Solution Builder Extensions for Azure Local -Integrated System AX Server Release Notes

Contents

• Overview
• Prerequisites
  • Update Firmware and Drivers Prior to Cluster Deployment
  • IDRAC Access from Host OS
  • Clusters using Non-Transparent, Unauthenticated Network Proxy
• Installation
  • Dell Support Account Requirements
  • Download and Extract
  • Installing SBE as Part of Cluster Creation
  • Sideloading the SBE After Successful Cluster Creation
• Known Issues
• Previous Releases

Overview

Solution Builder Extensions (SBE) for Azure Local
Firmware, Driver, and WDAC Supplemental policy for life cycle management for HCI OS 23H2 clusters running on Dell AX servers.

Prerequisites

Update Firmware and Drivers Prior to Cluster Deployment

Drivers and firmware must be installed on servers that are cluster members before deploying the cluster from the Azure Portal or using an ARM Template. This requirement is independent of the SBE installation. The most current driver and firmware versions listed in the support matrix are recommended. The Azure Local support matrix for Dell AX servers is located at the following link: Support Matrix | Solutions for Microsoft Azure Stack (dell.github.io)

IDRAC Access from Host OS

The iDRAC pass-through NIC must be enabled and have an IP address assigned to it. This NIC is enabled by default and has an APIPA address assigned. This IP address must be accessible by the iDRAC NIC Remote NDIS Compatible Device in the host operating system (OS). This is a dedicated link to the host OS and cannot be accessed outside the host OS.

IDRAC access health checks are introduced starting with December 2024 SBE releases. These health checks verify that that the required iDRAC access has been implemented on each server that will be a cluster member and on each cluster node member. The iDRAC access health checks run automatically as part of the standard built-in SBE health checks. These health checks must complete successfully for SBE installation to proceed. Failure remediation instructions are provided in case the health check fails.

Manual iDRAC Access Verification

The following procedures provide a manual method for verifying the required iDRAC access. The iDRAC Access Health Checks provide automated and more comprehensive verification method.

Example:

The iDRAC NIC Remote NDIS Compatible Device in the host OS is used by the SBE CAUPlug-in driver to update firmware. The DHCP client should not be disabled on this NIC.

The IP address of this NIC can be obtained using the following PowerShell command:

Get-NetAdapter -InterfaceDescription "Remote NDIS Compatible Device" | Get-NetIPAddress -AddressFamily IPv4 | Select-Object IPAddress

Example output:

IPAddress
---------
169.254.10.6

Clusters using Non-Transparent, Unauthenticated Network Proxy

Azure Local clusters using non-transparent, unauthenticated network proxy must have the iDRAC pass-through IP address in the network proxy exclusion list. Configuring the non-transparent, unauthenticated network proxy is documented at the following link: Configure proxy settings for environment variables

The following example shows how to configure the APIPA IP address range 169.254.0.0/16 to be in the network proxy exclusion list.

$no_proxy = "localhost,127.0.0.1,.svc,10.0.0.0/8,172.16.0.0/12,192.168.0.0/16,.contoso.com,node1,node2,ClusterName,169.254.0.0/16"
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("NO_PROXY", $no_proxy, "Machine")

Installation

Download and Extract

SBE bundle .zip file has the naming convention Bundle_SBE_Dell_AS-HCI-AX-GenerationNumber_VersionNumber.zip.

1. Download the SBE bundle .zip file for your Dell AX server generation using the download link above. The SBE bundles are specific to the AX 15G platforms and AX 16G platform.

2. Extract the three SBE files from the ZBE bundle .zip file. There are two xml files and one .zip file. Example:

   • SBE_Dell_AS-HCI-AX-16G_4.1.2412.1202.xml
   • SBE_Dell_AS-HCI-AX-16G _4.1. 2412.1202.zip
   • SBE_Discovery_Dell.xml.

There are two options for installing the SBE package. It can be installed as part of cluster creation or sideloaded after cluster creation is successfully completed. The sideloading method is also used to update the SBE to a newer version.

Installing SBE as Part of Cluster Creation

1. On each server that is a cluster member, create a directory named C:\SBE.
2. Copy the three SBE files to the C:\SBE directory on each server that is a cluster member.
3. Deploy the cluster from the Azure Portal or ARM template.

Sideloading the SBE After Successful Cluster Creation

1. Create a directory on a cluster shared volume (CSV) for sideloading the SBE.

   Example:
   C:\ClusterStorage\Infrastructure_1\SBE\SBE-AX-16G_4.1.2412.1202

2. Copy the three extracted SBE files to this directory.

3. Load the SBE files by running the following command, using the path to the directory that holds the three extracted SBE files.

   Add-SolutionUpdate -SourceFolder C:\ClusterStorage\Infrastructure_1\SBE\SBE-AX-16G_4.1.2412.1202

4. Check the state of the SBE that was added. The State must be Ready.

   Get-SolutionUpdate | Where-Object PackageType -EQ "SBE"

5. Verify that the cluster is in a healthy state and is ready for SBE installation by running the following command on one of the cluster nodes:

   Get-SolutionUpdate | Where-Object {$_.State -imatch "Ready" -and $_.PackageType -eq "SBE"} | Start-SolutionUpdate -PrepareOnly

6. Wait for the health check to complete. The solution update state is HealthChecking while the health check is in progress.

7. After the health check completes, run the following commands if the solution update state is HealthCheckFailed:

   $result = (Get-SolutionUpdate | Where-Object {$_.State -imatch "Ready" -and $_.PackageType -eq "SBE"}).HealthCheckResult 
   $result | Where-Object {($_.Status -ne "SUCCESS" -and $_.Severity -eq "CRITICAL" )} | Format-List Title, Status, Severity, Description, Remediation, TargetResourceName, TargetResourceType

8. Ensure that all tests with Critical severity have a status of Success before proceeding to the next step.

9. Start the SBE installation by running the following command.

   Get-SolutionUpdate | Where-Object {$_.State -eq "Ready" -and $_.PackageType -eq "SBE"} | Start-SolutionUpdate

10. The SBE installation progress can be checked with the following command:

    Get-SolutionUpdate | Where-Object PackageType -EQ "SBE" | Format-List ResourceID, Description, State, SBEVersion, UpdateStateProperties, HealthState

See the following link for more information: Azure stack update using PowerShell - sideload and discover solution updates

Known Issues

• Title
  Partially installed SBE version 4.0.0.0 is shown when SBE is installed as part of cluster deployment.

  Description
  Get-SolutionUpdateEnvironment reports a partially installed SBE when installing the SBE as part of cluster deployment. SBE version 4.0.0.0, shown below, indicates a partially installed SBE.

  Get-SolutionUpdateEnvironment
  
  ResourceId        : redmond
  SbeFamily         : AS-HCI-AX
  HardwareModel     : AX-750
  LastChecked       : 5/9/2024 12:17:11 AM
  PackageVersions   : {Solution: 10.2405.0.23, Services: 10.2405.0.23, Platform: 1.0.0.0, SBE: 4.0.0.0}
  CurrentVersion    : 10.2405.0.23
  CurrentSbeVersion : 4.0.0.0
  LastUpdated       :
  State             : AppliedSuccessfully
  HealthState       : Success
  HealthCheckResult : {Storage Services Physical Disks Summary, Storage Services Physical Disks Summary, Storage
                      Services Physical Disks Summary, Storage Services Physical Disks Summary...}
  HealthCheck Date   : 5/25/2024 11:50:35 PM
  AdditionalData    : {[SBEAdditionalData, Solution Builder extension is partially installed. Please install the latest
                      Solution Builder Extension provided by your hardware vendor.

  Workaround
  Reinstall the same SBE version using the SBE sideloading method after cluster deployment successfully completes.

  Background
  The SBE CAUPlug-in driver expects all drivers in the SBE payload to be installed in the server during deployment. However, some of the drivers in the SBE payload may not apply to the server model or components in the server model. Microsoft is aware of the limitation and is working to resolve this issue in a future release.

• Title
  SBE installation does not downgrade drivers that have a newer version than the same driver in the SBE payload.

  Description
  The SBE CAUPlug-in driver does not attempt to downgrade installed drivers that are higher version than the ones in its payload.

  It should be noted that Dell supports driver and firmware versions listed in the Azure Stack HCI Support Matrix for AX Server.

• Title
  The SBE no longer includes the Intel X710 driver in the payload.

  Description
  The SBE CAUPlug-in driver is unable to update the X710 driver because the X710 driver cannot be updated using PNPUtil /Add-driver.

  The following command shows the driver version used by the Intel X710 NIC.

  Get-NetAdapter -InterfaceDescription *X710* | Format-List Name, DriverInformation

  Workaround

  1. Download the Intel X710 NIC DUP driver package (Network_Driver_6JHVK_WN64_23.0.0_A00.EXE) listed in the Azure Local AX Server Support Matrix 2409 release (SWB 6JHVK): Azure Stack HCI Support Matrix for 14G-15G (2409) | Solutions for Microsoft Azure Stack (dell.github.io)

  2. Copy Network_Driver_6JHVK_WN64_23.0.0_A00.EXE to each cluster node.

  3. Place one node at a time into maintenance mode and move the virtual machines running on that node to other nodes:

     Suspend-ClusterNode -Name <NodeName> -drain

  4. Run Network_Driver_6JHVK_WN64_23.0.0_A00.EXE on that node to install the driver. Allow the node to reboot if necessary.

  5. Verify the driver version used by the Intel X710 NIC is version 1.19.165.0 and has the date April 05, 2024 by running the following command again:

     Get-NetAdapter -InterfaceDescription *X710* | Format-List Name, DriverInformation

  6. Take the node out of maintenance mode and move the virtual machines back to it:

     Resume-ClusterNode -Name <NodeName> -Failback

  7. Repeat the procedure for each node in the cluster.

  8. Install the SBE package once all cluster nodes are using the required X710 driver.

Previous Releases