Lower the cost of running your HP ProLiant servers with best-in-class management tools. HP Insight Control for Linux is essential server management that unlocks the potential of your ProLiant servers. Increase server deployment speed 12x (20 minutes vs 4 hours), reduce unplanned downtime by 83%, optimize data center capacity by up to 3x and reduce system admin expenses and travel costs with complete remote control. HP Insight Control for Linux improves operational costs savings by $73,482 per 100 users over three years that offers a 642% Return on Investment and a payback of 4.2 months

HP Insight Control for Linux is essential server management for business-critical Linux environments. It integrates management of multi-system Linux environments of industry-standard HP ProLiant servers in both Enterprise and Cluster environments. HP Insight Control for Linux features the best of open source and HP technologies and is integrated with HP Systems Insight Manager (HP SIM) software to provide discovery, imaging & provisioning, rapid deployment, health & performance management (e.g. Nagios®), remote management (iLO Advanced), virtualization (with KVM, XEN® and VMware ESX®), and power management. Open source software, such as Nagios® and XEN®, are fully integrated and auto-configured for immediate user productivity. Lifecycle management is complemented by multi-system scaling, thermal & power management, and direct-to-the-hardware control. And HP Insight Control for Linux is backed by HP's Linux expertise and global HP Support.

With Insight Control for Linux you can expect to realize the following management benefits:

• Deploy servers quickly - with firmware updates
• Proactively manage server health and performance
• Control your servers from anywhere
• Optimize power confidently
• Integrate & extend your environment
  

For Linux customers in business-important environments, HP Insight Control for Linux manages multi-system Linux environments of industry-standard x86 servers -- including HP ProLiant blade-, rack-, tower-, and scalable servers (i.e. BL-, DL-, ML, and SL-series servers). HP Insight Control for Linux brings the full expertise of HP's management investments from UNIX and Windows to the Linux environment, while providing flexibility and productivity to meet a variety of unique infrastructure needs.

HP Insight Control for Linux runs on a Linux-based central management server, which can also be run in a XEN® virtual machine guest. For customers that prefer a Windows-based central management server, we offer the HP Insight Control -- with options for using Microsoft System Center as the primary console or using VMware vCenter Server as the primary console. For more information see the specific Insight Control QuickSpecs at: http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12631_div/12631_div.html.

HP Insight Control for Linux includes one year of 24 x 7 HP Software Technical Support and Update Service, ensuring rapid access to HP support staff and proactive delivery of software updates. For more information about this service, please visit: http://www.hp.com/services/insight.

A license entitlement certificate is delivered in place of a license activation key. The license entitlement certificate will contain information needed to redeem the license activation key(s) online or via fax. This new electronic redemption process will allow for easier license management and better service and support tracking. For more information, please visit:
http://www.hp.com/go/ICe-license.

HP Insight Control for Linux release 7.0 provides new capabilities:

• Support for new HP ProLiant Gen8 Servers
• Support for new versions of Linux Operating systems
  • RHEL 5.7, RHEL6.1,RHEL6.2 & SLES10 SP4
• Support for new versions of virtualization software
  • VMware ESX & ESXi 4.1U2, ESX5i
  • KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine) virtualization support for host-guest discovery and association on RHEL 6.1
  • Xen support on RHEL 5.7 & SLES10 SP4

HP Insight Control for Linux is an integrated management solution for industry-standard x86 servers running Linux. This suite has extensible toolsets for administrator productivity in both Enterprise and Cluster environments with the following functionality:

• HP Systems Insight Manager software (on Linux)
• Server deployment (with integrated firmware updates)
• Health management (with integrated Nagios®)
• Performance management
• Remote management (including HP iLO Advanced)
• Virtual machine management (for KVM, XEN® and VMware® ESX/ESXi)
• Power management
• HP Software Technical Support and Update Service (24 x 7) for one year

HP Insight Control for Linux includes an installer to assist with installation of the integrated component capabilities.

HP Insight Control for Linux does not include a Linux operating system. Customers can choose from HP-supported RHEL or SLES distributions, or select community-supported Linux operating systems from the wider community. ("Linux-managed Reference Platforms" provide combined Linux OS & management solutions with HP support.)

HP Insight Control for Linux including 1yr 24x7 Support Enclosure 8 Server FIO License

HP Insight Control for Linux including 1yr 24x7 Support Enclosure 16 Server FIO License

Delivered on a single DVD for simplified installation and licensing, HP Insight Control for Linux contains HP SIM and key Insight software that provide total control, maximum flexibility and tangible savings from your investment in HP ProLiant and HP BladeSystem infrastructure.

HP Insight Control for Linux provides all necessary activation keys for licensing Server deployment, Health & performance management, Remote management, Virtual machine management, and Power management.

• Systems that are new (i.e. 'bare metal') -- systems which do not have an operating system installed and are not known to HP SIM,
• Systems that have a Linux operating system installed but are not known to HP SIM, and
• Systems that have a supported Linux operating system installed and are known to HP SIM.

• Dashboard
• Support contracts,
• Event trends by severity or type (also for system collection)
• Event trends by shortest resolution time
• Events by longest resolution time -OR- shortest resolution time
• Events by severity or type
• Events with largest total operation costs
• OS distribution
• Server memory configuration
• Server with greatest number of hardware related events
• Top 5 events by OS and server model
• Un-cleared events older than 90 days by severity -OR- by type

Key remote management features include:

• Embedded hardware Graphical Remote Console capabilities that can turn a supported browser into a virtual desktop, giving the user full control over the display, keyboard, and mouse of the host server. The operating-system-independent console supports graphic modes that display remote host server activities, such as shutdown and startup operations. It works with a standard browser and no additional software is required on the remote server or client system.
• USB-based Virtual Media feature to allow an IT administrator to boot the remote server using a standard 1.44-MB diskette on the client machine, a DVD/CD drive, or USB flash drive on the client machine; or the image of a floppy diskette or DVD/CD from anywhere on the client's network. After the remote server has booted a USB-capable operating system, the virtual device or ISO 9660 image is available as if it were a local USB device. The Virtual Media features save time and increase efficiency by eliminating the need to visit the remote server just to insert and use a diskette or DVD/CD. This feature allows administrators to carry out any of the following functions remotely from an applet user interface, command line, or script.
  NOTE: Virtual media capability is supported on iLO-based servers only
• Integration with enterprise-class directory services to provide secure, scalable, and cost effective user management. Directory services can be used to authorize directory users with assigned user roles to Integrated Lights-Out processors.
• Advanced two-factor user authentication using digital certificates embedded on smartcards or USB flash drives. Using this form of strong authentication, access can be restricted only to IT individuals possessing a certificate bearing smartcard or flash drive and a PIN.
• Enhanced initial HP BladeSystem configuration and setup using the familiar Lights-Out interface. An embedded wizard guides users through initial Lights-Out, blade server, and operating system configuration and installation -- including integrated activation of Virtual Media using the appropriate media such as SmartStart and OS DVDs or ISO 9660 images. In addition, Insight Control remote management automatically renders an HP BladeSystem rack image for easy point and click navigation between blades and enclosures within a single rack.
• Generic ISO mounting is provided for HP ProLiant iLO-based servers. This capability allows deployment of other ISO images, such as MS-Windows® deployment.

• Datacenter power control allows control for power usage with quick and automatic reaction times to lower power bills and to plan actions in response to catastrophic events.
• Facilities Integration enables Datacenter planning tools to integrate with leading facilities management software (i.e Eaton Forseer®, nlyte Software®).
• Intelligent Power Discovery enables visualization of datacenter thermals with the management of mixed environments, with automatic detection of wiring errors, and automatic updates for electrical inventory.
• Central power monitoring using a central location where power and thermal data for tens, hundreds, or thousands of servers may be viewed and managed.
• Monitoring of leading non-HP power distribution units (PDUs).
• Limitations on server power consumption to an average level. Power capping of servers can be set to minimize overall power consumption and heat output.
• Dynamic Power Capping for significant advancements in power management. Unlike previous power capping technologies, Dynamic Power Capping safely limits power usage with no performance degradation and without risk to electrical infrastructure. For single rack servers, power caps applied via the Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) management processor will limit power usage to a specific Watt or BTU/hr level. For enclosures of blades, users will set an enclosure-level power cap, and the Onboard Administrator will dynamically adjust individual server power caps based on their specific power requirements. By capping power usage dynamically --instead of relying on significantly-higher face-plate, ROM burn, or power calculator default values-- IT organizations can fit up to 36% more servers in their existing rack infrastructure. For servers that support Dynamic Power Capping, see the Insight Control for Linux Support Matrix.
• Graphs with Analysis dashboard that summarizes key information for the selected server(s). The data displayed varies for each graph and includes total power consumed in kWh, the estimated costs of powering and cooling the selected server(s) and the estimated costs saved through the use of policy-management based on HP's Power Regulator technology.
• Actions - Scheduling on the selected servers. Insight Control can change the HP Power Regulator settings on a single server or on multiple servers all at once. These actions may be executed immediately or scheduled to occur at a future time or on a recurring basis. Action scheduling can be used to set time-based power policies on single servers as well as collections of servers.

• Thresholds can be set by the user to generate integrated alerts for proactive notifications
• Alerts are forwarded into HP SIM and can be used in enterprise management systems.
• Integrated syslog of events assists issue tracking and problem resolution.
• Graphing capabilities allow flexible analysis of issues across systems and time periods.
• Integrates commonly-used open source technologies (e.g. Nagios®, syslog, supermon, etc.) with HP technologies for advanced health management. All capabilities are integrated, and user configuration scripts are auto-generated for immediate user productivity.
• Use industry-common Nagios® plug-ins to customize your control over your systems and extend your environment. Auto-generated user configuration scripts are also user-accessible for further customization.
• Operation allows the user to choose the agents for implementation. When using the recommended minimum set of agents, the performance impact is much less than 1% on system usage, enabling maximum 'performance-on-the-problem'.
• Out-of-band metrics collection with an efficient metrics repository provides over 100 standard metrics for graphing and performance viewing to understand issues. Metrics can also be user-customized.
• 'At-a-glance' performance across multiple nodes is displayed using multiple standard metrics or user-customized metrics. Displays performance for virtual and physical systems/nodes across large infrastructures.
• All information is accessible using customizable graphical (GUI) displays or via command line interface (CLI).
• Management of non-HP x86 servers is also possible.

• Bare-metal system discovery,
• Linux operating system installations,
• Image and script-based (KickStart, AutoYAST) installations,
• Captured images,
• Agents,
• Firmware updates for both IPMI and iLO-based servers,
• Virtual machine hosts,
• Custom scripts.

Key virtual machine management features include:

• Provides associations between virtual machines and a physical host, and integration into a single console. All tasks can be run from the Insight Control console, leveraging existing discovery, identification and notification processes.
• Provides control functions for virtual machines in VMware ESX®, and XEN® from a central console that allows users to manage virtual machines in a consistent manner irrespective of virtualization layer.
• Provides start, stop, pause, reset, move, copy, backup, create template and restore functions for VMs remotely from the Insight Control console (as supported by XEN®, or VMware®).
  
• Flexible move capabilities allow multiple usage scenarios.
  
  • In high-availability situations that do not allow service interruptions, Live Move (initiate VMware vMotion technology from Insight Control - requires VMware vCenter) can be used (VMware ESX hosts only).
    
  • Where flexibility is required to execute fast moves between dissimilar host hardware, SAN-based fast move can be enabled (VMware ESX hosts only).
    
  • Where the VM Host is not connected to a SAN, a file-copy move can be used (XEN® implementations).
    
• Enable Failed Host Recovery situations by assigning alternate hosts to VMs. If host fails, quickly restart VM on new host. (VMware ESX only).
  
• Make informed decisions on workload optimization with "at a glance" single view of virtual machine and associated host server performance. Set usage thresholds for CPU, memory, and disk usage and proactively receive alerts in SIM when thresholds are exceeded and take corrective action. (VMware ESX only).
  
• Automatically respond to predictive hardware failures on VMware ESX host servers by relocating VMs before a server fails to avoid downtime. Insight Control offers the only-out-of-the-box solution that can receive a predictive failure alert and automatically evacuate all VMs from a VMware ESX host server by initiating VMware DRS. (VMware ESX only).
  
• Launch VMware vCenter from Insight Control to perform tasks as needed. View VMware ESX host cluster and resource pool properties from VMware vCenter in the Insight Control console. (VMware ESX only).
  
• Collect events from VMware ESX and VMware vCenter to use HP Insight Control as your central event consolidation and alerting tool. (VMware ESX only).
  
• Enables the safe and orderly shutdown of VMware ESX hosts when the VMware's DPM has freed up a VMware ESX host to shut down for power saving purposes. Insight Control communicates with vCenter (and DPM) and will prevent HP SIM from setting the host status to "critical". (VMware ESX only).
  
• Operation of Insight Control for Linux from within a XEN® virtual machine guest (XEN® implementations).

HP will replace defective delivery media for a period of 90 days following the date of purchase.

HP offers a number of software support services, many of which are provided to our customers at no additional charge.

Software Technical Support and Update Service - Insight Control for Linux and select Insight software products include one year of 24 x 7 HP Software Technical Support and Update Service. This service provides access to HP technical resources for assistance in resolving software implementation or operations problems. The service also provides access to software updates and reference manuals either in electronic form or on physical media as they are made available from HP. With this service, Insight Control and Insight software customers will benefit from expedited problem resolution as well as proactive notification and delivery of software updates. For more information about this service, see: http://www.hp.com/services/insight.

Registration for Software Technical Support and Update Service:
After HP processes your support registration, you will receive a Service Agreement Identifier (SAID). You will need your SAID when calling for technical support. You will also need your SAID in order to receive the software updates that you are entitled to. You must use your SAID and access the Software Update Manager (SUM) at the HP IT Resource Center (ITRC) home page: http://www.itrc.hp.com

Join the Discussion
The HP Support Forum is a community-based, user-supported tool for HP customers to participate in discussions amongst the customer community about HP products. For discussions related to Insight Control and Insight software, see the "Management Software and System Tools" area.

Software and Drivers Download Pages
Provides latest software and drivers for your ProLiant products.
Management Security (http://www.hp.com/servers/manage/security)
HP is proactive in its approach to the quality and security of all its management software. Be sure to check this website often for the latest down loadable security updates.

Obtain the latest SmartStart Release (http://www.hp.com/servers/smartstart)
The SmartStart, Management, and Firmware CDs are now freely available for download following a simple registration from the SmartStart web site. If you wish to receive physical kits with each release, you can order single release kits from the SmartStart web site. To receive proactive notification when SmartStart releases are available, subscribe to Subscriber's Choice at: http://www.hp.com/go/subscriberschoice.

HP Worldwide Customer Service contact numbers are available at: http://www.hp.com/country/us/en/wwcontact.html.

• Realize immediate productivity gains using an integrated suite of management tools, designed for Linux users to control Linux infrastructures of industry-standard x86 servers.
• Perform effective lifecycle management using robust Linux toolsets for discovery, rapid deployment, imaging & provisioning, firmware updates, health & performance management, virtualization (using VMware ESX®, XEN®, and KVM), remote management, and power management.
• Discover, deploy, and update your servers with flexible Linux tools, including the ability to deploy & monitor MS-Windows in your Linux-centric environment.
• Remove guesswork from your infrastructure -- managing health using integrated & auto-configured Nagios® and managing performance using customizable tools designed to control large environments. Customize & extend your management capabilities using your own Nagios® plug-ins and using thresholds & alerts to inform an enterprise management system.
• Manage power and save resources using Dynamic Power Capping in HP's industry-leading power management solution, now integrating with leading facility planning tools & monitoring of leading non-HP PDUs.

• Manage performance of clusters of servers, using the architected 'avalanche' mode for deployment and tiered management hubs for monitoring.
  
• Work 'at scale' in large-node environments using distributed Linux management of server groups & classes that allows for cloning of user-created images, remote deployment of OS and images, pre-defined management hub configurations, and integrated system firmware updates.
  
• Integrate health and performance management for large environments, including at-a-glance performance assessment from a wide variety of metrics across a large number of systems. Customization is supported by custom metrics and user extensions.
  
• Maximize performance-on-the-problem using lightweight out-of-band metrics collection (<<1% system usage) without compromising environment control.

Large organizations needing affordable productivity to manage business-important applications on Linux.

• Control your infrastructure using a tightly-integrated suite of core system management tools -- including capabilities to discover, deploy, image & provision, monitor, virtualize, and remotely manage industry-standard servers. Integrate health & performance management in your IT infrastructure, and set thresholds for sending alerts to your enterprise management systems.
• Scale deployment & provisioning with capabilities from bare metal discovery to firmware updates to performance provisioning modes -- with flexibility for scheduling and customization.
• Deploy & monitor MS-Windows in your Linux-centric environment.
• Manage power to maximize resource utilization under environmental constraints, and grow your management technologies on the stable base of the HP Systems Insight Manager. Beyond capabilities like role-based access and reporting, HP integrates advanced technologies from HP's experience with UNIX, Windows, and open source.
• Stabilize on "Linux-Managed Reference Platforms" for Linux OS and Linux management in a simplified solution with high availability, virtualization, and a single point of support through HP global services.

HP 3 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux ML-DL-BL-SL Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 1-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 3-years.

HP 4 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux ML-DL-BL-SL Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 1-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 4-years.

HP 5 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux ML-DL-BL-SL Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 1-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 5-years.

HP 3 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux Blade 8 Server Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 8-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 3-years.

HP 4 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux Blade 8 Server Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 8-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 4-years.

HP 5 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux Blade 8 Server Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 8-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 5-years.

HP 3 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux Blade 16 Server Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 16-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 3-years.

HP 4 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux Blade 16 Server Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 16-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 4-years.

HP 5 year 24x7 Insight Control for Linux Blade 16 Server Software Support
NOTE: Point-of-sale purchase to increase 16-server support coverage from 1-year to a total of 5-years.

© Copyright 2012 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.