Introduction to and setting up a new DL120

[VFF]

We're about to get our first HP server (DL120 G7 with a B110i) but we have no experience with HP server products and we want to hit the ground running.

Are there resources about which HP firmware, utilities and applications we should be installing and checking, like a checklist? Our system will be running a variant of CentOS 5.2 (So I'm assuming RHEL5 software is what we would use) and I've looked through the various software, firmware and drivers available for it but I don't know what we need or should have and I'm unfamilar with some of the HP technology (Such as iLO)

[Johan Guldmyr]

Hi, I haven't seen a checklist, but maybe if you take a peak in the 'manuals' and user guide in the link below.

Go here for manuals and downloads: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Home.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=5075933&lang=en&cc=us&y=0&x=0

You might find some more information here:
http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/linux/hplinuxcert.html

iLO is a separate network interface that you can use to remotely access the console of the server. WIth license you can also get serial port access to the console. It's similar to for example Dell's ipmi.

About the b110i, you might be better off disabling the RAID functionality and using the software RAID in CentOS.
If you want to use the 'fake hw raid' on the b110i there is a 'driver diskette' on the first link I posted above that you can use to load the driver during install.

On the same first link there is a 'proliant support pack' that you may want to install. It has some system monitoring and management packages as well as drivers.

For firmwares there is a 'Smart Update Firmware DVD'. Just boot the server. It's also possible to make online upgrades of firmware by downloading the right .rpms.

[TVVJ]

To use the Smart Array B110i controller, it would be recommended to update the server’s BIOS and install the B110i driver. The following steps may be performed:

a. Update BIOS to the latest by downloading and installing it from the following link:

          http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=5075933&prodNameId=5075937&swEnvOID=4006&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-9643089552a94c609f45ba3629

b. Then download and install the latest version of the B110i driver from the following link:

          http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=15351&prodSeriesId=5075933&prodNameId=5075937&swEnvOID=4006&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-f31f7cd3ce59460fa166c4579c

c. The B110i Controller may be enabled and boot order set in BIOS as follows:

          i. Power on the server and press the F10 key during POST to start the ROM-Based Setup Utility (RBSU).

          ii. Select Advanced or Advanced Setting. Select SATA Configuration or Hard Drive Configuration. Change SATA #1 to RAID.

          iii. Press the Escape key to return to the previous screen. Press the right arrow key to select the Boot Menu.

          iv. Select Hard Disk Drives. Set Controller 1 to HP Smart Array B110i SATA RAID Controller to assign the B110i controller as the boot controller.

          v. Press the F10 key to save the settings, exit the RBSU, and reboot the server.

During POST, press the F8 key to start the Option ROM Configuration for Arrays (ORCA) to configure the array.

For more information on iLO3, which is the version of iLO (Integrated Lights Out) shipped with the G7 servers, an option for HP ProLiant DL120 G7 servers, the following link provides more information:

          http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/iloadv3/index.html

Regards

Vijayasarathy