Overview of the ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit

The ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit is a collection of system-configuration tools and sample scripts that you can use to deploy operating systems to your IBM eServer or xSeries servers in a repeatable, predictable manner. When used with IBM ServerGuide and IBM UpdateXpress, the ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit provides a total solution for deploying IBM eServer or xSeries servers in an unattended mode.

The ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit can perform the following tasks:

Note: The system from which you deploy the operating system is the source system. The server to which you deploy the operating system is the target system.

• Detect machine type and model, serial number, and other information about the target server
• Save persistent-state information across server restarts to monitor the deployment process
• Report errors encountered during the deployment process
• Delete existing partitions and data from the hard disks of the target server
• Erase all data on the hard disks of the target server
• Update BIOS code on the target server
• Update IBM ServeRAID BIOS and firmware on adapters in the target server
• Configure supported RAID adapters and controllers in the target server
• Configure supported Fibre Channel host bus adapters (Windows-based operating systems only) in the target server
• Create primary operating-system installation partition on the first hard disk of the target server, and format the new partition (support for FAT32 partitions for Windows only)
• Install operating system on the target server (Windows or Linux)
• Install device drivers on the target system (Windows only)
• Install IBM Director Agent (for Windows only)

Deployment scenarios

The ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit supports the following deployment scenarios:

• DOS-startable CD or DOS-startable diskette and data CD
• DOS-startable diskette and network share
• Remote Supervisor Adapter II or BladeCenter Management Module virtual diskette and network share
• Altiris Deployment Solution
  • Windows scripted and imaging install
  • Linux scripting and imaging install
  • Update system BIOS
  • Server disposal (erase data)
  • Capture RAID configuration
  • Deploy RAID configuration
  • Capture CMOS settings to a binary file
  • Deploy CMOS settings from a binary file
  • Perform IBM ServeRAID BIOS and firmware updates
  • Post OS updates for drivers and firmware using UpdateXpress RemoteUX - Windows only
• Microsoft Automated Deployment Services (ADS)
  • Update BIOS
  • Update ServeRAID BIOS and firmware
  • Install IBM Director Agent for WIndows only

The ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit requires the following items that are not part of the web-downloadable package:

• Licensed copies of the operating system to be installed
• The latest copy of the IBM ServerGuide Setup and Installation CD that supports the target server
• A source system with a diskette drive
• Blank diskettes (for creating DOS-startable diskettes for deployment scenarios)

ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit Version 1.1.01 supports the following servers

IBM eServer BladeCenter HS20 (Type 8678) IBM eServer xSeries 360 IBM eServer xSeries 440

New in ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit 1.1.01 - additional Altiris support

• Support for Altiris Deployment Solution 6.1 SP1 for Windows
• Additions to Altiris Deployment Solutions for Windows version 6.0 and 6.1:
• New to Hardware Configuration Events:
  • Capture RAID configuration
  • Deploy RAID configuration
• Added operating system version specific installation events
• New to System Update Events:
  • Windows Post-OS updates:
    • Run the UpdateXpress RemoteUX utility to update drivers
    • Run the UpdateXpress RemoteUX utility to update firmware
  • Capture CMOS settings to a binary file
  • Deploy CMOS settings from a binary file
  • Perform IBM ServeRAID BIOS and firmware updates
• Additions to Altiris Deployment Solutions Linux version 5.6:
  • New to Hardware Configuration Events:
    • Capture RAID configuration
    • Deploy RAID configuration
  • Added operating system version-specific installation events
  • New to System Update Events:
    • Capture CMOS settings to a binary file
    • Deploy CMOS settings from a binary file
    • Perform IBM ServeRAID BIOS and firmware update

Updated the ipssend.exe and ipssendl.exe utilities to version 7.10B to support IBM ServerRAID 7k on the xSeries 346

ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit User Guide

Get the ServerGuide Scripting Toolkit User guide.

View translated versions of the licensing information and license agreement.

Requirements

Windows user must have ServerGuide 7.2.03. Download ServerGuide 7.2.03 now.