Automation | TheSaffaGeek

A few weeks ago I had to install OpenManage on some of my newer dell server machines and since some of the settings have changed since I last used it I thought I would write up a list of the steps required for our teams wiki site and write up a blog posting of the the steps for anyone who hasn’t done it before.So belatedly here are the steps and cool new tricks some of my friends on twitter showed me.

Firstly the standard steps:

Download the tar file from the ftp site or the support site
Copy the file using winscp(this is what i use at least) to /tmp/openmanage on the server
Log into the box either via winscp /via putty or onto the console directly and type in:

cd /tmp/openmanage
tar -zxvf OM_X.X.0_ManNode_A01.tar.gz (OM_6.2.0_ManNode_A00.tar currently)
Once the files have unpacked type in:
cd linux/supportscripts/
./srvadmin-install.sh -x (-x is for express install and installs everything but if you only want to install specific features the commands you can also use are -d -w -r –s )

-d = Dell Agent
-w = web interface
-r = DRAC services
-s = storage management
Once the files have unpacked and installed type:
srvadmin-services.sh start
When the various component services have finished starting type in:
cd /tmp
rm -rf Openmanage
To allow the Openmanage agent to function the following firewall commands need to be run, these open the firewall ports required:
esxcfg-firewall -o 1311,tcp,in,OpenManageRequest

While asking a few friends on twitter if the latest Openmanage worked well in their environments Arne Fokkema @afokkema of ict-freak-nl fame pointed to the automated scripting way of doing it written up by Scott Hanson @dellservergeek . As you may know if you’ve read some of my previous blog posting I’m trying to learn how to script more and more of my daily tasks to firstly build my powershell and scripting knowledge and skills as well as making my daily job easier. The script is really simple and is one I’m planning to test in my lab environment very soon. At the bottom of the script though was a comment by one of my powershell idols in Alan Renouf @alanrenouf. He had changed a few of the snmpd commands and so I got a hold of him via twitter and classic him he mailed me the script he spoke of. Only after this did I notice he wrote up a blog post about it,which is exactly what he sent me.

Thanks to all who replied to my twitter messages and hopefully I can get Alan/Scott’s scripts into my automated server deployments in the very near future.

Gregg Robertson

As i said in my last post I’ve decided to start brushing up my non existent knowledge of powershell and learn the applications that link into VMware Virtual Infrastructure and how they can make my daily job easier and more automated. I’ve found many great articles and actually registered myself for two on demand Microsoft live meetings on using powershell a number of months back which i still need to make my way through. The two live meetings I’m planning to go through are:

Introduction to Windows PowerShell: http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032314395&EventCategory=3&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US

Writing Scripts with Windows Powershell : http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?EventID=1032320637&EventCategory=3&culture=en-US&CountryCode=US

Hopefully these will give me a basic basic knowledge of standard commands i can use and how they work as I’m a very big point and click type of person. There are many brilliant resources out there to learn from and reference.

For PowerCLI there is obviously the administration guide. The administration guide has loads of examples and covers both basic and advanced cmdlet usage. I’m definitely going to be spending a fair amount of time reading through and learning everything in the guide.Obviously to do all the great commands in your VMware environment you’ll need to install the PowerCLI application from http://www.vmware.com/support/developer/windowstoolkit/index.html.

Alan Renouf(@alanrenouf) has written a great blog detailing some really helpful links and documents you can follow and use to learn and perfect your PowerCLI knowledge.I’ll be making my way through this list in the coming days. Alan also has a page on his site where he blogs about any new developments in powercli at http://www.virtu-al.net/category/powercli/

Microsoft has very handy PowerShell Quick Reference guide that has some very good examples for doing stuff in your environment.

Vinternal (@vinternals) has a really great blog page about learning all things powercli http://vinternals.com/powercli-mastery/ which is something I’m planning to get through once i have learnt all the basics from all the above resources. But a really great resource.

But my first port of call is a document detailed on both Alan and Simon Longs blogs that was made available at VMworld Europe last year. As it covers all the basics while teaching me about VMware specific commands.http://blogs.vmware.com/files/vi-toolkit-lab—-vmworld-europe-2009.pdf

If your on twitter and wish to follow me and hear about my progress on my learning of powershell,powercli etc then my username is @greggrobertson5

Gregg Robertson