VxRail Node Image Management (NIM) Tool - VxRail Upgrade

Here we're going to show how to use the VxRail NIM Tool to Upgrade VxRail.

Upgrading your VxRail system using the VxRail Node Image Management (NIM) Tool can streamline the process and ensure a smooth transition. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you through the process.

Step 1: Set Static IP Addresses for iDRAC Ports

Ensure that each VxRail node has a static IP address assigned to its iDRAC port. This is essential for consistent management and communication during the upgrade process.

Step 2: Build a JumpHost

Create a JumpHost that has access to the iDRAC ports of your VxRail nodes. For this guide, we'll use Windows Server 2022 as the JumpHost.

Step 3: Download the VxRail NIM Tool

Download the suitable VxRail NIM Tool from Dell Support (you must have a Dell account).

Make sure to read the details to verify that your nodes are supported.

Step 4: Decompress the Downloaded Package

Extract the contents of the downloaded package on your JumpHost.

Step 5: Run PowerShell as Administrator

Open PowerShell with administrative privileges to ensure you have the necessary permissions for the operations.

Step 6: Navigate to the Tool Directory

Change the directory to the location of the vxrail-nim.exe file. For example:

cd "C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\vxrail-nim_windows-x64_1.3.7_1697209720-bundle_7.0.480.28260793\nim_release\vxrail-nim_windows-x64_1.3.7_1697209720-standalone"{codeBox}

Step 7: Setup the Tool Configuration

Run the setup command to configure the tool:

.\vxrail-nim.exe --setup{codeBox}

Follow the prompts:

• When asked to share the folder containing the VxRail image, type "yes".
• The remote location of the node image management .iso for iDRAC access will be displayed, press Enter.
• Enter the Windows local admin username when prompted.
• Enter the iDRAC username (default is "root").
• For TLS verification, press Enter to enable it by default.
• Enter the iDRAC IPv4 address range (e.g., 10.10.10.11-10.10.10.7).
• If you want to customize VxRail Manager network settings, type "yes".
• Enter the desired IP address, Netmask, Gateway, and management VLAN for VxRail Manager.
• Keep the private management VLAN default (3939).
• When asked to input another iDRAC IP, type "no".
• A list of available VxRail nodes will be displayed.

Step 8: Start the VxRail Imaging Process

Initiate the imaging process with the following command:

.\vxrail-nim.exe --all{codeBox}

Follow the prompts:

• Enter the Windows local admin password.
• Enter the iDRAC password (default is "calvin").

The imaging process will begin, just wait until it finishes successfully to all nodes then you can start the VxRail Deployment Wizard which we are going to provide a guide for it in another post.

By following these steps, you can efficiently upgrade your VxRail system using the VxRail NIM Tool. Stay tuned for our next guide on VxRail Initial Cluster Deployment.

The VxRail imaging process by NIM tool takes approximately from 90 minutes to 150 minutes for any number of nodes.{alertInfo}

The Tool can process imaging to 4 nodes in time and it adds the rest nodes to queue, so I recommended to use a JumbHost for every 4 Nodes to finish the imaging process in parallel and reduce time.{alertInfo}

Don't ever Turn off the JumbHost or the PowerShell window while the tool is processing the imaging or the process will be interrupted.{alertWarning}