[ILUG] [OT] Xeon cpu microcode updates?

[Conor Wynne]

On Sun, 04 Jun 2006 18:34:14 +0100, Robert Sweetnam <linux at sweetnam.eu>  
wrote:

> FRLinux wrote:
>> To reply on two messages at the same time, i thought the objective of
>> the Dell OpenManage was to include specific drivers for your favourite

Well, not exactly, thats the deployment CD, cannot remember what its  
called, and no I never use it.
Its great for windoze or older releases of distribs which do not have  
updated drivers to see the LUNs.

Best use the updated ISO's which will likely have the better drivers, init?

>> Silly one but you could still try to flash also the PE server to the
>> very latest BIOS, it is usually "a good thing" (tm).

I concur, more important for stuff like array controllers than anything  
else.
BIOS updates usually contain things like new features, e.g.: Intel's HT  
technology is now avilable for certain boxes.

Very usefull for things like ESX3 and other virtualisation software which  
give access to a "second" ring 0. (sort of)
The end result is that your vm's run at almost true machine speed.

>> I was quickly browsing Dell's support website (the US side of it) and
>> it does have OpenManage ISOs for download.

Yep, I only actually use openmanage "server administrator", aswell as  
ITassistant.
Both are for management, not deployment (as such).

>> Steph
>
> Yep. The openmanage CD's are generally used for configuring the server  
> for installing the OS. Coincidentally the latest ones appear to be  
> running a customised Linux distribution with X.

Yes, the move was made sometime last year. Previously it used windows  
"technology".

Regards
Conor.