Bladewatch.com

I’ve put together a Whitepapers page to host Whitepapers that might be of interest or relevance, it covers hardware and software, platforms and technology concepts like cloud and virtualization.

This month I have put together a selection from:

Dell – www.dell.com

Emulex – www.emulex.com

HP – www.hp.com

IBM – www.ibm.com

Oracle – www.oracle.com

Qlogic – www.qlogic.com

If you have any suggestions or feedback, do get back to me, over the next day or so, I will discuss which Whitepapers I have selected and why, then link directly to it. In the meantime go to: http://www.bladewatch.com/documents/whitepapers/.

I haven’t got sponsored for these Whitepapers, I haven’t asked the PR companies or the vendors themselves, these are simply a selection that I found on their site and thought were interesting. Please note IBM refer to these as Redbooks, but the concept is the same if a bit more detailed.

If you want your Whitepaper featured, email me: martin237@gmail.com and we’ll discuss how we go about doing this (I like to read them first).

I got an email from Terry saying he’d had this problem below:

C:\>hponcfg /?

HPONCFG RILOE-II/iLO setup and configuration utility

Version 3.1.0.0 (c) Hewlett-Packard Company, 2010

ERROR: Access denied. Only administrator can access the utility.

I asked him if he was using Windows 2008? He was, so I reminded him that he needs to right click command prompt as administrator and then this will start command prompt as administrator (this happens if UAC is turned on). He did and it worked receiving the following below:

C:\>hponcfg /?

Firmware Revision = 1.92  Device type = iLO  Driver name = CpqCiDrv

HPONCFG RILOE-II/iLO setup and configuration utility

Version 3.1.0.0 (c) Hewlett-Packard Company, 2010

 

hponcfg [  /help  |  /?  |  /m firmwarelevel  | /reset [/m firmwarelevel]

| /f filename [/l filename][/s namevaluepairs]

[/xmlverbose or /v][/m firmwarelevel]

| /i [/l filename][/s namevaluepairs]

[/xmlverbose or /v][/m firmwarelevel]

| [/a] /w filename [/m firmwarelevel]

| /get_hostinfo [/m firmwarelevel]

| /mouse [/dualcursor][/allusers]

| /display [/allusers]

 

/help or /?           – Display this message.

/reset                – Reset the RILOE-II/iLO to factory default

/f filename           – Set/Get RILOE-II/iLO configuration from “filename”

/i                    – Set/Get RILOE II/iLO configuration from the XML input

received through the standard input stream.

/w filename           – Write the RILOE-II/iLO config to “filename”

/a or /all            – Capture the complete configuration of iLO to the file

This should be used along with ‘/w’ option

/l filename           – Log replies to “filename”

/v or /xmlverbose     – Display all the responses from RILOE II/iLO

/s namevaluepairs     – Substitute variables present in input config file

with values specified in “namevaluepairs”

/get_hostinfo         – Get the Host Information.

/m                    – minimum firmware level.

/mouse                – Tune mouse and cursor parameters with speed tuned for

single cursor.

/mouse /dualcursor    – Tune mouse and cursor parameters with speed tuned for

dual cursor.

/mouse /allusers      – Tune mouse and cursor parameters for all accessible

users in the local Registry.

/mouse /dualcursor /allusers   – Tune all parameters with speed tuned for dual

   cursor for all accessible users in the local

   Registry.

/display              – Tune display parameters.

/display /allusers    – Tune display parameters for all accessible users in the

local registry.

I got asked how you could reset the ILO from the remote desktop:

Hi Martin,

I’m logged into the server using rdp, how can I reset the ILO?”

Regards

Pete

Sometimes in the past sessions do not close down, or there are genuine times when we need to kick a user off the ILO so that we can fix an issue. There are a number of ways to do this off the top of my head:

• Log in remotely to the ILO (either on the server or your desktop) and apply network settings and ‘reboot the ILO’ (on ILO2 there is a reset button in the diagnostic screen)
• Run the HP Integrated Lights out Utility, and re-apply settings
• You could use the HP ILO CLI using telnet or SSH, SSH to ILO and type cd\map1 then reset to reboot the card  – in this instance you would telnet or ssh to the ilo ip address

I’ve updated and uploaded new firmware spreadsheets listing HP and IBM servers with their current firmware versions with links to their respective web sites for the release notes and downloads.

As ever do check with the vendor first in case any changes have been made, and note that from January IBM is going to require you log in to download their drivers and firmware.

HP

HP firmware spreadsheet is here

IBM

IBM firmware spreadsheet is here

Please note that this work was done independent of the vendors themselves and was carried out by me, so if there are any errors, they’re due to me and I apologize.  The IBM spreadsheet contains some different rack servers, with updates to their blades. The HP one includes the latest updates to their blade and rack servers, though note HP’s Proliant Service Pack which will going forward manage drivers and firmware.

The Dell one is on it’s way and should be completed this weekend.

http://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?type=webcontent&articleId=578106

SAN JOSE, Calif., December 6, 2011– Cisco today introduces Cisco CloudVerse®, a framework that combines the foundational elements needed to enable organizations to build, manage and connect public, private and hybrid clouds.  Cisco CloudVerse combines these key cloud elements – Unified Data Center, Cloud Intelligent Network, and Cloud Applications and Services – enabling businesses to realize all of the benefits of clouds: improved agility, better economics, enhanced security and a dynamic, assured experience.

The Cisco Cloud Index, issued last week, forecasts how dramatically clouds are transforming business IT and consumer services.  The study predicts that over 50 percent of computing workloads in data centers will be cloud-based by 2014, and that global cloud traffic will grow over 12 times by 2015, to 1.6 zettabytes per year – the equivalent of over four days of business-class video for every person on earth.  The study suggests that the explosive growth in clouds requires advanced capabilities that allow the data center and network to work together to support end-to-end cloud application delivery.

It’s great to see Cisco expanding their experience and innovation into empowering customers cloud requirements, it will be interesting to see what technologies are underpinning the framework and the solutions and best practices put into place to deliver a framework and portfolio of services. I’m off to read more.

www.dell.com and www.dell.com/servicedescriptions

• Standardized offering provides customers with a single source for multivendor support and simplified IT management, regardless of vendor as IT providers potentially change strategic roadmaps
• Hardware support from Dell now available for customers using HP, IBM, Lenovo and Acer products
• Helps reduce customer costs by eliminating the burden of managing varied systems, contracts and warranties
• Now available In Europe, in addition to North America, with expansion plans for Asia and Latin America

Dell has extended its award-winning ProSupport service to include non-Dell systems and devices in Europe, freeing customers from the burden of managing multiple vendors, disparate systems and service contracts. With one point of contact and accountability for all support needs, customers can rely on the proven ability of Dell to manage their systems, freeing up valuable IT time and resources.

Dell has been providing Multivendor Hardware Support through custom and managed services offerings for customers in the U.S. and through Dell ProSupport™ that includes hardware break/fix, 24x7x365 phone support, escalation management and collaborative support. According to TBR’s Q1 2011 Customer Satisfaction Study, Dell ranks No. 1 among Support Providers in Overall Support Providers, and has been ranked No. 1 in 33 of the 43 reporting periods.

This is great news, that Dell can offer its customers a holistic IT service offering extends the possibilities for Dell as a business/partnering service provider and reduces the barriers to customers getting their problems managed and resolved under one support contract, bringing further choice to the market both in terms of competition and opportunity in the multivendor support contract space. I praise the concept, I’m off to read up more about the announcement. I wonder if this might also strengthen their portfolio of services and offering?  That if I am deploying VMware on Dell servers, they might not only support my new servers but those systems which I am virtualizing or continuing to run during the transition, very cool.

The last day of HP Discover was spent walking around the booths speaking to the different vendors and HP blogging team to discuss the event, it was great to provide feedback and discuss the highlights for me.

So what memories resound when discussing HP Discover?

• The Keynote from Meg Whitman – very much an introduction, from my standpoint a line under the sand, and a clear strategy moving the company forward with a focus on its core products/services and customer requirements.
• The presentation from Autonomy’s Mike Lynch – illustrating the power of using the information you have for your business – the examples were very compelling
• HP’s Storage announcements were interesting – their new Microsoft Storage offering the HP X5000 G2 Network Attached Storage System, as well as their backup solution, the B6200 StoreOnce backup system.
• The talk and demonstration of HP’s Cloud offering, the ability to setup up applications on demand in minutes using their interface illustrated the possibilities not only for the start up, the SMB but also the business, do I want to speak to IT and request a server, a wordpress instance, or just log on to the cloud, press go?
• Exploring Vienna both for Christmas decorations and mineral water
• Witnessing the live increased downloads of FindMyFirmware – our application for the end user community for server information on the go.

http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=1859415

Worldwide server shipments in the third quarter of 2011 grew 7.2 percent year-on-year, while revenue increased 5.2 percent year-on-year, according to Gartner, Inc.

“The third quarter of 2011 produced growth on a global level but there was some significant variation in growth by region,” said Jeffrey Hewitt, research vice president at Gartner. “All regions showed growth in both shipments and vendor revenue except for Western Europe which posted a 4.9 percent decline in revenue for the period. Asia/Pacific grew the most significantly in shipments with a 23.9 percent increase. Eastern Europe posted the highest vendor revenue growth at 27.4 percent for the period.”

“x86 servers forged ahead and grew 7.6 percent in units and 9.3 percent in revenue. Some regions like Western Europe and the United States did not produce as much relative x86-based server growth because of comparatively stronger third quarter results in 2010. RISC/Itanium Worldwide Unix server shipments declined 6.8 percent, but vendor revenue increased 3.5 percent compared to the same quarter last year. The ‘other’ CPU category, which is primarily mainframes, showed a decline of 6.9 percent,” Mr Hewitt said.

Check out Gartner’s latest announcement with regards to server shipments, this can be an emotive subject dependent on brand allegiance, regardless what matters to you as a customer is end user experience combined with volume (real or perceived), everything else is just white noise. Most importantly may the innovation and product investment continue so that the vendors may continued adding value and facilitating business empowerment and revenue generation through a more agile infrastructure, delivering on time, on budget and to plans.

MarketWatch

ROUND ROCK, Texas, Nov 29, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –Solution combines Dell Services’ ERP implementation, integration expertise and hosting capabilities with core business intelligence to help manufacturers make efficient corporate decisions

–Companies could see improvement within the first year of solution implementation

–Dell Product & Profit Analytics solution strengthens Dell’s commitment to end-to-end, manufacturing solutions

Dell today introduced Dell Product & Profit Analytics (DPPA), an efficient IT solution that allows manufacturing companies to predict the impact market conditions could have on their products by linking detailed material, manufacturing and selling costs from across all business systems. The solution combines Dell Services’ ERP implementation, integration expertise and hosting capabilities with core business intelligence to provide real-time simulations and predictive analytics. Dell and pVelocity, Dell’s DPPA partner, met with customers in the Detroit-area today to demonstrate the new solution.

“With this solution, manufacturers have the ability to make effective and efficient corporate decisions based on real-time, predictive data,” said Michael J. Morrison, executive director, Dell Services – Manufacturing. “Whether it’s empowering decision-makers with insight and control, providing the ability to answer critical business questions from all areas of the company or enabling companies to identify, with confidence, what contributes most to overall margin performance, Dell Product & Profit Analytics can help manufacturers save a significant amount of time and money, all in a seamless package.”

Anything Dell can do to adjust their offerings and solutions to meet the customer need whether it’s in manufacturing, education or healthcare has to be a good thing in terms of end user choice and competition in the industry, I’m off to read more about the announcement.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Infrastructure/IBM-Brings-Windows-to-the-Mainframe-298629/

IBM has made good on its promise to deliver Windows integration with the IBM mainframe via the zEnterprise System.

When IBM introduced the zEnterprise in July 2010, the company also announced plans to deliver additional general-purpose blades for the IBM zEnterprise BladeCenter Extension including IBM System x-based blades running Linux in 2011. IBM also suggested it would support Windows, and in April 2011 it confirmed its plans to deliver Windows support on z/Enterprise.

IBM says this capability is a first of its kind and is a strategic, demand-driven move by Big Blue. As of Dec. 16, this new technology enabling IBM zEnterprise System users to integrate Windows applications into the mainframe environment will become available.

I can certainly see the appeal of being able to deploy a holistic solution to host your Windows and Mainframe requirements, it will be interesting to see what the response and sign up to the new rnage of zEnterprise platforms is. I’m off to read up more about the announcements and Mainframe as a platform – http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/z/index.html