BL460c - Win2k3 Installation

[Gerald P]

I'm expecting 12 x BL460c servers any day now. What is the best way to get Windows Server 2003 installed on these servers? Is a SIM server a pre-requisite?

[John R. Garrett]

Try looking at this:

To deploy multiple servers that are configured the same way and that have similar hardware, you can't beat using an image-based installation.

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=483801&seqNum=6&rl=1

Sounds fun, report back with the results when you get a chance.

[Gerald P]

To clarify .. how does the OS get loaded onto the first server? (Using LILO, SmartStart,etc ??) After the initial server is built I was hoping to use Ghost to deploy the image across multiple servers (using a SidChanger). Does anyone have a process to create a Ghost image from a blade system? (In particular I am wondering how to boot the server from a floppy equivalent so I can run Ghost).

[John R. Garrett]

The BL460c servers come with smartstart. Lilo, the Linux Loader? How could that be helpful?