Technical deck aimed at showcasing a number of the advanced features & benefits of Dell-EMC's embedded iDRAC (Dell Remote access controller) . The iDRAC 8 is the out-of-band controller solution for Dell-EMC's PowerEdge range of servers & blades.

1. Dell Remote Access Controller
Ten Advanced “DRAC” Features
For “Power” Users
Mark Maclean – PowerEdge Business Unit UK
Version 1.2 - March 2017

2. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.2
• GUI Console
(java/html5/active x)
• VNC
• RACADM cli
• SSH
• SNMP v1 & v3
• SMTP
• Syslog
• WS-Man
• Redfish
• iSM / OMSA
iDRAC Comprehensive & Automated
Broad Range Of API’s & Interfaces
• NFC Quick Sync
• iDRAC Direct USB port
• XML Server Template File
iDRAC8
+
Life Cycle
Controller
Update
Monitor
Maintain
Deploy
iDRAC
with
Lifecycle
Controller

3. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.3
iDRAC Management API
Firmware updates of most server devices
Setup & monitoring of Automated Updates
Setup of “Zero Touch” Deployment
Comprehensive configuration
Simple, XML-based configuration file
Access to embedded
driver packs for OS
deployment
Remote control of boot images for
OS deployment
Remote, automated diagnostics
Backup & restore profile
Log management
Tech Support Report
IO identity management (mac/WWN)
Hardware inventory
Firmware inventory
Event subscription & notification
Agent-free monitoring of server devices
Configuration baseline monitoring (via OME)
Performance monitoring
Power monitoring & capping
Powerful API with capabilities spanning entire server lifecycle

4. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.4
#1 : iDRAC Direct (USB Connect)
Full iDRAC GUI Session – No Nic Connection Required
• Support by 13 gen servers with iDRAC 8 & IDRAC direct shared usb port
• Connect a Type A/A USB cable from the laptop to server USB port #1
• iDRAC USB access port / enabled by default (can be disabled)
Management LED (if present) turns green and
remains ON for two seconds
USB port #1 “dual roll” also iDRAC port
Customer Benefit
Launch browser or ssh session from connected laptop using 169.254.0.3 for full
access to iDRAC gui/console, no network connection required

5. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.5
#2 : Server Configuration Profile - XML Template
BIOS, iDRAC, RAID, NIC, FC-HBA
& Lifecycle Controller configuration
information
Export/import the XML profile Via :
UBS
OME deployment solution
Remote CLI/script
DHCP zero touch / bare metal
Customer Benefit
One file automaticity configure 1000’s of servers fast & consistently
New Server
Provisioning
Server
Option 43/60

6. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.6
#3 : HTML 5 Virtual Console
Customer Benefit
No Java Required – supported by free firmware upgrade for iDRAC8 & iDRAC7
Java still supported if required plus active-x & VNC (VNC interface disable by default )

7. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.7
#4 : Agent-free Health Monitoring Of All Components
Including RAID storage
Customer Benefit
No os agent required for server health monitoring including storage
Including SSD wear level monitoring

8. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.8
#5 : Agent-free Storage Configuration Management
Comprehensive RAID configuration management
Customer Benefit
Fully configure all RAID set before OS is installed from iDRAC GUI
Together with hot spare management

9. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.9
Customer Benefit
No need for additional software or agents to monitor performance
#6 : Agent-free Server Performance Monitoring
Real-time system performance monitoring & alerting
• iDRAC8 expands Agent-free
monitoring with the ability to
monitor server performance
including CPU, Memory
Bandwidth and I/O utilization
• Reports near real-time and
historical performance, including
graphing
• Can send performance alerts to
the customer’s monitoring console
› Example: Alert me if the CPU
utilization exceeds 90% on a
server.

10. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.10
#7 : Quick Sync – Audit & Configure Via Phones “NFC”
Dell OpenManage Mobile “OMM” application download free
iDRAC “Quick Sync” Optional Server bezel
Just tap the button to manage via NFC
Requires an
NFC enable
android smart device
Customer Benefit
Get critical inventory, health and diagnostic information on a mobile phone
Configure iDRAC networking settings, credentials and even server boot order

11. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.11
#8 : iDRAC Service Module (iSM)
Optional lite agent to link to the OS with selectable features (small resource footprint)
Customer Benefit
Delivering iDRAC/server hardware events to OS including into OS logs (for log “scraping”)
Pass OS information to iDRAC

12. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.12
#9 : Lifecycle Controller - OS Independent Server Life Cycle Tasks
Dell EFI environment to deploy, configure, update, diagnose, repurpose and retire
Customer Benefit
Deploy OS with Dell “correct” drivers from LC on bare metal servers (Windows/Linux)
Easy 1 to 1 updating firmware from dell.com or local (driver pack is a firmware item)

13. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.13
#10 : Automated Embedded Server Support
Health status & configuration report integrated with Dell support
Customer Benefit
Addresses pain point of having to install & run DSET diagnostic program in server OS
Tech Support Report speeds problem diagnosis and resolution
• iDRAC now offers Tech Support Report, a continuously updated
health and status report that monitors over 5,000 key system
parameters
• 13G key enhancement: adds OS and application log reporting to
the 12G HW reporting for complete system diagnostic information
Report delivery options
• Open web browser to iDRAC GUI and save TSR then email to Dell
Support
Your time is valuable, why
waste it on troubleshooting
complex server problems?
Tech Support
Report
Dell Support Team

14. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.14
Bonus : For Modular Systems Display & Set Chassis CMC Address
Discover & Configure From iDRAC For PowerEdge FX2/VRTX/M1000
As nodes boots POST press <F2> to enter setup
select iDRAC setting
go to bottom of list of the idrac setup menu
Under “CMC SETTINGS”
select “CMC Network” link to review/configure CMC address

15. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.15
The industry’s first, and ONLY completely agent-free
embedded systems management solution
Content
style
guidelines
• Embedded server management
• Millions of servers deployed
• OME &Tier 1 console integration
• Stream line management tasks
• Automate deployments with
zero manual intervention
• Utilize real-time monitoring &
management without agents
iDRAC with
Lifecycle
Controller
99%
less time deploying
your servers
Spend
For iDRAC information, visit www.delltechcenter.com/idrac
OpenManage Mobile web site: www.dell.com/OMM
Dell Enterprise Systems Management website:
www.dell.com/EnterpriseSysMgmt
Resources & links

16. © Copyright 2016 Dell Inc.16
Thank You
&
Any Questions

18. Product History – Where did we come from?
DRAC
DRAC2
DRSC
DRAC3XT
ERA
ERA/O
DRAC3
DRAC4/I
DRAC4/P
DRAC5
Lifecycle Controller
iDRAC6
MMC DRAC/MC CMC
iDRAC iDRAC6
Blade Servers
Remote Power
Control
IPMI Interface,
Continuous Video
Virtual Media
Linux Kernel,
No OS Drivers
Integrated
Rich Features
Tiers, Integrated
Video
Integrated
Initial Blade
Launch
Separated Blade & Chassis Mgmt, Dell
Developed, Independent Blade Virtual
Console, More, Fabrics, Tuned for
Performance
Digital KVM
Flexible IO
Improved OOB
Access, Virtual
Console
LC2
iDRAC7
Automated
updates, Enhanced
Comms Support
VRTX, FX
Enablement
LC3
iDRAC8
Easy Restore.
TSR, iDRAC
Direct
Integrated on system board
Optional Ports
card