Dell iDRAC8 manual Overview

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Overview
The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) is designed to make server administrators more
productive and improve the overall availability of Dell servers. iDRAC alerts administrators to server issues,
helps them perform remote server management, and reduces the need for physical access to the server.
iDRAC with Lifecycle controller technology is part of a larger datacenter solution that helps keep business
critical applications and workloads available at all times. The technology allows administrators to deploy,
monitor, manage, configure, update, troubleshoot and remediate Dell servers from any location, and
without the use of agents. It accomplishes this regardless of operating system or hypervisor presence or
state.
Several products work in conjunction with the iDRAC and Lifecycle controller to simplify and streamline
IT operations, such as:
• Dell Management plug-in for VMware vCenter
• Dell Repository Manager
• Dell Management Packs for Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) and Microsoft
System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)
• BMC Bladelogic
• Dell OpenManage Essentials
• Dell OpenManage Power Center
The iDRAC is available in the following variants:
• Basic Management with IPMI (available by default for 200-500 series servers)
• iDRAC Express (available by default on all 600 and higher series of rack or tower servers, and all blade
servers)
• iDRAC Enterprise (available on all server models)
For more information, see the iDRAC Overview and Feature Guide available at dell.com/support/
manuals.
Benefits of Using iDRAC With Lifecycle Controller
The benefits include:
• Increased Availability — Early notification of potential or actual failures that help prevent a server
failure or reduce recovery time after failure.
• Improved Productivity and Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — Extending the reach of
administrators to larger numbers of distant servers can make IT staff more productive while driving
down operational costs such as travel.
• Secure Environment — By providing secure access to remote servers, administrators can perform
critical management functions while maintaining server and network security.
• Enhanced Embedded Management through Lifecycle Controller – Lifecycle Controller provides
deployment and simplified serviceability through Lifecycle Controller GUI for local deployment and
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