OmniStack 4.0.1 full deploy disc image download needed

[jlangmead]

Hi Dave

Many thanks for the reply. I'm currently not struggling to the point where I need to open a support ticket. I guess I trying to get some guidance on if I going about this the correct way. I'm planning on using iLO to re-image a node that was shipped with 4.0.0 to 4.0.1. I need to use iLO as due to our current UK lockdown I'm unable to travel to site but have remote access to the iLO. This is a non-production node in a test lab.

The only deploy installer I can find is deploy-installer-10.110.7-psi20+sva-4.0.1.184-usb-tiny.img which comes in the download called Q8A57-11090_SimpliVity_Deployment_Package_4.0.1_VMware_vSphere.zip. There are no other deploy installers included in this download. This is about 800MB in size

I guess my questions are - Is this the correct deploy installer to use and should I just be able to mount this using the iLO virtual media as this looks for a .iso rather than a .img file. Do I perhaps need to do something with this .img file before I try to mount it using iLO???

If the answers to the above is that 'yes, this is the correct file' and 'yes you should be able to mount the .img file using the iLO virtual media and the node will boot into this and re-image to 4.0.1' then perhaps I do need to log a support call as this isn't working. I wanted to avoid troubling the support team if it's simply a case of me following the incorrect process or using the wrong file.

many thanks in advance

[bbelew]

I haven't re-imaged a node with the new tiny installer but have done it many times through the ilo with the previous .img files.

Depending on your browser and how you are accessing the ilo you will need to mount it as a Floppy Drive or Removable media.  That gives you the option to choose an .img file and not an .iso like the CD/DVD does.

[AnkiN]

Hi @jlangmead ,

The tiny images are the correct set of images and for mounting it you need to use the option of attaching the image as removable media as the file is of .img extension.

The new tiny image will provide the option to go for the direct deploy instead of performing a complete factory reset.

[DaveOb]

The mechanisim to deploy redeploy the nodes has changed in 4.0.1.

Previously the large image ~ 9GB  was the way to reset and redeploy a node and contained superfolus VMware images you did not need. ie you may have been running 6.5 and you are running 6.7 and hyperV 

The old large image gave 2 options deploy/factory reset

Deploy was primarily when you burned a physical usb drive and intended to leave the usb in the server for the duration of the deployment.

Factory reset was writing the contents of the large image to the boot drives (you could then remove the flash drive and continue the deployment)

The new mechanisim is the tiny image ~800MB  Deploy Installer (DI)

This 800MB image is booted from virtual media .

The factory reset option has been removed.

The Deployment manager  wil then handle the uploading of the Virtual controller and hypervisor image required from a local folder on the machine running deployment manager.This will be done over https not over ILO.

Pros to this new method are you not need to use ilo to trandfer ~9gb of data ibly part of which you need + you can have different versions of esxi deployed rather then whatever version comes with the older deployinstller.

The OLD method still exists but you will have to contact support for the  large image.

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docLocale=en_US&docId=a00095515en_us in the troubleshooting section details the process of resetting the deploy installer.

[jlangmead]

OK - I'm still struggling to understand if what I'm looking to do is possible or not.... Apologies and thank you for your patience.

If I have a pair of SimpliVity nodes with a factory install of 4.0.0 which are in a 'waiting to be discovered' state, can I do anything at this stage to deploy these straight as version 4.0.1?  OR must I deploy as 4.0.0 and then use Upgrade manager to upgrade to 4.0.1?

These nodes are the first nodes in a new VMware datacenter\cluster - they are not joining any existing federation or VMware environment - this is a greenfield deployment of which these nodes will be the only two.

I don't want to request a full image from Support as this doesn't sound like the preferred way to achieve deploying nodes with 4.0.1.

If the answer is 'No, I need to get the full 4.0.1 image from Support and then to re-image to 4.0.1 before discovering' then that's fine.

I tried a test deployment with the 4.0.1 version of the deployment manager which deployed ok but the OVC's deployed as 4.0.0 - so that clearly didn't take me directly to 4.0.1.

thanks again

[fahlis]

Hi!

From what I understand you can boot from the usb-tiny.img file. Preferebly by creating a bootable USB-Stick. I used rufus for that. Then boot with F11-generic USB and you should come to the usual deployment state where you configure the mgmt vlan and so on. 

Br / Tony

[DaveOb]

You should not need to burn the tiny image with rufus to usb unless you are having difficutlys with ILO,  burning to a physical usb,does not really have any huge advantage over using ILO to mount the image as the ESXI and OVC image are not included in the tiny image. 

You are correct this will then get you to the normal deploy installer splash screen and you can configure all ip/vlans ect in the manner you are used to.

[DaveOb]

No Apologies required.

For what you want to achive download the 4.0.1 software. 

Q8A57-11090_HPE_SimpliVity _Deployment Package _4.0.1_VMware vSphere.zip

Obtain the tiny image and mount this via ILO this will then boot to the 4.0.1 deploy installer which is the same as the Deploy installer you know and love in previous versions.

From there the deployment will be the same as pervious versions with an additional dropdown for ESXi and OVC versions.

[Haithem]

I've already answered this question on a similar post:

here is it:

A factory reset is no longer needed with 4.0.1 , if you want to clean up old data (not mandatory), you can just boot to the SVT SPP, select the interactive mode, and using SSA to remove all data volume. Boot volume should be kept.

4.0.1 allows bare metal deployment like previous versions, the only difference is that it no longer contains ESXi images and OVC OVF file. These files are now uploaded during the deployment using the deployment manager.

Unzip the deployment package to your c:\Users\<username>\Download directory for deployment managers to pick up the required files and upload them. 

Hope it helps!

[AnkiN · Accepted solution]

@fahlis 
No need to create the bootable media, you can follow your steps with the provided .img file