racadm - how can I enable and modify the config of EUFI boot nics?

Question

I am trying to perform UEFI pxe boot on a bunch of servers at once.

It is convenient to use racadm to remotely order the hosts to reset their BIOS settings and boot on PXE so I can reimage all the hosts.

I have some of these hosts that won't pxe boot because the NIC that's currently configured in the UEFI boot settings is not plugged.

I need to either enable the correct NIC in the UEFI boot settings or I need to change the device for the first NIC from the integrated device to the mezzanine NIC.

Here is what that config looks like in the GUI:

Here is what I am seeing with racadm for the NICs I have on one of these hosts:

```

racadm get nic.nicconfig

"List NICs: [u'NIC.nicconfig.1 [Key=NIC.Embedded.1-1-1#nicconfig]', u'NIC.nicconfig.2 [Key=NIC.Embedded.2-1-1#nicconfig]', u'NIC.nicconfig.3 [Key=NIC.Mezzanine.1A-1#nicconfig]', u'NIC.nicconfig.4 [Key=NIC.Mezzanine.1A-2#nicconfig]']"

```

Here are the details of the NIC I would like to enable in the UEFI boot network settings:

```

racadm help nic.nicconfig.3

"Set NIC 3 PXE: [u'LnkSpeed -- Specifies the port speed used for the selected boot protocol', u'Usage -- AutoNeg - Auto Negotiated;10Mbps Half - 10 Mbps Half;10Mbps Full - 10 Mbps Full;100Mbps Half - 100 Mbps Half;100Mbps Full - 100 Mbps Full;', u'Required License -- RACADM', u'Dependency -- None', u' ', u'WakeOnLan -- Enables the server to be powered on using an in-band magic packet', u'Usage -- Disabled - Disabled;Enabled - Enabled;', u'Required License -- RACADM', u'Dependency -- None', u' ']",

```

I have tried several syntaxes, but always end up with an error and am starting to think this may not be possible with racadm.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Thierry.

Dell-Martin S · Answer

Hi,

To enable and modify the UEFI boot NIC settings using racadm, you can follow these steps. Based on your description, you want to configure the mezzanine NIC (NIC.nicconfig.3) for PXE boot. Here's how you can achieve this:

1. Check Current UEFI Boot Order

First, verify the current UEFI boot order to identify the NICs configured for PXE boot:

racadm get BIOS.BiosBootSettings.BootSeq

This will list the current boot sequence, including NICs.

2. Enable PXE Boot for the Mezzanine NIC

You can enable PXE boot for the desired NIC (NIC.nicconfig.3) using the following command:

racadm set NIC.nicconfig.3.PxeEnabled 1

This enables PXE boot for the NIC.

3. Set the NIC as the First Boot Device

To prioritize the mezzanine NIC in the UEFI boot order, use:

racadm set BIOS.BiosBootSettings.BootSeq NIC.Mezzanine.1A-1

Replace NIC.Mezzanine.1A-1 with the exact key from your racadm get nic.nicconfig output if it differs.

4. Verify the Changes

After making the changes, verify the settings:

racadm get NIC.nicconfig.3.PxeEnabled
racadm get BIOS.BiosBootSettings.BootSeq

5. Reset the Server

Finally, reset the server to apply the changes:

racadm serveraction powercycle

Troubleshooting:

Error Handling: If you encounter errors, ensure:
- The NIC key (NIC.Mezzanine.1A-1) matches exactly what is listed in racadm get nic.nicconfig.
- You have the required licenses (e.g., RACADM license) for these operations.
- The server's iDRAC firmware is up-to-date.
Alternative Approach: If racadm doesn't support direct modification of UEFI NIC settings, you might need to:
- Use the iDRAC GUI to configure the NICs.
- Export the BIOS configuration, modify it offline, and re-import it using racadm:
```
racadm get BIOS.ExportConfig -f bios_config.xml# Edit the XML file to modify NIC settingsracadm set BIOS.ImportConfig -f bios_config.xml
```

Let me know if you run into specific errors, and I can help debug further!

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