Administrators can use the iDRAC RESTful API to automate remote provisioning. The major benefit of the Intelligent Provisioning service is that you no longer need physical media to boot the system.ĭell’s iDRAC gives users remote access to servers through a graphical user interface (GUI) dashboard that comes standard with all editions. The Intelligent Provisioning tool is a special HP feature that walks you through the process of installing one of a number of operating systems, while also including special HP drivers for any devices installed in the system. These options go into the BIOS setup program, launch their Intelligent Provisioning tool or enter the Boot Menu to pick a device to boot from. HP’s Gen8 through Gen10 systems include function-key boot options as shown in Figure 1. The most common scenario is to use an ISO file with the operating system of choice and connect it so that it appears to the server as a local DVD drive. This makes it possible to provision servers in remote data centers from anywhere with a network connection. One of the key features in both iLO and iDRAC is the ability to connect remote media for the purpose of installing a new operating system (OS). In both cases, the free tools do not include the ability to remotely connect to the console of a server except in a pre-OS state. You can choose from several licenses from a limited capability free version to a full-featured enterprise tool. HP’s iLO is currently at version 5, and Dell’s iDRAC is available at version 9. Whether you choose HP iLO or Dell iDRAC will depend, rather, on the details we’ll cover in this comparison. These features make both products an acceptable choice for remote server management. System Management Architecture for Server Hardware (SMASH) over WS-MAN.Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI).Data Center Management Interface (DCMI).Two of the most popular of these are HP’s Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) or Dell’s Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC).īoth the iLO and iDRAC have features that specifically address systems management as defined by the Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF) Common Information Model (CIM). Most servers shipped from the major manufacturers today come with some type of out-of-band management tool or baseboard management controller (BMC).

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