HP Insight Foundation

Course overview

This 2-day course provides training on the HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant suite of products that focus on single-server management. Together, the HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant suite provide management solutions that are designed to simplify server installation, deployment, configuration, and maintenance throughout the life-cycle of ProLiant servers. Students will be presented with an overview of the suite of products which include tools that you help setup, monitor and update your ProLiant ML, DL and BL series 300 and greater servers.

Course objectives

Provide a brief overview of HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant
List the key products that make up the HP Insight Foundation and the HP Service Pack for ProLiant suite
Describe at a high level the steps required to configure, install, update, monitor and support an HP ProLiant server from "bare-metal" and how HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant can be used to simplify these steps
Describe the purpose and key contents of the HP SmartStart CD, HP Management DVD, HP Smart Update Firmware DVD and the HP Service Pack for ProLiant ISO files
Review how to use tools on the HP SmartStart CD to prepare the HP ProLiant hardware and perform an assisted Windows operating system installation. These tools include the HP Array Configuration Utility (ACU)
Describe how to use HP System Update Manager (HP SUM) to install, both locally and remotely, the HP software components (drivers, agents, non-agents, utilities) and collections of firmware
Review how to use HP System Management Homepage (SMH) and the HP Insight Management SNMP agents & WBEM providers to proactively monitor a standalone HP ProLiant server
Describe the diagnostic tools that are part of HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant
Identify the HP Insight Remote Support products that enable HP proactive remote monitoring of a ProLiant server
List the HP Insight products and tools that simplify the installation, deployment, configuration, and maintenance of an HP ProLiant multi-server environment

Course outline

Module 1: Course Overview

Describe at a high level what the HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant suite of products is designed for
List the key products that make up the HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant suite
Identify where the HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant tools are used
Identify the software components of the HP Insight Foundation suite and describe how/where to obtain them
Describe the future of HP Insight Foundation
Identify the software components of the HP Service Pack for ProLiant suite and describe how/where to obtain them
Describe at a high level the steps required to configure, update, monitor and support an HP ProLiant server beginning from bare metal

Module 2: Important System Preliminaries

Describe HP Lights Out Management
Identify features included in the Advanced iLO
Review the HP iLO Web Administration Interface
Describe how to use the options in the Integrated Remote Console
List the various Option ROM setup utilities available at HP ProLiant boot up
Describe how to access the RBSU and make modifications
Describe how to configure iLO at boot up
Describe how to access the ORCA and create logical drives
List the diagnostic utilities available from the System Maintenance Menu

Module 3: Simple System Setup

Describe the purpose of the HP SmartStart CD
Describe how to use the HP Array Configuration Utility (ACU) to configure the disks on an HP Smart Array Controller
Describe the steps required to perform a Windows Assisted Installation
Describe the steps required to perform a Linux/Windows Manual Installation
Explain the motivation for using the HP SmartStart Scripting Toolkit
Explain the motivation for using HP Insight Control server deployment

Module 4: Precise System Updating

List the various components on an HP ProLiant server that require periodic updating
Review ProLiant Support Packs (PSPs), supported HP SUM invocations and where to obtain the latest PSPs
Review the HP Smart Update Firmware DVD, supported HP SUM invocations and where to obtain the latest DVD
Describe the key benefits provided with HP Service Pack for ProLiant
Review HP SPP, how to install and where to obtain the latest media
Describe the key features/benefits of HP Smart Update Manager (HP SUM)
Review the various HP SUM deployment options
Describe the USB Key Utility and where it would be used
Describe at a high level HP Version Control Repository Manager

Module 5: Continuous System Monitoring

Explain how and when to use HP Insight Diagnostics (offline/online)
Explain how and when to use HP ACU Diagnostics (online/offline)
Describe the role of HP Insight Management SNMP Agents & WBEM Providers
Review how to use HP Systems Management Homepage
Describe at a high level HP Systems Insight Manager

Module 6: Ongoing System Support

Review what is provided by HP Insight Remote Support
List the differences between HP Insight RSS and HP Insight RSA
Explain where to obtain information for HP Insight RSS or RSA installation, configuration and general use
Describe the HP ProLiant Server Troubleshooting Diagnostics Flowchart
Review the support options for HP Insight Foundation and HP Service Pack for ProLiant
List the HP Insight tools that are used to manage an HP ProLiant multi-server environment
List the HP Education Curriculum that can aid in managing an HP ProLiant multi-server environment