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Creating a server pattern

When you create a server pattern, you define the configuration characteristics for a specific type of server. You can create a server pattern from scratch using default settings or using settings from an existing server.

About this task

Before you create a server pattern, consider the following suggestions.
  • The first time that you create a server pattern, consider creating it from an existing server. When you create a server pattern from an existing server, Lenovo XClarity Administrator learns and creates extended category patterns for some I/O adapter ports, UEFI, and baseboard management controller settings. Then, those category patterns are available for use in any server pattern that you create later. For more information about category patterns, see Defining firmware settings.
  • Identify groups of servers that have the same hardware options and that you want to configure the same way. You can use a server pattern to apply the same configuration settings to multiple servers, thereby controlling a common configuration from one place.
  • Identify the aspects of configuration that you want to customize for the server pattern (for example, local storage, network adapters, boot settings, management controller settings, UEFI settings).
  • You cannot manage local user accounts or configure the LDAP server using Configuration Patterns.
  • IPv4 must be enabled on all XCC ports in the configuration pattern. Disabling IPv4 using configuration patterns disables the entire Ethernet port, including IPv6.
Important
If the management node fails, you might lose your server patterns. Always back up the management software after you create or modify server patterns (see Backing up Lenovo XClarity Administrator).

Procedure

To create a server pattern, complete the following steps.

  1. From the XClarity Administrator menu bar, click Provisioning > Server Configuration Patterns. The Server Configuration Patterns page is displayed.
  2. Click the Server Patterns tab.
  3. Click the Create icon (Create icon). The New Server Pattern Wizard is displayed.
  4. To create the server pattern, perform one of the following actions.

    • Click Create a new pattern from an existing server to use settings from an existing server. Then, select the managed server on which the new pattern is to be based from the displayed list.

      When you create a server pattern from an existing server, XClarity Administrator learns the settings from the specified managed server (including the extended port, UEFI, and management-controller settings) and dynamically creates category patterns for those settings. If the server is brand new, Lenovo XClarity Administrator learns the manufacturing settings. If XClarity Administrator is managing the server, XClarity Administrator uses the customized settings. You can then customize the settings specifically for the servers to which this pattern is to be deployed.

    • Click Create a new pattern from scratch to use default settings. Then, select the server type in the Form Factor field.

    Note
    The options that are presented on the remaining tabs might differ depending on the type of server for which you are creating a pattern.
  5. Enter the name of the pattern and a description.
  6. Optional: Customize the server-profile name by selecting the Custom toggle and then selecting one or more elements to include in the naming schema (such as custom text, server name, and incrementing number) and the order.
  7. Click Next
  8. Choose the local storage configuration to be applied when this pattern is deployed to a server, and click Next.

    For information about local storage settings, see Defining local storage.

  9. Optional: Modify the I/O adapter addressing, and define additional I/O adapters to match the hardware that you expect to configure with this pattern, and click Next.

    For information about I/O adapter settings, see Defining I/O adapters.

  10. Define the boot order to be applied when this pattern is deployed to a server, and click Next.

    For information about SAN boot targets settings, see Defining boot options.

  11. Select firmware settings from the list of existing category patterns.

    You can create new category patterns by clicking the Create icon (Create icon).

    For information about firmware settings, see Defining firmware settings.

  12. Click Save to save the pattern, or click Save and Deploy to save and immediately deploy the pattern to one or more servers.

    For information about deploying a server pattern, see Deploying a server pattern to a server.

After you finish

If you clicked Save and Deploy, the Deploy Server Pattern page is displayed. From this page, you can deploy the server pattern to specific servers.

If you clicked Save, the server pattern and all category patterns are saved to the Server Patterns page.


Illustrates the list of customized server patterns on the Configuration Patterns: Patterns page.
From this page, you can perform the following actions on selected server patterns:
  • Defining local storage
    You can define the local-storage configuration to be applied to target servers when this pattern is deployed.
  • Defining I/O adapters
    You can define I/O port settings and addressing mode to be applied to target servers when this pattern is deployed.
  • Defining boot options
    You can define the boot order to be applied to the target servers when this pattern is deployed.
  • Defining firmware settings
    You can specify the baseboard management controller and UEFI firmware settings that are to be applied to target servers when this pattern is deployed.
  • Defining system-information settings
    You can define system name, contact, and location information by creating a system information pattern.
  • Defining management-interface settings
    You can define hostnames, IP address, domain name system (DNS), interface speed, and port assignments for the management interface by creating a management interface pattern.
  • Defining devices and I/O ports settings
    You can enable console redirection and enable and define the characteristics of the COM 1 port by creating a device and I/O ports pattern.
  • Defining Fibre Channel boot-target settings
    You can configure the server to boot from a storage area network (SAN) device instead of from local disk drive by creating a Fibre Channel boot-target pattern.
  • Defining port settings
    You can define typical port settings for a specific I/O adapter type by creating a port pattern.
  • Defining extended management-controller settings
    The extended baseboard management-controller settings are learned and dynamically created from a specific managed server. Lenovo XClarity Administrator creates these patterns when you create a server pattern from an existing server. You cannot manually create extended management-controller patterns; however, you can copy and modify the patterns that have already been created.
  • Defining extended UEFI settings
    The extended Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) settings are learned and dynamically created from a specific managed server. Lenovo XClarity Administrator creates these patterns when you create a server pattern from an existing server. You cannot manually create extended UEFI patterns; however, you can copy and modify the patterns that have already been created.
  • Defining extended port settings
    Extended port settings are learned and dynamically created from a specific managed server. Lenovo XClarity Administrator creates these patterns when you create a server pattern from an existing server. You cannot manually create extended port patterns; however, you can copy and modify the patterns that have already been created.
  • Defining extended SR635/SR655 BIOS settings
    The extended SR635/SR655 BIOS settings are learned and dynamically created from a specific managed server. Lenovo XClarity Administrator creates these patterns when you create a server pattern from an existing ThinkSystem SR635 or SR655 server. You cannot manually create extended SR635/SR655 BIOS patterns; however, you can copy and modify the patterns that have already been created.