Systems Management

Deployment

Systems management tools are usually deployed in at least two tiers — the management station (sometimes referred to as the "management console") and the managed nodes.

The management station is a central system that is used to monitor the managed nodes and to maintain a database of information about all of the systems it manages.

The managed nodes report to the management station and respond to its queries.

Dell Managed Nodes

In Dell's implementation, any of the following systems can be considered a managed node:

• Any server with the Dell OpenManage Server Agent (Server Agent) or Server Administrator (OMSA) installed
  
• Selected Dell client systems (desktop, notebook, or workstation-class systems) with OpenManage Client Instrumentation (OMCI) installed

Dell Management Stations

In Dell's implementation, any system using Windows NT Server 4 (SP6 or later) or any member of the Windows 2000 Server family can act as a management station using Dell OpenManage IT Assistant (ITA). ITA is able to manage many nodes simultaneously — or drill down to a single server at a time.

Some capabilities of a management station can be accomplished from any computer with a supported Web browser, so long as OpenManage Server Administrator is installed on a Dell server. OMSA is not designed to manage multiple servers simultaneously but, using it, an administrator can connect to a single server and check its operating condition, run diagnostics, and perform BIOS and firmware updates.