ILO for Blade

[orven]

I have a question.

I installed our first blade(Bl20p) using RDP. Everything was done using PXE boot. and so far so good.
I have a second one to deploy. I have read regarding ILO.

What is the role of ILO in deployment? I didnt event use it on my first deployment..

[Anoop Kumar]

RDP uses iLo in its scripts. For example if you want a server to reset, iLo scripts can do it for you. You can even use iLo to watch the deployment process using the Remote console.

[Connery · Accepted solution]

Orven,
While RDP can use iLO (integrate it), iLO isn't necessarily for "remote deployment". iLO is more for "remote management". In other words, iLO allows you to do remote keyboard/video/mouse/floppy/power cycle/etc. on a server while RDP is more remote deployment of a server OS.

RDP and iLO are both for remote management and deployment, it's just that RDP focuses on remote deployment while iLO focuses on remote management.

Best regards,
-sean

[orven]

Thanks!

My last question now is what is the difference between the ILO connection at the back of the Enclosure and ILO in each blade?

By the way
I manage to connect to Blade ILO using the cross cable to my laptop using default 192.168.1.1, but I cannot connect at the back ILO using same cable..

Thanks

[Albert Austin]

"difference between the ILO connection at the back of the Enclosure"
Do you mean the one alone on the management module?
"and ILO in each blade?"
Do you mean by this the nic port on each blade server?

In the past with the "Original" enclosure each blade had an iLO port meaning 3 nics for network + one for iLO. The newer "Enhanced" enclosure have one iLO management port for all blades in rack. That means you now have all four nic ports for network connections and need only one network cable to manage all blades via iLO.
Remember, Front iLO is meant for troubleshooting purposes and also first deployment/configuration of iLO. Basically if you use this front connection, your back port is deactivated for the period you have this dongel connected. You cannot use both ends at the SAME time.

"I manage to connect to Blade ILO using the cross cable to my laptop using default 192.168.1.1, but I cannot connect at the back ILO using same cable.. "

You need to use a straight cable for connections made from the back.

Albert

[Anoop Kumar]

The iLo you access via the SUVI cable (the front) 192.168.1.1 is accessiable only via local laptop or a local connection via the cable. This is typically used when you want to access iLo on the spot. The connection you get from the back of the enclosure can either be DHCP or static and can be accessed over the network.
In a typical scnerio you would always want to use the iLo from the back of the enclosure. If you go to Network settings in iLo, you will find that you can alter the address of the front port as well, i.e 192.168.1.1. But to be on safer side you might want to keep it to default.

[Rob Crooks]

I asked myself the same question when I first received a blade.

If you have a DHCP on you network, plug the ILO port from the back of the chassis up to it and watch your dhcp server address for Ilo******* names. The ones you will see are the iLO ports for the servers you have in your rack that are powered up.

Open the IP address (with IE) of the iLO you want and using the password supplied on the tear-off card you can log in to the iLo of that server. The neatest thing is that you can open a console session from there and literally be at the console of the machine. You can use your local CD/Floppy to create virtual devices that you attach to this server. You can install the OS, load drivers etc.

I find iLo really useful to monitor things on the console, without having to have a console or be in front of the server.

You can also reboot the server and watch the POST which is something you can't do with RDP.

I deployed all our servers from my desktop, until I loaded Vista, and then the Virtual Devices stopped working.