Summary:
This article will cover the steps to install and configure the Dell Management Console, including the steps to build a server, requirements for the server and steps for installing the DMC.
Overview
The Dell Management Console (DMC) is built around the Symantec Management Console and the Symantec Management Platform. DMC allows you to centrally manage your Dell Servers and clients along with managing the OpenManage Server Administration Agent (OMSA). DMC allows you to manage things like BIOS level, Dell specific patches, and allows you to create monitoring policies to monitor the health of your servers. For more information visit http://dell.symantec.com
Requirements for installing the Dell Management Console
The following tables come from the Symantec Planning and Configuration Guide for Altiris Notification Server 7. This document can be found on the Altiris knowledge base, http://kb.altiris.com. The tables are broken up into whether or not you are installing the DMC with SQL on the same box or off box. Also the requirements are for managing under 3000 nodes. Following the requirements for the server, are the requirements for installing the Altiris Agent (the Altiris Agent will then be used for managing, pushing out the OMSA agent, and then creating monitoring policies).
Notification Server managing under 3000 Endpoints with SQL on Box
| Hardware |
Recommendation |
| CPU |
8 Cores |
| CPU Speed |
2.4 GHZ |
| Memory |
8 GB |
| Network |
Gigabit |
| Disk |
10 GB free |
| Operating System |
Windows 2003 Server Enterprise (32-bit) |
| |
|
| Software |
Recommendation |
| .NET |
Microsoft .NET 3.5 |
| Web Browser |
IE 7 |
| Web Server |
IIS 6.0 |
| |
|
Notification Server managing under 3000 Endpoints with SQL off box
| Notification Server Hardware |
Recommendation |
| CPU |
4 cores |
| CPU Speed |
2.4 GHz |
| Memory |
4 GB |
| Network |
Gigabit |
| Disk |
10 GB free |
| Operating System |
Windows 2003 Server (32 bit) |
| SQL |
SQL Server 2005 off box |
| |
|
| Software |
Recommendations |
| Web browser |
Internet Explorer 7 |
| .NET |
Microsoft .NET 3.5 |
| IIS |
IIS 7.0 |
| SQL Hardware |
Recommendation |
| CPU |
4 Cores |
| CPU Speed |
2.4 GHz |
| Memory |
8 GB |
| Network |
Gigabit |
| Disk |
10,0000 RPM SCSI or better with RAID 1+0 |
| Operating System |
Windows 2003 Server Enterprise (64-bit) |
| SQL |
SQL Server 2005 |
| |
See Microsoft KB for optimal SQL Configuration |
Altiris Agent Requirements
| Item |
Specification |
| Operating System |
Windows 2000 SP4, Windows 2003 (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows XP SP2/SP3, Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 2008 (32-bit, 64-bit (not core) |
| Hard Disk Space |
60 MB |
| RAM |
64 MB minimum (128 recommended) |
| Internet Explorer |
IE 5.0 or later |
| Access Rights |
Account used to install agent must have local admin rights |
| Windows XP Items |
Turn off simple file sharing, open port 80/445 directed to Notification Server IP |
Steps for Installing the DMC
Installing the Server
Follow your standard build documents for installing and building a new server. A couple of pieces of software to make sure you need to have. IIS and ASP.net need to be installed and enabled. The easiest way to do this is through the “Configure Your Server” wizard and turn the server into an Application Server. .NET 3.5 needs to be installed, an important note is to NOT install .NET 3.5 Service Pack 1. IE 7 needs to be installed as well.
If you are going to be using SSL (HTTPS), please install and configure IIS to use SSL before installing DMC. If you try to make this change after the install, there will be problems within the system.
If you are running SQL Server on the same box, please install this and configure it correctly before proceeding to the next steps.
The Symantec Management Console is installed under the Default Web site which will cause problems if you have other web servers running on the DMC system.
Installing SIM
The Symantec Management Console utilizes the Symantec Installation Manager (SIM) to install all parts of the Management Console. SIM can be downloaded from the Symantec Website (http://www.symantec.com/business/products/trialware.jsp?pcid=pcat_infrastruct_op&pvid=cm_suite_1). Once this is downloaded launch the executable and you will be greeted with this screen:
Select Next and you will be presented with the directory to install SMC into. A quick word of warning, the directory you select here is the directory all of the Console will be installed to.
Once the installation is finished, the Symantec Installation Manager will start allowing you to install other portions of the console.
Installing the Symantec Management Console
When the Symantec Installation Manager is launched it will be default open up to Install New Solutions. While you can install both the DLP component and also the Management Console at the same time, I recommend installing just the Console and then the component.
From the Installation Manager scroll down until you find the Symantec Management Console
After selecting “Review selected products” and then Next, aceept the license agreement and continue. Fill out the required information. This information is required to verify export controls.
After the information is filled out, select Next for the systems requirement check
The Symantec Management Console requires ASP.net, IIS, IE 7.0, at least 2.0 gigs of RAM, and Windows 2003 Server along with MS SQL 2005. As you can see in the screenshot I do not meet the requirements. If you do not, close the Installation Manager and resolve any problems.
If you meet the requirements select Next to begin installation of the Symantec Management Console. While it is not necessary to restart after the installation is complete, I have had the best luck rebooting before moving on to other installations.
Installing DMC
After the Symantec Management Console has been installed, reboot the system. While this is not a requirement, after much testing this provides the best option.
Launch the Symantec Installation Manager from Start – All Programs -> Altiris -> Symantec Installation Manager and launch the Symantec Installation Manager.
Select Install new products and once you find the Dell Management Console from the list
After selecting the DMC, all of the dependencies will be installed as well
Click on Ok to proceed and move on. Once the install is complete we begin installing the Altiris Agent and the OMSA Agent.
Deploying the Altiris and OMSA Agent
Discovering Dell Servers
There are 3 ways to discover computers within the DMC, import from Active Directory, domain discover and network discovery.
An Active Directory import is the most reliable discover of all of the methods. An important item to remember is this is just an import, nothing is modified in Active Directory, no schema modification, nothing. To perform the Active Directory Import, within the DMC, navigate to Actions -> Discover -> Import Active Directory. The console will look like the following:
Fill out the correct information and run the import. More information on running the AD import can be found in the DMC Manual.
The second way to discover computers is through a domain membership or domain browse. This type of discovery will query the Master Browse list for computers. To perform this discovery, navigate in the DMC to Actions -> Discover -> Import Domain Membership/WINS. The screen will look like the following:
Fill out the correct information and run the discover. More information can be found in the DMC Manual.
The third way of discovery computers is through a network discovery. This can take the longest depending on how large of a discovery you are running. To perform a network discover navigate in the DMC to Actions -> Discover -> Network Devices. The console will look like the following:
Fill out the correct information and run the discover. More information can be found in the DMC Manual.
Pushing out Agents
Once we have discovered Dell Servers we can roll out our agents. The first agent we need to push is the Altiris Agent, and then the OMSA Agent.
To deliver the Altiris Agent, navigate in the DMC to Actions -> Agents/Plug-ins -> Push Altiris Agent
Select the server from the list of computers and select Install Altiris Agent. For more help on the pushing the Altiris Agent, see the DMC Manual.
To install the OpenManage Administrator Agent, navigate to the DMC Home Portal and select Deploy OpenManage Administrator.
From this part of the console, select Launch Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Deployment Wizard. Select the computers from the drop down and then hit next. By default the installation of the OMSA agent is scheduled for now. There will be a task at the bottom of the Dell OpenManage Server Portal page that will turn green when the installation is complete.
