Installing and setting up XClarity Administrator for the first time

Before you begin

• Before installing and setting up XClarity Administrator, review the Read before downloading Lenovo XClarity Administrator Full Image link on the XClarity Administrator download webpage.

• Ensure that you have reviewed the prerequisites for the XClarity Administrator virtual appliance (see Hardware and software prerequisites).

• Ensure that the devices that you intend to manage using XClarity Administrator are supported (see the XClarity Administrator Support – Compatibility webpage, click the Compatibility tab, and then click the link for the appropriate device types).

• Ensure that firmware for all devices that you intend to manage using XClarity Administrator are at the require levels (see Hardware and software prerequisites).

• You can download the XClarity Administrator virtual-appliance image from the XClarity Administrator download webpage to a client workstation.

• If you plan to manage a large number of devices, review the XClarity Administrator: Performance Guide (White paper).

• For information about updating a XClarity Administrator virtual appliance that is already installed, see Updating XClarity Administrator. Ensure that you carefully read the Installation and Setup Instructions in the Invgy_sw_lxca_***_anyos_noarch.txt file that is provided in the update package .zip file.

• You can use all available features in XClarity Administrator for free for up to 90 days. To continue using the operating-system deployment and device configuration features in XClarity Administrator, you must purchase and download a full-function-enablement license (see Licenses and the free 90-day trial).

  You can determine the license status, including the number of days are left in the trial license, by clicking the user-actions menu () on the XClarity Administrator title bar, and then clicking About.

  XClarity Administrator supports the following license.

  • Lenovo XClarity Pro. Each license provides the following entitlements for a single device.

    • Service and support for Lenovo XClarity Integrator

    • Service and support for XClarity Administrator

    • Advanced functions within XClarity Administrator:

      • Configuring servers using Configuration Patterns

      • Deploying operating systems

      • Reporting XClarity Administrator problems using Call Home (Call Home for hardware alerts is not affected.)

  For information about installing the license, see Installing the full-function enablement license.

• XClarity Administrator is a self-contained appliance, with no console, SSH, or Shell access. You risk losing support for the appliance if you access the console to install third party-applications, apply other settings, or making modifications other than those that are provided by the XClarity Administrator management server. In the event that you apply such modifications and you contact Lenovo for assistance with any issues, you might be asked to redeploy your XClarity Administrator instance or use a previous snapshot without the applied modifications.