clicking on the link on the desktop after installation:
where 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 is shipped from the original distribution from Microsoft, then this will not happen. In the network, such a system, too, can hardly tell anything about its state of health.
The general advantages of such an installation are the ability to specify settings at the very beginning (keys, etc.) and the further installation will take place without the involvement of an engineer up to Winlogon. This saves time and allows the engineer to do more relevant tasks. All settings have already been made to the installation 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. If the installation is from the OS distribution, it will be necessary to install the Proliant Support Pack after installation and in most cases additional work will be required (depending on the equipment).
In addition to helping with the installation, two very remarkable utilities are always provided with the server along 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 start from - Online Edition - from under the installed OS and Offline Edition - from SmartStart.
Agree, useful help and, if you understand and read carefully - there should be no problems. However, if there is a desire to learn more - you can get training at TC HP, 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. The list of courses where the installation is considered: one and two . Of course, these courses are not limited.
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 did not stand still and the developers came up with how to simplify the installation of the server even more, and modern technologies came to the rescue. Now, in each HP Proliant Gen8 server in the iLO Management Engine, a flash module with an HP SmartStart analogue, HP Intelligent Provisioning, is soldered onto the motherboard. If necessary, it can be updated via the Internet directly through iLO, i.e. In fact, what happened on the surface happened - the integration of the server installation and diagnostics wizard into the server itself.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/146464/
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