Dell Remote Access Cards

6 06 2011

Had the strangest experience with mounting virtual Media using Dell Remote Access Cards. I was carrying out an install of CentOS 5.5 with 6 CDs, and had to mount 4 images in total, one after the other.

Steps are:

1. Log in to the DRAC
2. Go to “Remote File Share”
3. Stick in creds with sufficient access rights to the share in question
4. Stick in the image path, using forward slashes instead of backward slashes, and in my case, referencing the server by IP instead of hostname seemed to get the best results

Once you’ve finished with the virtual media, for instance when having to swap disks, I’d expect to have to click “Disconnect”, then edit the path to that of the next ISO, then click “Connect”.

However, this consistently failed to mount the media.

The solution I found after playing around for a while is as follows:

1. Go to “Console / Media”
2. Choose “Configuration”
3. Drop the Virtual Media “Status” drop-down box to “Auto-Attach”, click Apply, confirming the prompt relating to dropping any active vFlash session
4. Drop the Virtual Media “Status” drop-down box to “Attach”, click Apply, confirming the prompt relating to dropping any active vFlash session
5. Go back to “Remote File Share” and edit the path to the media accordingly, then click “Connect”.

Weird sequence of actions here, but this has definitely proved consistent, and allowed me to finally carry out the Linux install remotely.

Server was a new PowerEdge R310, with the Enterprise DRAC card, v6.

Recorded here for my future reference as much as anything, but will hopefully prove useful to someone.





Exam reschedule

6 06 2011

Rescheduled the 70-646 retake. This was going to be this Friday, but I decided a reschedule was best due to the lack of time I have to swot up between now and then.

Instead, I’ve booked it for one of the series of days I have off after returning from my holiday in Cypus in a few weeks – figured I can try to get some revision in from the sun lounger, and will also have three days when I get back to hit the books hard.

I’ve spent some of this morning downloading various PDF whitepapers on features such as Failover Clustering, NAP, PKI, etc, all of which are topics on the exam, as well as other interesting reads such as TMG, “Exchange 2010 on VMWare” (which is where my installation already resides), and a few others.

I’m hoping the more in-depth content that these contain will prove to be useful revision aids.





70-646

3 06 2011

Failed the 70-646 exam that I took last Friday. With a 678, it was pretty close to a pass, but to be fair that’s irrelevant.

I was right to SWOT up on the changes in R2.. the exam is very much focussed on these. The CBT Nuggets video series for the exam is pre-R2, but still very useful.

A major difference to all previously taken exams, although expected as a result of practise tests and checking out exam forums, was the testlets.

I had 5-6 of these in the exam and the major difference is the time constraint.. You get 20 minutes for a 5 question testlet and 23 mins for a 6 question one. Although this was enough to answer the questions and check them over, you can’t go back once you’ve proceeded past the test let.

This added pressure to the overall experience. My test started off with 3-4 of them, followed by 22 standard format questions, and then another 2-3 of them.

I think the added pressure was a good thing.. this is a PRO level exam and it should be a step above the standard TS format.

I’ve already book a re-take, which is in a weeks time. This won’t be at the same test centre, something which i’m not exactly gutted about, as per my last post. Planning on hitting the study hard, and hopefully killing it this time round!





ADA Technology Services

27 05 2011

So, arrived a little early at ADA Technology Services in Burgess Hill (nearest MS test centre to Brighton.. Sort it out!) for my 70-646, to be asked to ‘come back in 25 minutes’ as there was no one on reception.

Asked if I could sit there to read my notes.. It’s slap bang in the middle of an industrial estate so not exactly many places to go.. But got a ‘no’.

Great customer service there, nice one ADA.