Installing an operating system using Intelligent Provisioning

You will now be installing the operating system, or OS, that your new server will run.

Prerequisites

  • Completed the Intelligent Provisioning First Time Setup Wizard

  • Server has been rebooted to Intelligent Provisioning, or accessed through the iLO web interface using the Always On Intelligent Provisioning (AOIP) function

Procedure
  1. Click Express OS Install on the Intelligent Provisioning home screen.

    The Operating System Installation screen appears.

  2. Select a Controller from the list. Controller selections are based on your operating environment.
  3. Select a Disk from the list. Disk selections are based on your operating environment.
  4. Select an Install Source from the list. The options and the required information and action for each are described in the following table.
    NOTE:

    Always On Intelligent Provisioning is limited to only using network install sources.

    Media type

    Required information/action

    DVD-ROM Media

    Insert the DVD. Not available when using Always On Intelligent Provisioning.

    NOTE:

    When using Remote Console, attach a virtual media DVD image using the controls in the Remote Console window.

    File on a USB drive

    Insert the USB drive and browse to the location of the OS installation files on the USB drive. Then, double-click the ISO file. Not available when using Always On Intelligent Provisioning.

    NOTE:

    Only FAT or exFAT-formatted USB drives are supported. For OS image files that cannot copy to the USB unless it is NTFS-formatted, use a different source media.

    SBM/CIFS (Windows Share)
    If you choose this option, be prepared to enter the network connection information on the next screen, including:
    • Server Name or IP Address—Server name or IP address of the server that hosts the OS contents. If a server name is specified, a DNS entry is also required.
    • Share Name—The name of the network share using Server Message Block (SMB) protocol that hosts the OS contents.
    • Network Share User—User name used to access the network share.
    • Network Share Password (not encrypted)—Password for the user name used to access the network share.
    An anonymous FTP server
    Enter network connection information, including:
    • Server Name or IP Address—FTP server name or IP address of the server that hosts the OS contents. FTP support requires anonymous access to the FTP server and does not support connecting to an FTP server through a proxy.
    IMPORTANT:

    When entering an FTP path, remove spaces and punctuation. The FTP server directory structure cannot contain spaces or special characters (including punctuation). Also note that if using Always On Intelligent Provisioning, the installation data stored on the FTP server must not be in ISO format. Expand the ISO and place the data on the FTP server before attempting an install.

  5. Select whether to Attempt Firmware Update.

    • Skip Update—(Default). No firmware updates are performed before the OS installation.

    • Update before OS Install—Available firmware updates are done before OS installation.

  6. Select Assisted Install under Install Method.
    NOTE:

    If using Always On Intelligent Provisioning, the Assisted Install option is the only option listed. Assisted Install is an express installation process. It uses defaults defined by Hewlett Packard Enterprise to configure the server software and firmware, partition storage, and install the OS with drivers. It also performs a software and firmware update when a network is available at your location. Hewlett Packard Enterprise recommends selecting this option for first-time server setup.

    The ProLiant iLO 5 Channel Interface Driver is standard for Red Hat Enterprise installations.

    A Manual install method is available for OS installation. Manual installation is available when accessing Intelligent Provisioning during the system boot using F10 (and only when installing from DVD-ROM media.) This method is for advanced users and requires familiarity with the entire OS installation process.
  7. Click the Continue right arrow.
    IMPORTANT: If an unsupported media device is selected, you will not be able to continue to the next screen. To resolve the issue, remove the unsupported media device, and make sure that you have a supported install source when prompted.

    Intelligent Provisioning verifies your chosen media has a compatible image available, and then displays a confirmation screen.

  8. Click the Continue right arrow.

    Options for setting the OS hostname and initial password display.

  9. Enter a name in the OS Hostname field.
  10. Enter a password in the Password field and then enter the password again in the Confirm Password field.

    This step sets the root password for the system. Do not skip this step.

  11. Click the Continue right arrow.

    The Confirm Installation Settings page displays.

  12. Verify the information shown is correct, and then click the Continue right arrow.

    The Job Configuration Viewer page displays, with the Express OS Install job available.

  13. Click Launch Now.

    The Job Viewer screen displays. The server status and job status are included, with a progress bar for OS installation job.

    When the job is complete, the server reboots to complete the installation. Follow the OS installation prompts to complete the installation.