The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.
This chapter contains the following sections:
Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data Baremetal Agent (Baremetal Agent) automates the process of using a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) to install operating systems on baremetal servers or virtual machines. Baremetal Agent provides the following services that are required for a functional PXE install environment:
Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP)
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
When this environment is operational and Baremetal Agent and Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data are correctly configured, you can build PXE installation tasks into any Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data infrastructure workflow.
You can access Baremetal Agent through Secure Shell (SSH). You can also perform services on Baremetal Agent, such as DHCP configuration and starting and stopping services, through Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data. A single Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data node can support multiple Baremetal Agent applications.
For proper installation and operation of Baremetal Agent, your environment must meet the minimum system requirements.
Name | Requirements |
---|---|
VMware vCenter Server |
4.0 and later |
Minimum reservation in VMware vCenter |
Minimum number of CPUs—2 Memory—3 GB Hard disk—40 GB |
Before you install Baremetal Agent, take note of the following guidelines and limitations.
Each Baremetal Agent application can connect to only one Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data node.
After installation and configuration, your environment must have the following network availability:
Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data must be able to reach Baremetal Agent over the network.
The baremetal servers (blade or rack) must be able to reach the DHCP network of the Baremetal Agent during the initial stage of operating system installation over PXE.
If you use DHCP, locate a DHCP server in the same PXE VLAN as Baremetal Agent. Then configure that DHCP server with the IP address range required by your DHCP server.
When setting up the network configuration, the most common configuration uses one PXE VLAN and one Management VLAN (separate VLANs). However, Baremetal Agent supports one VLAN for both, if you prefer. For more information about the network configuration options, see http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/servers-unified-computing/ucs-director/products-installation-guides-list.html.
Configure the VLANs end-to-end between Cisco UCS, Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data, and Baremetal Agent. However, when you configure Baremetal Agent, do not assume that routing occurs between the PXE_VLAN Layer 2 network and the Management VLAN network.
If you configure Baremetal Agent to use DHCP, locate and configure the DHCP server in the PXE VLAN and its subnet. This DHCP server serves the transient IP address required for the PXE process. In an environment with two VLANs, the server is allocated an IP address from the subnet of the Management VLAN. An IP address pool managed by Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data assigns this IP address.
If you configure Baremetal Agent with two VLANs, set up two IP address attributes:
With Baremetal Agent, use the Cisco UCS Director Express for Big Data TFTP server to ensure that configurations such as dynamic variables function properly.
When you add a Baremetal Agent account, Baremetal Agent configures the TFTP server when services are started.
For detailed information on upgrading Baremetal Agent, see the Cisco UCS Director Upgrade Guide.