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Introduction to the Lifecycle Controller
PowerEdge servers use an embedded iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller provides advanced embedded systems management, enabling key server management tasks including deploy, configure, update, maintain, diagnose, repurpose and retire. Lifecycle Controller supports these functions in the customer’s preferred mode – at the server, pre-boot with an UEFI graphical interface, at remote consoles using standards-based APIs and via scripting.
Prior to the development of Lifecycle Controller, an administrator used tools such as Dell OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA), Dell Systems Build Update Utility (SBUU), and Dell Deployment Toolkit (DTK) shipped on multiple CDs or DVD in order to perform Dell EMC PowerEdge server provisioning and update. Maintaining and using multiple DVDs/images for these operations was a time-consuming and error-prone effort.
To simplify these operations, Lifecycle Controller allows IT administrators to do away with media altogether, enabling operating system deployment with locally embedded driver repositories, firmware updates from local and network sources, hardware configuration, and platform-specific diagnostic routines. Because Lifecycle Controller is available even when the operating system is not functional or not installed, it provides added flexibility in provisioning and customizing the server to suit changing requirements.
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If you are new to using iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller, check out the "how-to" videos on youtube.com.
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Lifecycle Controller Features
- Interfaces— pre-boot graphical interface accessible from BIOS for at-the-server operations; standards-based APIs including WS-Man and Redfish, supporting complete server lifecycle for remote consoles and scripts
- Core standards— IPMI, WS-Man, Redfish, HTTP/S, NFS, and SMB/CIFS
- Deploying— configure system and storage devices; view and export hardware and firmware inventory; wizard-guided operating system installation with OS Driver Packs. Unattended installation for Microsoft Windows and Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Zero-touch auto configuration— enabling complete server configuration without human touch
- Updating— agent-free firmware maintenance with reduced maintenance downtime. Firmware updates from your compliant repositories built with Dell Repository Manager or access updates from downloads.dell.com. Recovery of prior versions with firmware rollback
- Servicing— continuous availability of logs and diagnostics without depending on server storage. Easy Restore automatically flashes firmware and restores saved state when replacing server components or mother board
- System erase— supports repurposing and retirement of severs by deleting data on selected server components. Enables removal of information from BIOS, Lifecycle Controller, internal configuration databases, rollback firmware versions, and iDRAC settings
- Backing up and restoring the server — back up the server configuration; restore the server to a previously saved state; import server licenses.
- Server inventory—current and factory system hardware inventory; current firmware inventory
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WS-Man Guides | |
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Redfish Guides |
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Describes the behavior for each iDRAC /LC feature and necessary classes, properties and methods as well as configurable management attributes that represent the feature | |
Files that contain the normative description for DCIM classes, properties and method in the MOF format | |
Lists all licensing and privilege requirements for WS-Man operations | |
Contains various schema descriptions including: Lifecycle Controller log, hardware inventory, message registry, attribute registry, and dependency XML | |
XSD files described in the XML Schema Guide | |
WS-Man WSDLs by release | The Web Services Description Language is an XML-based language that is used for describing the functionality offered by a Web service. A WSDL description of a web service, also referred to as a WSDL file, provides a machine-readable description of how the service can be called, what parameters it expects, and what data structures it returns |
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These registries list all of the attributes and properties for server components in XML format, covering BIOS, iDRAC with Lifecycle Controller, PERC RAID, NICs, FC HBAs, and PCIe SSDs. Following are the registries by release.
iDRAC8 with Lifecycle Controller Attribute Registries
| Dell Event / Error Message Reference | ||
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Contains the notification message content generated by the Dell iDRAC8 with Lifecycle Controller using the Test Event Generation feature for the following event action notification types:
| iDRAC8 with LC Version 2.00.00.00 | |
| Dell Event Message Reference (2.4) (2.3) (2.2) (2.1) (2.0) | Describes all event and error message content from all DCIM Profiles in one document. | iDRAC8 with LC Version 2.40.40.40, 2.30.30.30, 2.20.20.20, 2.10.10.10, 2.00.00.00 |
Dell Message Registry - English (2.4) (2.3) (2.2) (2.1) (2.0) | iDRAC and Lifecycle Controller event / error message data in XML with Dell XSL for viewing. | iDRAC8 with LC Version 2.40.40.40, 2.30.30.30, 2.20.20.20, 2.10.10.10, 2.00.00.00 |