This is a provisional page about the Dell R710 machines.

Hardware

• CPU: 2x2.66GHz
• Memory: 18x4GB ECC DIMM@800MHz
• Drives:
  • 2xWD SA510 M.2 250GB
  • 2xWD HC550 18TB
  • 2xIntel Optanes 16TB
• Remote Control: iDRAC6 Enterprise
• Drives Control: Model LSI 9211-8i (IT mode)
• Interactive LCD with fault report

Software

• UEFI/BIOS: version 6.6.0 (latest)
• Lifecycle controller: 1.7.5.4/1.6.0
• iDRAC firmware: 2.92
  • under VLAN1 (mgmt)

  • to use the virtual console, need Javaws (iced-tea works), and change of Java security configuration.

    • Alternative (may work): Supermicro IPMI Utilities or dockerized iDRAC console

    • Or use SOL for text console
  • IPMI v2
  • Serial-Over-Lan

    1. In BIOS setting change Serial Communication to On with Console Redirection via COM2 and External Serial Connector to Serial Device 2, leave else as default

    2. (To be completed: switch grub2 to text mode)

    3. Run agetty: in [email protected] unit file find ExecStart , remove --keep-baud and setup the correct baud rate. An example is ExecStart =-/sbin/agetty 115200 %I $TERM. Reference

    4. Start serial-getty service for the correct tty device. An example is sudo systemctl start serial-getty@ttyS1 (for COM2 port).

    5. Use ipmitool to spawn a sol client.

Machine tasks

• They will be deployed as our new backup servers
• One will stay on-site, sync with production servers in real-time
• The other one will be deployed off-site (Thank you [TRS] for negotiation), synced at night
• The twin Dells will be constructed as identical for easier debug/recovery

Additional information

• SAS3082E-R (IT mode): no support for SATA drives larger than 2TB (SAS should work, not verified)

• Dell documents