Is there a way to make installing online flash bios based on a VCA report?

[Dana Swanson]

Hello,

I've been deploying a new PSP to some test servers and one process the way I'm doing it will be time consuming with many servers to do this on.

After deploying the initial PSP I'm loosing the VCA password. I have to go into the servers vca and type the password, is this to be expected?

Then I'm able to run a report and see what needs to be flashed and updated.

I then use Install Software and Firmware and look through the list until I find what Flash ROM needs to be installed.

Is there a way to see only what is new via a report and install/deploy those online flash roms or software based on a list of available newer patches?

Thanks!

[David Claypool]

First, there should be no reason to lose the VCA password. I'd be interested in hearing if anyone else has experienced that.

Second, you're going through some unnecessary extra steps. The Online Firmware Components are intelligent and will only install on the system for which they're designed. You can create a Custom Support Pack that has all the necessary firmware images in it for all of your systems, and when distributed across your systems, only the correct one will be applied.

[Cindy Osborn]

David,

I've got alot of systems where I am finding that the vca is not holding the password either. At first I thought it was because I was playing catch up and still deploying from 3 different vcrms. Now I've come to the conclusion that the agent doesn't appear to be holding the password.

[Derek_56 · Accepted solution]

Guys,
It's not that the VCA is loosing the password. As of version 2.1.5.760 (PSP 7.60 release), HP removed it from the configuration window. I can only assume it's a confirmation step that you must enter each time (if doing it manually) to ensure that your referenced support pack isn't being changed by someone who doesn't know the password.

See the following:
Version Control Agent - Revision History
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/revision/3081.html

It states: "Updated password re-verification for 'Change Agent Settings' "

Hope this clears things up.
- Derek

[Derek_56]

Dana/Cindy,
Sorry about the "guys" thing... my coffee hasn't kicked in yet. ;-)

Have a good one!
-Derek

[Cindy Osborn]

Derek,

Thanks for clearing that one up. So do you know is it writing the password to the registry now or some log file?

[Dana Swanson]

Thanks for the response everyone,

I just ran HP RDU for the PSP Windows Server 2003 7.70A and you can fill out the account and password and do a manual push okay.

They must have disabled the remote push password for some reason.

That's going to make a large rollout more difficult. :(

If anyone finds a way to get around this issue I would like to hear.

Thanks,

Dana

[Cindy Osborn]

Dana,

I don't think Derek is saying that it's not saving the authenication somewhere within the agents. I just completed roll outs to over 400 servers and the vca talked to the vcrm fine even though the password was not showing in the configurtion window. Somewhere it has to be saving the password.

Cindy

[Derek_56]

Dana/Cindy,

Correct, the password should be there and configured, just not viewable upon attempting to manually change/view it on a single VCA. I'm not sure where the password is actually saved on the system.

If you have HP SIM in your environment (4.x or 5.x) you can replicate agent settings between systems. Simply configure one system with the password you want and then "push" that configuration to the other machines you want. I've done this (over 1500 systems) and it's easy and smooth. :-)

I appologize for not coming back earlier. I didn't click the 'send email upon reply' checkbox on my previous post and haven't been on the ITRC lately. Hope the info is still relavent.

Have a good one!

[Dana Swanson]

Thanks Derek,

I did start testing the replicate agent settings feature. I'm so glad that feature is available as well as the "configure or repair agents" feature.

One thing I learned was having other HP SIM servers with a repository discovered in your database can cause issues with the VCA on some managed servers.

I have a test HP SIM 5.1 server and after removing it so it's repository wasn't seen by the production HP SIM 5.1 SP1 CMS it fixed some VCA issues I was having.

See ya,

Dana