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Introduction

Dell OpenManage™ Server Administrator Version 1.9 Compatibility Guide

Overview

Server Administrator provides a powerful, integrated set of systems management applications for keeping the systems on your network healthy. Server Administrator provides fault management information, prefailure information, and asset and inventory information to management applications. Server Administrator installs from the Dell OpenManage Systems Management CD provided with your system. In addition to supporting systems management industry standards, Server Administrator provides additional systems management information about the components of your specific system.

Server Administrator can also run diagnostics, configure BIOS and system settings, and perform updates to the system BIOS and firmware, including firmware or driver updates for RAID and remote access controllers.

Server Administrator's integrated security draws on the system's operating system security and uses the secure socket layer (SSL) encryption protocol.

NOTE: For more information on the secure socket layer, see the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.

Purpose of This Guide

Server Administrator operates on many Dell™ hardware platforms (hereafter called systems) and with operating systems such as Microsoft® Windows®, Novell® NetWare®, Red Hat® Linux, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. To fully use the systems management features of Server Administrator, you must understand which features of Server Administrator match your system's hardware configuration and operating system.

Update of Compatibility Guide

The Server Administrator Compatibility Guide is updated each business quarter, and it summarizes all of the Systems Management CD releases that precede the release date on its Table of Contents (index.htm) page. Always consult the readme.txt file on your Systems Management CD for each release for the most current information on compatible systems management elements.

NOTE: You can find systems management software on the Applications CD prior to the version 3.0 release of the CD. The systems management software was relocated to the Systems Management CD beginning with version 3.0. For the purposes of this guide, some references to the Systems Management CD may also include the Applications CD.

Supported Instrumentation

Each supported Systems Management CD contains instrumentation for your Dell system. Three sections of this guide are organized around the primary instrumentation product name and show the relationship among the following variables:

• Systems Management CD version number (or the Applications CD)
  
  
• Supported operating systems
  
  
• Instrumentation service
  
  
• Dell PowerEdge™ system product name (for example, PowerEdge 1600SC)
  
  

In Table 1-1, instrumentation product names are associated with a range of the Applications CD or Systems Management CD version numbers.

Table 1-1. Systems Management Product Name and Corresponding Version Numbers

Supported Operating Systems

Server Administrator supports major operating systems offered by Microsoft, Novell, and Red Hat. See the tables in this guide to find the operating system that matches the configuration of system and applications that you are installing or upgrading.

NOTE: Each Systems Management CD (or the Applications CD) supports specific operating system versions, service packs, support packs, and kernels. For precise operating system, application, firmware, and other requirements, see the table that lists the Systems Management CD version for the system that you are configuring. The tables in the following sections of this guide are a good place to begin:

• Hardware Instrumentation Package Supported Applications and Systems
  
  
• Server Agent Supported Applications and Systems
  
  
• Server Administrator Supported Applications and Systems
  
  

Operating system version numbers, support packs, service packs, and kernel versions can vary with each Systems Management CD version and cannot be accurately generalized. For example, a particular Systems Management CD may support only a version of the Red Hat Linux operating system with a specific kernel. Some systems management applications are available only on specific operating systems.

NOTE: To address any Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) security vulnerabilities associated with an operating system, see the appropriate website for your system's operating system (for example, www.microsoft.com, www.redhat.com, or www.novell.com).

Supported Browsers

Server Administrator operates with Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) version 6.0, Netscape Navigator versions 7.02 and 7.1, and Mozilla versions 1.5 and 1.6 open-source Web browser.

Supported GUI Languages

Dell OpenManage™ is translated into French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese. Dell OpenManage software is localized according to the matrix in the following table. Languages outside of this table have the same support as other non-supported configurations.

Table 1-2. Server Administrator GUI Languages That are Supported

Other Documents You Might Need

In addition to this Compatibility Guide, you can find the following guides either on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com or on the documentation CD:

• The Dell OpenManage Software Quick Installation Guide provides an overview of express installation for Dell OpenManage applications on management consoles and managed systems.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage IT Assistant User's Guide provides user scenarios, best practices information, and task-oriented instructions for using IT Assistant in your small, medium, or large enterprise network.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage IT Assistant Reference Guide describes the installation and use of IT Assistant. IT Assistant enables remote discovery and management of networks that contain SNMP, Desktop Management Interface (DMI), and Common Information Model (CIM)-instrumented systems.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator User's Guide describes the installation and use of Server Administrator. Server Administrator is a suite of management agents, installed on the managed system, that provide fault management information, prefailure information, and asset and inventory information to management console applications such as Server Administrator and IT Assistant. This guide also provides information about configuring your remote access controller (RAC).
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator SNMP Reference Guide documents the SNMP management information base (MIB). The SNMP MIB defines variables that extend the standard MIB to cover the capabilities of systems management agents.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator CIM Reference Guide documents the CIM provider, which is an extension of the standard management object format (MOF) file. The CIM provider MOF documents supported classes of management objects.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Messages Reference Guide lists the messages that are displayed in your Server Administrator home page Alert log or on your operating system's event viewer. This guide explains the text, severity, and cause of each Instrumentation Service Alert message that Server Administrator issues.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Command Line Interface User's Guide documents the complete command line interface for Server Administrator, including an explanation of CLI commands to view system status, access logs, create reports, configure various component parameters, and set critical thresholds.
  
  
• The Dell OpenManage Array Manager User's Guide is a comprehensive reference guide for configuring and managing local and remote storage attached to a system.
  
  
• The Dell Remote Access Controller 4 User's Guide provides complete information about installing and configuring a DRAC 4 remote access device.
  
  
• The Dell Remote Access Controller Installation and Setup Guide provides complete information about installing and configuring a DRAC III, DRAC III/XT, or an ERA/O controller, configuring an ERA controller, and using a RAC to remotely access an inoperable system.
  
  
• The Dell Remote Assistant Card II User's Guide (for DRAC firmware versions 2.2 through 2.4.1) provides information about installing and configuring a DRAC II controller and using a DRAC II controller to access an inoperable system remotely.
  
  
• The Dell Remote Access Controller Racadm User's Guide provides information about using the racadm command-line utility.
  
  
• The Systems Management CD contains a readme file for Server Administrator and additional readme files for most applications found on the CD.
  
  

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