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Intelligent Provisioning replaces SmartStart CDs for ProLiant Gen8 servers!

Kleinch| August 2, 2012
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HP Intelligent Provisioning replaces SmartStart in Gen 8 servers and Gen8 blade servers which means you do not need SmartStart CDs!   Boot into HP Intelligent Provisioning on your server by pressing F10 during server boot so that you can begin server configuration and maintenance.  It’s that easy.  You can choose to either install or perform maintenance functions from the Intelligent Provisioning screens. 

 

A video about this can be found at these websites:

  1. Intelligent Provisioning: www.hp.com/go/intelligentprovisioning
  2. HP SmartStart: http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/smartstart/index.html
  3. HP Insight Foundation Suite for ProLiant: http://www.hp.com/go/foundation
  4. HP SPP & HP SUM main page: www.hp.com/go/simple-fw-sw
  5. HP Service Pack for ProLiant: www.hp.com/go/spp
  6. iLO Management Engine: www.hp.com/go/ilomanagementengine
  7. iLO: www.hp.com/go/ilo
  8. Linkages to Intelligent Provisioning and its video, HP Intelligent Provisioning, no more SmartStart are being added to all ProLiant Gen 8 pages.

 

Detail

The software that came on CDs (SmartStart) in previous generation ProLiant servers is now embedded on a flash chip on Proliant Gen8 servers and Gen8 blade servers.  We make the flash chip (similar to a USB key) bootable when a user presses the F10 key during server boot.  The server will then boot to the flash chip and show the Intelligent Provisioning software.  You will still have the configuration utilities you are accustomed to previously with SmartStart plus many new ones.

 

Intelligent Provisioning Feature enhancements are:

  • Update your drivers and systems software by connecting directly to HP.com and perform firmware updates and install an OS in the same step
  • Install Windows, Linux, and VMware quickly
  • Provision a server remotely using HP iLO
  • Remote Support registration
  • Revised and simplified user interface (UI) with the following capabilities:
    • A new "Recommended Install" for quick one-click, simple fast installation. This express installation process has preset defaults and will perform a software and firmware update if the network is available at your location. (Recommend that you use the HP suggested defaults.)
    • The "Customized Install" (often called Guided or Assisted install) has been simplified, updated, and refreshed. This is the full HP interview with a start to finish wizard for deploying HP ProLiant Gen8 servers. It provides the network setup, remote support registration, the systems software, driver and firmware update, the server hardware configuration, RAID configuration, and OS installation. This interview process is also much faster than in the past and includes software driver and firmware updates as part of the interview process.
    • A much simplified “Manual Install” is provided that automates finding your drivers for you without searching the web.

Once again: For both Gen8 ProLiant servers and Gen8 Blade servers, SmartStart is replaced by Intelligent Provisioning; please click here to go to that product.  See a video posted here.

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About the Author
  • I work within EMEA ISS Central team and a launch manager for new products and general communications manager for EMEA ISS specific information.
  • Hello! I am a social media manager for servers, so my posts will be geared towards HP server-related news & info.
  • HP Editor-Enterprise Group: ISS, BCS, Converged Infrastructure (CI), Converged Cloud, Converged App Systems (CAS), and ExpertOne
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  • Network industry experience for more than 20 years - Data Center, Voice over IP, security, remote access, routing, switching and wireless, with companies such as HP, Cisco, Juniper Networks and Novell.
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