HP Integrity rx5670 Headless Windows - Page 2

Executive Summary Users of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 are very familiar with the setup, installation, and operation of systems using a keyboard, video, and mouse. These users may not be familiar with the robust set of headless functionality that is provided by HP Integrity servers running Windows Server 2003. Integrity servers provide a complete set of tools to setup, install, manage, and use the system in a true headless fashion. The benefits of headless servers are many. • Elimination of the last remnant of legacy hardware • Simpler to reconfigure partitions • Easier to deploy and maintain • Prepare for future fine-grained partitioning Windows on Integrity can be installed using several flexible headless installation methods that match a full range of user scenarios. Once the system is installed, all interaction is through the Remote Desktop. Remote Desktop provides the best user interface experience to a Windows system without the complexities related to a full Terminal Services deployment. The GUI resolution, color depth, and mouse interaction outperforms any other remote GUI method. Why Headless? Integrity servers are built on an inherently legacy-free architecture. By building on this legacy-free foundation, systems are more stable in addition to being easier to configure and maintain. What is a Headless System? Headless systems are those that do not have legacy VGA or legacy PS/2 keyboard/mouse hardware. A system with these hardware devices is not strictly headless since these devices will be detected by Windows and drivers will be loaded for them. A system with the A6869A Graphics USB card is not headless even if there is no monitor, keyboard, or mouse connected. This means that the advantages of a completely legacy-free system will not be fully available. For example, a PCI card with hardware related to the head, such as the A6869A, cannot be hot-plugged. However, users can still take advantage of some of the benefits of interacting with a system using headless methods. Benefits of Headless Systems VGA hardware is the last legacy piece of hardware in Integrity systems. By eliminating this device, a system is much easier to setup, maintain, and operate. The presence of VGA hardware restricts the ease of repartitioning of cellular systems. Because of the legacy hardware requirements of VGA, there are very specific rules for the IO slot location of the graphics card. As partitions are changed or created, the presence of this card in an IO chassis can create configurations that are invalid. This causes customer confusion and can require that the graphics card and other cards be moved. If an IO card connected to the boot drive has to be moved, this can cause the currently installed OS to fail to boot. As the system is powering on, much of the hardware must be initialized and configured before the IO path to the graphics card can be used. This delays the display of the firmware forward progress messages. All of these messages are immediately visible through the headless port giving more visibility into the state of the system. Customers can simplify their data center by avoiding the deployment or expansion of their console switch environment. The cabling and rack mount monitors complicate the