Dell 1855 Blade Server: Nodes in a Blade Enclosure

Intended for use with Cassatt Active Response Premium Edition and Data Center Edition V5.1.

This article describes how to configure the Dell 1855 Blade Server with a DRAC/MC integrated power controller for utility computing. Complete this step before adding nodes to the Cassatt Active Response Controller.

Dell Blade Servers: what you should know

Although Cassatt Active Response supports DHCP for the DRAC/MC, using a static IP is recommended. Why? The DRAC/MC can get into a state where it does not properly DHCP. The only way to get the blade server to resume DHCP again is to unplug the entire chassis and plug it back in. Using a static IP address avoids this issue.

Step 1: Cable hardware

Follow these steps to cable the power controller.

1. Plug the power controller cable to the DRAC/MC Module port on the back of the chassis.
2. Connect application nodes to the network by plugging in network cables to the network ports on the back of the chassis.

Step 2: Change server names (if desired)

If you want to change the name of the blades in the enclosure, do it now—before you add the enclosure into the Cassatt Active Response Controller. After the enclosure is under Cassatt Active Response management, you cannot change the names of the individual blades—without deleting the enclosure, changing the names, and re-adding the enclosure. This is because Cassatt Active Response uses blade names to perform power operations within the enclosure.

To change server names in the Dell web interface, go to the tab: Server Summary.

Step 3: Configure application nodes for network booting

Follow these steps to configure each application node for network booting.

1. Connect a console to the application node.
2. Boot the application node.
3. Press F2 to access the BIOS and set as follows.
   
   

   Setting	Enter
   Boot sequence	1. Embedded NIC 1 MBA version slot

4. Set the remaining BIOS parameters as required by your site.
5. Save the changes and exit.

Step 4: Configure the power controller

The Dell 1885 Blade Server requires a static IP address. Follow these steps to configure the power controller with a static IP address.

1. Using a serial or telnet connection, log into the terminal interface.
   
2. Configure the power controller with a static IP address using the setniccfg command.
   setniccfg -d | -s <IP_address> <netmask> <gateway> | -o
   
   Example:
   DRAC/MC: racadm setniccfg -s 10.10.66.243 255.255.255.0 10.10.66.1
   

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