Blade server maintenance.

[Jonathan Cousins]

Very simple question... hope the answer is as simple...

Assumptions:
The management and upgrades of the blade enclosures has to be done from Blade One.
This management server needs to be running windows.

My question is:
Can this be done from a VIRTUAL server on blade one? I.e. Can one have VMware ESX installed on the blade and have a windows virtual server on that blade to perform the maintenance?

[David Claypool]

No. The host OS needs to have the ability to contact the rack infrastructure and it does that through the iLO service and the Rack Infrastructure service, neither of which run on a virtualized host (that hardware isn't present in the synthetic environment of the virtual machine) and it can't be done from the special virtual machine that is the service console in VMware ESX.

[Oleg Koroz]

If you don't have Win Installed, would be possibly to have second rack with windows? Use long cable between management modules, make sure Different Power zone for Subsystems and try to cheat Update Firmware
Would be similar like you use 1U power Enclosure and one Blade enclosure, just different Power Zones. Do not exit maximum Enclosures, as Rack view Utility or Firmware won't see it. Best if simulate one to one enclosure