Dell Drac 5 User Guide

							Using and Configuring Virtual Media201
VM-CLI Operating System Shell Options 
The following operating system features can be used in the VM-CLI 
command line:
• stderr/stdout redirection — Redirects any printed utility output to a file. 
For example, using the greater-than character (>) followed by a filename 
overwrites the specified file with the printed output of the VM-CLI utility. 
 NOTE: The VM-CLI utility does not read from standard input (stdin). As a result, 
stdin redirection is not required.
• Background execution — By default, the VM-CLI utility runs in the 
foreground. Use the operating systems command shell features to cause 
the utility to run in the background. For example, under a Linux operating 
system, the ampersand character (&) following the command causes the 
program to be spawned as a new background process. 
The latter technique is useful in script programs, as it allows the script to 
proceed after a new process is started for the VM-CLI command (otherwise, 
the script would block until the VM-CLI program is terminated). When 
multiple VM-CLI instances are started in this way, and one or more of the 
command instances must be manually terminated, use the operating system-
specific facilities for listing and terminating processes. 
VM-CLI Return Codes 
0 = No error
1 = Unable to connect 
2 = VM-CLI command line error
3 = RAC firmware connection dropped
English-only text messages are also issued to standard error output whenever 
errors are encountered. 
						

							202Using and Configuring Virtual Media
Deploying Your Operating System Using VM-CLI
The Virtual Media Command Line Interface (VM-CLI) utility is a 
command-line interface that provides Virtual Media features from the 
management station to the DRAC 5 in the remote system. Using VM-CLI 
and scripted methods, you can deploy your operating system on multiple 
remote systems in your network.
This section provides information on integrating the VM-CLI utility into 
your corporate network.
Before You Begin
Before using the VM-CLI utility, ensure that your targeted remote systems 
and corporate network meet the requirements listed in the following sections.
Remote System Requirements
• DRAC 5 card is installed in each remote system
• The virtual device in each remote system is the first device in the BIOS 
boot order.
Dell Custom Factory Integration
When you order your Dell system using the Dell Custom Factory Integration 
(CFI) options, Dell can preconfigure your system with a DRAC 5 card that 
includes a DDNS name and a preconfigured system BIOS that is enabled for 
Virtual Media. Using this configuration, your system is ready to boot from its 
Virtual Media devices when installed into your corporate network. 
For more information, see the Dell website at www.dell.com. 
Network Requirements
You must have a network share containing:
• Operating system files
• Required drivers
• Operating system boot image file(s)
The image file must be a floppy image or CD/DVD ISO image with an 
industry-standard, bootable format.  
						

							Using and Configuring Virtual Media203
Creating a Bootable Image File 
Before you deploy your image file to the remote systems, ensure that a 
supported system can boot from the file. To test the image file, transfer the 
image file to a test system using the DRAC 5 Web user interface and then 
reboot the system.
The following sections provide specific information for creating image files 
for Linux and Windows systems.
Creating an Image File for Linux Systems
Use the Data Duplicator utility to create a bootable image file for your Linux 
system.
To run the utility, open a command prompt and type the following:
dd if= of=
Fo r  e x a m p l e :  
dd if=/dev/fd0 of=myfloppy.img
Creating an Image File for Windows Systems
When choosing a data replicator utility for Windows image files, select a 
utility that copies the image file and the CD/DVD boot sectors. 
Preparing for Deployment
Configuring the Remote Systems
1Create a network share that can be accessed by the management station.
2Copy the operating system files to the network share.
3If you have a bootable, preconfigured deployment image file to deploy the 
operating system to the remote systems, skip this step.
If you do not have a bootable, preconfigured deployment image file, create 
the file. Include any programs and/or scripts used for the operating system 
deployment procedures
For example, to deploy Microsoft Windows operating system, the image 
file may include programs that are similar to deployment methods used by 
Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS). 
						

							204Using and Configuring Virtual Media
When you create the image file, ensure that you:
• Follow standard network-based installation procedures
• Mark the deployment image as read only to ensure that each target 
system boots and executes the same deployment procedure
4Perform one of the following procedures:
• Integrate RACADM and the Virtual Media command line interface 
(VM-CLI) into your existing operating system deployment 
application. Use the sample deployment script as a guide when 
integrating the DRAC 5 utilities into your existing operating system 
deployment application. 
• Use the existing 
vmdeploy script to deploy your operating system.
Deploying the Operating System
Use the VM-CLI utility and the vmdeploy script included with the utility to 
deploy the operating system to your remote systems. 
Before you begin, review the sample vmdeploy script included with the 
VM-CLI utility. The script offers detailed requirements to deploy the 
operating system to remote systems in your network.
The following procedure is a high-level overview for deploying the operating 
system on targeted remote systems.
1
Identify the remote systems that will be deployed.
2Record the DRAC 5 names and IP addresses of the targeted remote systems.
3Perform the following procedure for each targeted remote system:
aConfigure a VM-CLI process that includes the following parameters 
for the targeted system:
• DRAC 5 IP address or DDNS name
• Bootable deployment image file name
•DRAC 5 user name
•DRAC 5 user password
bUsing RACADM, set the target DRAC 5 boot once option.
cUsing RACADM, reboot the DRAC 5 system. 
						

							Using and Configuring Virtual Media205
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes, I notice my Virtual Media client connection drops. Why?
When a network time-out occurs, the DRAC 5 firmware drops the 
connection, disconnecting the link between the server and the Virtual Drive. 
To reconnect to the Virtual Drive, use the Virtual Media feature.
Which operating systems support the DRAC 5?
See the Dell Systems Software Support Matrix on the Dell Support website at 
support.dell.com/manuals for a list of supported operating systems.
Which Web browsers support the DRAC 5?
See the Dell Systems Software Support Matrix on the Dell Support website at 
support.dell.com/manuals for a list of supported Web browsers. 
Why do I sometimes lose my client connection?
• You can sometimes lose your client connection if the network is slow or if 
you change the CD in the client system CD drive. For example, if you 
change the CD in the client system’s CD drive, the new CD might have an 
autostart feature. If this is the case, the firmware can time out and the 
connection can be lost if the client system takes too long before it is ready 
to read the CD. If a connection is lost, reconnect from the GUI and 
continue the previous operation. 
• When a network time-out occurs, the DRAC 5 firmware drops the 
connection, disconnecting the link between the server and the Virtual 
Drive. To reconnect to the Virtual Drive, use the Virtual Media feature.
What should I do if Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 fails to install 
properly?
If you use Virtual Media and the Windows 2000 operating system CD to 
install Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4, your system may momentarily lose 
its connection to the CD drive during the installation procedure, and the 
operating system may fail to install properly. To fix this issue, download the 
file usbstor.sys from the Microsoft Support website at support.microsoft.com 
and run the program only on systems that experience this issue. For more 
information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 823086. 
						

							206Using and Configuring Virtual Media
Why can’t I install Windows 2000 locally or remotely?
This issue usually happens if Virtual Flash is enabled and does not contain a 
valid image, for example, the virtual flash contains a corrupted or random 
image, you may not be able to install Windows 2000 locally or remotely. To 
fix this issue, install a valid image on Virtual Flash or disable Virtual Flash if it 
will not be used during the installation procedure.
Why does the Virtual Media connection drop when configured in the 
Shared-NIC mode?
Installing network and chipset drivers on the server causes the Virtual Media 
connection to drop when configured in the Shared-NIC mode. Installing the 
network or chipset drivers causes the LOM to reset, which in turn causes 
network packets to timeout and the Virtual Media connection to timeout and 
drop. To work around this issue, copy the drivers from your virtual drive to 
the server’s local hard drive. To prevent a dropped Virtual Media connection 
from interfering with your driver installation procedure, start the driver 
installation directly from the server.
An installation of the Windows operating system seems to take too 
long. Why?
If you are installing the Windows operating system using the Dell Systems 
Management Tools and Documentation DVD and experience a slow network 
connection, the installation procedure may require an extended amount of 
time to access the DRAC 5 Web-based interface due to network latency. 
While the installation window does not indicate the installation progress, the 
installation procedure is in progress.
I am viewing the contents of a floppy drive or USB memory key. If I try to 
establish a Virtual Media connection using the same drive, I receive a 
connection failure message and am asked to retry. Why?
Simultaneous access to Virtual Floppy drives is not allowed. Close the 
application used to view the drive contents before you attempt to virtualize 
the drive.
How do I configure my virtual device as a bootable device?
On the managed system, access the BIOS Setup and navigate to the boot 
menu. Locate the virtual CD, Virtual Floppy, or Virtual Flash and change the 
device boot order as needed. For example, to boot from a CD drive, configure 
the CD drive as the first drive in the boot order. 
						

							Using and Configuring Virtual Media207
What types of media can I boot from?
The DRAC 5 allows you to boot from the following bootable media:
• CDROM/DVD Data media
• ISO 9660 image 
• 1.44 Floppy disk or floppy image
• DRAC 5 embedded virtual flash
• A USB key that is recognized by the operating system as a removable disk
•A USB key image
How can I make my USB key bootable?
Only USB keys with Windows 98 DOS can boot from the Virtual Floppy. To 
configure your own bootable USB key, boot to a Windows 98 startup disk and 
copy system files from the startup disk to your USB key. For example, from 
the DOS prompt, type the following command:
sys a: x: /s 
where x: is the USB key you want to make bootable.
You can also use the Dell boot utility to create a bootable USB key. This 
utility is only compatible with Dell-branded USB keys. To download the 
utility, open a supported Web browser, navigate to the Dell Support website 
located at support.dell.com, and search for R122672.exe.
Do I need Administrator privileges to install the ActiveX plug-in?
You must have Administrator or Power User privileges on Windows systems 
to install the Virtual Media plug-in.
What privileges do I need to install and use the Virtual Media plug-in on a 
Red Hat Linux Management station?
Yo u  m u s t  h a v e  Write privileges on the browser’s directory tree to 
successfully install the Virtual Media plug-in. 
						

							208Using and Configuring Virtual Media
I cannot locate my Virtual Floppy device on a system running Red Hat 
Enterprise Linux or the SUSE Linux operating System. My Virtual Media is 
attached and I am connected to my remote floppy. What should I do?
Some Linux versions do not automount the Virtual Floppy Drive and the 
Virtual CD drive in a similar manner. In order to mount the Virtual Floppy 
Drive, locate the device node that Linux assigns to the Virtual Floppy Drive. 
Perform the following steps to correctly find and mount the Virtual 
Floppy Drive:
1
Open a Linux command prompt and run the following command: 
grep Virtual Floppy /var/log/messages 
2Locate the last entry to that message and note the time.
3At the Linux prompt, run the following command: 
grep hh:mm:ss /var/log/messages 
where:
hh:mm:ss is the time stamp of the message returned by grep in step 1.
4In step 3, read the result of the grep command and locate the device name 
that is given to the Dell Virtual Floppy 
5Ensure that you are attached and connected to the Virtual Floppy Drive.
6At the Linux prompt, run the following command:
mount /dev/sdx /mnt/floppy
where:
/dev/sdx is the device name found in step 4 
/mnt/floppy is the mount point.
What file system types are supported on my Virtual Floppy Drive or Virtual 
Flash?
Your Virtual Floppy Drive or Virtual Flash supports FAT16 or FAT32 file 
systems. 
						

							Using and Configuring Virtual Media209
When I performed a firmware update remotely using the DRAC 5 Web-
based interface, my virtual drives at the server were removed. Why?
Firmware updates cause the DRAC 5 to reset, drop the remote connection, 
and unmount the virtual drives. The drives will reappear when the DRAC 
reset is complete.
When enabling or disabling the Virtual Flash, I noticed that all my virtual 
drives disappeared and then reappeared. Why?
Disabling or enabling the Virtual Flash causes a USB reset and causes all 
virtual drives to detach from and then reattach to the USB bus.
How can I install a Web browser on my management station that has a read-
only file system?
If you are running Linux and your management station has a read-only file 
system, a browser can be installed on a client system without requiring a 
connection to a DRAC 5. By using the native plug-in installation package, the 
browser can be manually installed during the client setup phase. 
 CAUTION: In a read-only client environment, if the DRAC 5 firmware is updated to 
a newer version of the plug-in, the installed virtual media plug-in becomes 
inoperative. This is because earlier plug-in features are not allowed to function 
when the firmware contains a newer plug-in version. In this case, you are 
prompted for plug-in installation. Since the file system is read-only, the 
installation fails and the plug-in features are not available.
To obtain the plug-in installation package:
1
Login to an existing DRAC 5.
2Change the URL in the browsers address bar, from:
https:///cgi-bin/webcgi/main
to:
https:///plugins/ # Be sure to include the 
trailing slash.
3
Locate the two subdirectories vm and vkvm. Navigate to the appropriate 
subdirectory, right click the 
rac5XXX.xpi file, and select Save Link 
Target As....
4Choose a location to save the plug-in installation package file. 
						

							210Using and Configuring Virtual Media
To install the plug-in installation package:
1
Copy the installation package to the clients native file system share that is 
accessible by the client.
2Open an instance of the browser on the client system.
3Enter the file-path to the plug-in installation package in the browsers 
address bar. For example:
file:///tmp/rac5vm.xpi
4The browser guides the user through plug-in installation.
Once installed, the browser will not prompt for that plug-in installation again, 
as long as the target DRAC 5 firmware does not contain a newer version of 
the plug-in.