A Principled Technologies report: Hands-on testing. Real-world results.

Save deployment
time with automatedprovisioning
Reduce adminattended time by
99.1% per server
after initial setup vs.
manual deployment

Bigger deployments
deliver moremeaningful timesavings
10-server deployment:
Save over 5 hours
50-server deployment:
Save over 3 work days
using iDRAC9 vsmanual deployment

Reduce hands-on deployment times
to near zero* with iDRAC9 automation

New features in iDRAC9 v4.0 add automated OS
deployment to existing Zero-Touch provisioning feature
The move towards fully automating routine systems management tasks
continues with the latest version of iDRAC9 v4.00.00.00 (or simply v4.0,
as we’ll refer to it from now on), which introduces Zero-Touch OS-level
deployment to existing system provisioning automation. By adding
automated OS deployment to existing RAID and BIOS configuration
automation, admins can spend more time on strategic initiatives andefforts that help promote business growth.
In the Principled Technologies data center, our experts tested
Zero-Touch automated system provisioning including OS deploymenton a Dell EMC™ PowerEdge™ R640 server. After initial setup of the firstserver, Zero-Touch automation reduced hands-on (or administratorattended) provisioning time for additional servers to almost nothing, anddropped administrator steps from 40 to just 4 compared to doing thesame tasks manually. But most data centers have more than one server,
and that’s where the real savings come in. When provisioning 10 servers,organizations could save over 5 hours of administrator-attended time after
the first server. For a 50-server deployment, administrators would
save three 8-hour work days on provisioning tasks.
iDRAC9 v4.0 comes embedded on each new Dell EMC PowerEdge server,
so check out these new features, available with Enterprise and Datacenter
licenses, and see how much time Zero-Touch provisioning features cansave your organization.
* When you order new Dell EMC PowerEdge servers with Zero-Touch provisioning enabled, hands-on
deployment time drops to nothing.

Reduce hands-on deployment times to near zero with iDRAC9 automation

February 2020

Automating RAID configuration,
BIOS setting changes, and OS
installation with iDRAC9 v4.0
Embedded in each Dell EMC PowerEdge server is theintegrated Dell Remote Access Controller 9—morecommonly known as iDRAC9. iDRAC9 makes it easier
for administrators to deploy and update the PowerEdge
servers in their data center. While previous versionsof iDRAC have offered extensive system provisioning
automation, the latest version of iDRAC9 offers newfeatures that further automate server deployment tasks.
In addition to the existing BIOS settings deployment
package, v4.0 includes OS-level features that allow
administrators to push a full Microsoft Windows Server
operating system installation out to a server or group ofservers. These Zero-Touch provisioning features require
either the Enterprise or Datacenter license.
Using a Dell EMC PowerEdge R640 server, we tested Zero-Touch provisioning features to see how much time andeffort they could save administrators compared to doing the same tasks manually. To learn the step-by-step detailsof our testing, see the science behind the report.

Automating provisioning of servers saves admin-attended time
While iDRAC has had hardware-level Zero-Touch deployment features since the 12th generation of Dell EMCservers, v4.0 introduces Zero-Touch automation at the OS-level for even greater time savings. From start to finish,
Zero-Touch provisioning including OS deployment dramatically reduced the amount of admin-attended time andsteps it took to deploy new servers once the first server was in place, cutting over 30 minutes of manual admin timeand 40 steps down to just 16 seconds and 4 steps. With Zero-Touch options enabled on new Dell EMC PowerEdge
servers, administrators can get true Zero-Touch provisioning features.
The way we tested involved a few simple steps. Deploying the initial server and setting up iDRAC9 autoprovisioning features—a one-time task—took 25 minutes and 44 seconds of admin time; dramatic differences inattended time come for all servers after this initial setup.
Number of steps to provision a server

Hands-on admin time

Fewer steps is better

Less time is better

iDRAC9 v4.0
4 stepsManualReduce hands-on deployment times to near zero with iDRAC9 automation

16s

40 steps

30m 50s

February 2020 | 2How much admin time can your organization save?
If your data center is expanding rapidly, iDRAC9 Zero-Touch provisioning has the potential to save a significant
amount of administrator time and hassle. Though we tested only a single server in our data center, multiplying
the time savings as we do below can give you an idea of how much time you could save deploying various
numbers of servers. If you deploy 10 servers, your administrators could save up to 5 hours of attended time.
Extrapolated number of steps to provision 10 servers

Hands-on admin time

Fewer steps is better

iDRAC9 v4.0Less time is better

40 steps
2m 40sManual400 steps
5h 8m 20s
That’s more than halfof one 8-hour work day.

About Dell EMC PowerEdge servers
Dell Technologies offers a wide-ranging portfolio of servers to meet a variety of business needs.
From scalable rack servers to modular infrastructure solutions and more, Dell Technologies embeds
iDRAC9 v4.0 in PowerEdge servers to offer management functionality out of the box with no needfor additional hardware.

To learn more about Dell EMC PowerEdge servers, visit
https://www.delltechnologies.com/en-us/servers/index.htm.

Reduce hands-on deployment times to near zero with iDRAC9 automation

February 2020 | 3Deployments of many servers would see even more benefits with iDRAC9. Administrators could save overthree 8-hour work days using automated provisioning for 50-server deployments compared to doing thosetasks manually. By minimizing deployment windows for new systems, organizations can extend their businesscapabilities faster and free up administrators to focus on other strategic tasks.
Extrapolated number of steps to provision 50 servers

Hands-on admin timeFewer steps is better

iDRAC9 v4.0

Less time is better

200 steps
13m 20s

Manual2,000 steps
25h 41m 40s
That’s more than three
8-hour work days.

Reduce hands-on deployment times to near zero with iDRAC9 automation

February 2020 | 4Conclusion
Maximizing the value of administrator time and deploying new systems quickly is critical to business success.
With additions to existing Zero-Touch system provisioning features in iDRAC9 v4.0, administrators have anadditional tool in their tool belt: They can now automate these routine tasks and compared to performing theprocesses manually reduce the time burden for server deployment by 99.1 percent. Give IT staff time back with
iDRAC9 v4.0 and give them more time to innovate and help your business grow.

Read the science behind this report at http://facts.pt/cidan8p

PrincipledTechnologies

This project was commissioned by Dell EMC.

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Principled Technologies is a registered trademark of Principled Technologies, Inc.
All other product names are the trademarks of their respective owners.
For additional information, review the science behind this report.

Reduce hands-on deployment times to near zero with iDRAC9 automation

February 2020 | 5