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Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

 
Mikael R├╢nnb├дck
Super Advisor

Configuring ILO boards automatically

Hello, I hope this is the correct choice of forum for this question.

I'm trying to use the automatic HP utility for configuring ILO boards from an XML input file, and I cannot get it to work very well.

The script runs fine, the problem is more in the logistical handling. What I want to have is a generic script that I can use for each new server I install.
For that reason I was looking into using variables in the XML file, i.e.



or



however the XML file is read exactly as it is and the variables are not changed into real values like SERVER1 for %computername% or Stockholm for %location% (the variables exist on the machine that execute the script)

Is there any way to do this or must I use a new XML file for every server I install ?

Also, another problem I've run across is the login issue, we are using AD integrated login, but the boards will not recognize that until configured (of course), so I need to create a local user for configuration only.
Naturally I don't want to leave this user after configuring is complete so I tried to as the last command in the file use the command

which will not work since that user is the current logged in user.

Any good ideas on how to delete this installation user after installation, must I log out and login with an AD user ? I would prefer not since then that users password would be publicly available (to those who have access to the config files), are there any other ways of either removing the user, alternatively configuring a "raw" board without user creation/login ?


8 REPLIES 8
James Hughes_2
Advisor

Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

Mikael-
Are you familiar with Perl? There used to be a Perl script describing the things you want to do on the HP web site. I tried to find it and it is no longer there. I do have it, I will just have to find it later. In ther mean time, I found some documentation on HP that may help. Refer to appendix A.
Currently, there is no way to delete the logged in user from an XML script. I guess this was a safety mechanism developed by HP to keep people from deleting their last user account. The only way I have found is to log into the board through the web interface and then delete the user. Hopefully, HP will change it so we can delete all users within an XML script.
I will post the perl script for you when I find it.

James.
Mikael R├╢nnb├дck
Super Advisor

Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

Thanks, no I'm not familiar with Perl, but I guess using Perl would require me to install Perl runtime modules on all servers ? In that case it's not an option for us, even if it help solve this problem it is too minor an issue to distribute Perl to all machines.
Robert Rosa_1
New Member

Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

You could run vbscript and replace the variables , then run your script.

Look into the windows runonce key in the registry. Create a instance then ahve the script delete the file afterwards.

hth
Rob
acartes
Honored Contributor

Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

Mikael (and anyone else using this method):

What variables (be as complete as you can) would you like to have substitution-for? Or are you more interested in using the %VARIABLE% syntax to reference any environment variable (EV)?

Another approach would be to use a DOS batch file and echo the desired contents into an XML script. DOS supports %EV% substitution, so this might be an option. Then the batch file could spawn HPONCFG with the desired script. Perhaps substitute targeted content like:
echo
Mikael R├╢nnb├дck
Super Advisor

Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

Hello, these are the instances where I've found using variables could be of very much use to us, there may possibly be others but these are the primary ones I'm interested in.

The examples are directly out of the XML script:











Mikael R├╢nnb├дck
Super Advisor

Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

Yes, I was considering doing an echo or replace function in DOS for this, however it didn't seem as a too complex feature for the HPCFG tool to just do a variable check itself (and exit with proper error code if referenced variable could not be resolved), so I thought I'd ask before implementing anything that could/would possibly be solved in some future version if not available already, and I just have missed some syntax settings.
acartes
Honored Contributor

Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

Currently, there is not a tool from HP with this feature. Your idea definitely has merit and is being considered for development.

The perl approach is also feasible. It does not require a perl runtime module on all hosts, only on the system that you would script from. More information on perl is available on the iLO downloads page when you select Linux as your OS. However, Linux is not a perl requirement.
James Hughes_2
Advisor

Re: Configuring ILO boards automatically

Mikael-
As promised, I am submitting a perl script to compliment the PDF file I previously posted. I can no longer find this script on the HP website.
I realize the solution will be similiar to the DOS echo and replace mentioned earlier but, for the sake of completenes, I have included the script.