IEM - Operating System Deployment and Bare Metal

Usage and Config
1

(imported topic written by ItsAvi)

Hi,

Tried to look everywhere for it, couldn’t find the answers, when I deploy bare metal server (which are the relays, if i’m not mistaken),

will there need to be a DB for TPMFOSD on each relay?

Also do I need to enable the “Client Manager for TPMfOSD” ? - so far have enabled only “OS Deployment and Bare Metal Imaging” site.

2

(imported comment written by JasonHonda)

There does not need to be a DB setup on the relay you plan to make a Bare Metal Server. The installation process will install a database if needed.

The Client Manager for TPMfOSD site does not need to be enabled. That is an older site that was created before we had bare metal support in the main OSD product, and is used for some basic visibility and tasks of TPMfOSD as a standalone product. That is all superseded by content within the OS Deployment and Bare Metal Imaging site.

3

(imported comment written by ItsAvi)

Hi Jason,

Thanks for the prompt reply, is there a way to have a calculated guess on whether the installer is going to need a DB?

I mean - I have 50 relays across NAT and FW networks, most relays are server 2003 OS, my relays are working fine with just 52311 port opened, I can’t have DB on the relays, what do you reckon?

4

(imported comment written by francesco.latino)

Hi,

Bare Metal server needs a DB to store information like Target Device Inventory (for automatic driver injection based on PCI discovery from target BIOSes) and Deployment Objects (images, drivers, packages, WinPE…).

We store this information into a DB which is local to the BareMetal server: we also access this information during each target PXEboot trying to provide fast response time to each BareMetal client.

Thanks

Francesco

5

(imported comment written by ItsAvi)

Hi Francesco, When you write DB, what DB do you mean SQL-Express on each relay? sounds painful, wasn’t expecting this, isn’t there a way to ride the IEM infrastructure, or have some sort of centralized DB? (that said, I’m not sure I want to have SQL port 1433 traffic over wan)

surely this point had been raised by not just me?

6

(imported comment written by Michael_Knauth)

Hi Avi,

By default, when you deploy the OSD server (TPMfOSD) using IEM, the process will install an SQL Server Express instance to support the application. If you extend your implementation by deploying TPMfOSD to multiple relays, each device will receive an instance of SQL Server Express. Now technically, you could theorectically relocate the data to a central database server of your choice by simply relocating the database and modifying the ODBC connection.

But… there are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Firstly, doing so will result in an unsupported environment, and in the event where assistance is required, you’re likely to be left high and dry;
  • Data can’t be shared across servers, so you’ll still need databases for each TPMfOSD server;
  • Once installed, TPMfOSD is heavily modified from the base instance. Only a subset of its features are utilised. As a result, an SQL Server express instance is more than sufficient for its use;
  • When the site in IEM is updated, you’re likely to run into problems with the resultant fixlets;
  • Finally, your point of 1433 over the WAN is highly valid.

Essentially, the fixlets that install TPMfOSD take all the pain out of deploying what would ordinarily be an extensive exercise - with three clicks of a button, you will have an OSD server up and running in 15 minutes. This is in contrast to half a day+ for a standard TPM build. Keep in mind that the OSD components require no more specs than those needed to operate a relay - this can be a standard workstation device if necessary. All you need is network IO and storage capacity for the images.

7

(imported comment written by TLSM)

Hi All,

I am feel confusing when doing this OS Deployment and Bare Metal.

Start from install/buildup a MDT Bundle creator. I am newbie for this feature and previously do not having any experience for OSD.

But from the architecture on pg1 (


).

Relay server = MDT Bundle creator/OSD server?

WAIK and WADK for creating image will install also with MDT Bundle?After that we need to upload in Bundle and Media Manager Dashboard?

And inside the dashboard what the different between MDT Bundle creator and MDT Resource? Since we should upload the MDT Bundle creator then this is the resources right?

I am stopping at this point as I really cannot differentiate which is OSD relay and which is machines that will we capture the image.

Please help.

Thanks

8

(imported comment written by Tim.Rice)

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