C-Class blades and bootable USB CD-ROM drives

[aboerup]

I'd like to hear what USB CD-ROM drives anyone has successfully used to boot from. Sometimes you just need to boot off a CDROM and the ILO2 virtual media is just too slow.

I just got a Tagrus slimline DVD/CD and I could not boot off of it. I used a big clunky LG external DVD/RW and I could boot just fine.

[JKytsi]

We have used those big LG DVD/RW drives too, works fine. It seems that if the drive is simple it works but if there is anything "special" attached ...it do not.

Have you tried via OA USB port? Usually all drives work from there.

[aboerup]

Yes, this post was made pre-OA 2.02. I can use my slimline Targus USB DVD to boot.
However, I try to avoid this due to the reduced speed at which the drive operates when run through the OA.
ILO2 v1.35 seems to have greatly improved the performance at which attaching an ISO runs, which is now my preferred method of initial distribution, followed by an RDP install and image deployment.

[Raghuarch]

The speed when connected through OA should be same as iLO.
One of the advantages of using OA is you can connect the virtual Drive to all the server blades and it will work fine.

Regards,
Raghuarch

[aboerup]

Not exactly. If you take a USB drive and attach it to the OA and then connect it to a server in the OA, and then try to rip a CD to an ISO it runs at less than half the speed it would run at if you were to try to do the same thing but instead connect the CD through the blade breakout cable.

[Adrian Clint]

I found that if I connect a DVD to the rear of the OA it seemed to run at the same speed as if it where connected as ILO Virtual Media. If you want speed for USB and screen use the c-Class KVM dongle or the one supplied with the blade enclosure. You will need to get a USB hub if you want USB mouse,keyboard and Optical.