Installing an operating system on an HPE DL380
Network boot plus iLO replace the missing CD drive.
- Answers
- How do you install an operating system on an HPE DL380 without a CD drive?
- Topics
- Amsterdam · MacBook · ThinkPad · cloud · data · howto · linux · networking · office · server · work
- Full article on willem.com
- https://willem.com/en/2019-11-22_building-a-professional-72tb-nas/
Summary
The DL380 has no CD or DVD drive, so I serve the installation files over a local network from a laptop running a webserver, set the server to boot from it, and control everything through HPE's iLO.
Full text
Servers commonly run a hypervisor operating system that divides the machine into virtual servers, and installing it works differently from an office computer because there is no drive for physical media. I serve the installation files over a local network: a ThinkPad X1 laptop runs a webserver, and the DL380 is configured to use that laptop as its boot option. A second computer connects to HPE's iLO, the integrated lights out chip, a computer inside the computer. Through iLO it acts as remote monitor and keyboard, so I control the installation from my desk instead of standing next to the noisy server, and I can inspect every physical component of the machine remotely. Before bringing the server to the datacenter I preconfigure the network settings to match the rack, which makes the final installation plug and play.