Dell VEP4600 User guide

VEP4600 Operating System Installation Guide
March 2020

Notes, cautions, and warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the
problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.
Copyright © 2018 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its
subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.
2020 - 03
Rev. A02

1 VEP4600 overview........................................................................................................................5
2 VEP4600 start up and serial console connection............................................................................. 6
3 VEP4600 configuration guidelines................................................................................................ 10
4 Update to the Latest DiagOS........................................................................................................ 11
Burn DiagOS ISO image onto a bootable USB .................................................................................................................11
Configure BIOS to install DiagOS from a bootable USB.................................................................................................. 11
DiagOS Installation............................................................................................................................................................... 13
Configure BIOS and boot into DiagOS.............................................................................................................................. 14
Update to the latest DiagTools...........................................................................................................................................15
5 Upgrade Firmware through DiagOS.............................................................................................. 17
Check the existing firmware version..................................................................................................................................17
Copy the Unified Firmware Updater to USB.................................................................................................................... 17
Mount_USB_on_the_VEP4600........................................................................................................................................18
Run the Unified Firmware Updater through USB............................................................................................................ 18
6 Upgrade Firmware through BMC.................................................................................................. 21
Check the existing firmware version................................................................................................................................. 21
Configure BMC Management Address in BIOS............................................................................................................... 21
Configure BMC Management address on BMC console............................................................................................... 23
Run the Unified Firmware Updater from a Linux server................................................................................................ 23
7 Upgrade rNDC Firmware workaround........................................................................................... 27
Upgrade rNDC firmware when ESXi is running on VEP4600........................................................................................27
Upgrade rNDC firmware when CentOS is running on VEP4600.................................................................................. 27
8 Prepare bootable USB with OS ISO image..................................................................................... 31
Prepare bootable USB......................................................................................................................................................... 31
Download Rufus................................................................................................................................................................... 31
9 Configure BIOS and Install RHEL OS............................................................................................ 34
Configure BIOS to Boot From USB...................................................................................................................................34
Install Red Hat OS............................................................................................................................................................... 35
Start Red Hat OS installation.............................................................................................................................................43
Configure BIOS to boot from SSD....................................................................................................................................46
10 Configure BIOS and Install Ubuntu OS........................................................................................ 49
Configure BIOS to boot from USB ...................................................................................................................................49
Ubuntu OS installation........................................................................................................................................................ 52
Configure BIOS to boot from SSD....................................................................................................................................58
Contents
Contents 3

11 Configure BIOS and Install Adva OS............................................................................................ 60
Configure BIOS to boot from USB....................................................................................................................................60
ADVA OS Installation...........................................................................................................................................................62
Configure BIOS to boot from SSD....................................................................................................................................63
12 Configure BIOS and Install ESXi OS............................................................................................ 66
Configure BIOS to boot from USB....................................................................................................................................66
Install ESXi OS..................................................................................................................................................................... 69
Configure BIOS to boot from SSD.................................................................................................................................... 72
Logging into ESXi.................................................................................................................................................................72
Configuring the network on ESXi...................................................................................................................................... 74
How to add ESXi license.....................................................................................................................................................76
4 Contents

VEP4600 overview
The VEP4600 platform is a one rack unit, x86-based networking platform running virtualized universal customer premise equipment
(uCPE) functions, and basic switching/routing functions as a top-of-rack device with 4, 8, or 16 cores.
Figure 1. VEP4600 platform
1. Platform status icon LEDs 2. RS-232 ports (top) and 10/100/1000 Base-T ports (bottom)
3. SFP+ ports 4. Luggage tag
5. 1000 Base-T networking ports 6. Processor power on/off button
7. Micro USB-B port 8. USB Type A ports
For detailed information about the VEP4600 platform, see the following documents at https://www.dell.com/support:
•BMC User Guide
•BIOS User Guide
•VEP4600 Installation Guide
•VEP4600 Setup Guide
•uCPE Networking DIAG OS Guide
This document describes the steps for OS installation on VEP4600 device. The OS installation steps are tested and verified on VEP4600
device with the OS versions listed below.
•DiagOS image: diagos-recovery-x86_64-dellemc_vep4600_d21xyt-r0.3.41.3.81-6.iso
•RHEL OS image: rhel-server-7.5-x86_64-dvd.iso
•Ubuntu OS image: ubuntu-18.10-live-server-amd64.iso
•Adva OS image: SVCS_connector-18.3.2.61-18.3-standard-dell.134.iso
•ESXi OS image: VMware-VMvisor-Installer-6.7.0.update01-10764712.x86_64-DellEMC_Customized-A03.iso
1
VEP4600 overview 5

VEP4600 start up and serial console
connection
1. On a laptop connected to the VEP4600, bring up Windows Device Manager to get the COM port.
Windows Device Manager
It’s the USB Serial Port drive in this case for our USB to serial console adapter. The COM port number is 4.
2. Using Putty, configure a console connection with the right COM port and speed.
PuTTy session options
2
6 VEP4600 start up and serial console connection

3. Plug in a power cord to the back of VEP4600. It starts to power up immediately. Watch for VEP4600 console window.
VEP4600 console window
VEP4600 start up and serial console connection 7

After the POST Lower DRAM Memory test text displays, the cursor moves to the upper left corner of the console window.
Curser
4. Press the Delete button until the Press <DEL> … string displays on the console window.
Console window
NOTE: If you miss the setup screen, a boot up screen displays. If this happens, power cycle the VEP4600 and press the
Delete button. Repeat the process until you see the setup screen.
Setup screen
8VEP4600 start up and serial console connection

VEP4600 start up and serial console connection 9

VEP4600 configuration guidelines
Topics
• Types of VEP4600 with pre-installed OS from manufacturing
• Guidelines for upgrading VEP4600 based on manufacturing configuration
This section describes the steps to take to complete the VEP4600 configuration. The VEP4600 will arrive from manufacturing with one of
the following configurations.
• Config1: VEP4600 preinstalled with ESXi
• Config2: VEP4600 preinstalled with DiagOS
• Config3: VEP4600 preinstalled with Versa flex NFV
Config1 – ESXi v6.7 Ux is installed on the VEP4600:
• Update firmware from the BMC - See Upgrade Firmware through BMC
Config2 – DiagOS is installed on the VEP4600:
• Update to the latest version of DiagOS - See Upgrade Firmware through DiagOS
• Update the firmware.
Config3 – Versa flex NFV is installed on the VEP4600:
• Update firmware from the BMC - See Upgrade Firmware through BMC
3
10 VEP4600 configuration guidelines

Update to the Latest DiagOS
This section describes the steps to take to update the DiagOS if your VEP4600 arrived from Dell with the DiagOS as the only operating
system. Updating the DiagOS is required prior to updating any other firmware.
Topics:
•Burn DiagOS ISO image onto a bootable USB
•Configure BIOS to install DiagOS from a bootable USB
•DiagOS Installation
•Configure BIOS and boot into DiagOS
•Update to the latest DiagTools
Burn DiagOS ISO image onto a bootable USB
1. Insert the USB into a Linux computer.
2. Log in to the Linux OS and mount the USB.
3. Download the DIAG OS .ISO image to the Linux computer using TCP, SCP, or a similar protocol.
4. Use the following dd (data duplicator) Linux command to burn the DIAG OS install image to the USB.
dd if= diagos-recovery-x86_64-dellemc_vep4600_d21xyt-r0.3.41.3.81-6.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M
NOTE: Use /dev/sdb, not sdb# number even if fdisk did show sdb# as one of the USBs plugged in.
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1 * 7516 7899 384 192K ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32)
5. Remove the USB from the Linux computer and plug it into the VEP4600.
Reboot the system and go to BIOS settings.
Configure BIOS to install DiagOS from a bootable
USB
1. Select the Boot menu tab. Using the up and down arrow keys, go down to the UEFI USB Drive BBS Priorities.
Boot menu tab
4
Update to the Latest DiagOS 11

2. Select UEFI: then USB Device: to boot the DIAG OS from a USB drive.
DIAG OS USB to boot UEFI
DIAG OS USB to boot USB device
3. Verify that Boot Option 1 lists the DIAG OS USB as the boot option.
Boot Option 1
12 Update to the Latest DiagOS

4. Press the F4 key to Save the changes and exit the utility.
Save and Exit prompt
5. Confirm saving the configuration by selecting Yes and press Enter.
6. The system will boot from the USB and start the installation.
DiagOS Installation
1. Select VEP4600 DiagOS Install.
Update to the Latest DiagOS 13

2. DiagOS starts Installing.
3. After the DIAG OS installation completes, DiagOS will reboot automatically.
4. When the machine reboots, remove the USB.
Configure BIOS and boot into DiagOS
1. Boot into the BIOS settings again.
2. Select Boot Option number 1 from the Boot configuration screen, to select boot from DIAG OS on the hard disk.
Boot configuration screen
3. Press the F4 key to Save the changes and exit the utility.
14 Update to the Latest DiagOS

4. Confirm saving the configuration by selecting Yes and press Enter.
Save & exit
5. The system will boot into the Diag OS and the login command prompt displays.
6. To login, type root/calvin.
Update to the latest DiagTools
1. Check the Diag Tool version using dpkg --list| grep dn-diags-vep4600.deb
DiagTool Version
Update to the Latest DiagOS 15

2. If the Diag Tools version is 3.41.4.81-16, upgrade it to the latest 3.41.4.81-17.
3. Copy the latest Diag Tools to the VEP4600.
NOTE: Diag Tools will contain some file in /opt/dellemc. Remove dellemc file so that no other files exist.
4. Use dpkg -i dn-diags-VEP4600-DiagOS-3.41.4.81-17.deb to install the Diag Tools.
Installing Latest DiagTools
5. Verify the latest Diag Tools is running: dpkg –list | grep dn-diags-VEP4600.deb
16 Update to the Latest DiagOS

Upgrade Firmware through DiagOS
This section describes the steps to take to upgrade the VEP4600’s firmware if your VEP4600 arrived from Dell with the DiagOS as the
only operating system.
The Unified Firmware Updater will need to be copied to a USB and run from the mounted USB.
Topics:
•Check the existing firmware version
•Copy the Unified Firmware Updater to USB
•Mount_USB_on_the_VEP4600
•Run the Unified Firmware Updater through USB
Check the existing firmware version
To check the current VEP4600 firmware versions from the DiagOS run the following command:
DiagOS installed: login and type updatetool -D ALL -V
Copy the Unified Firmware Updater to USB
1. Download the Unified Firmware Updater (UFW) from the Dell support site.
2. Unzip vep4600_ufw_2.8.zip which contains the Unified Firmware Updater zip file, (vep4600_ufw_2.8.zip)
Contents of zip file vep4600_ufw_2.8.zip
3. Unzip vep4600_ufw_2.8.zip file to obtain the vep4600_ufw_2.8 (Unified Firmware Updater) script.
vep4600_ufw_2.8.zip contents
4. vep4600_ufw_2.8 contains the following firmware versions:
• CPLD – 0x10
• BMC – v2.0
5
Upgrade Firmware through DiagOS 17

• BIOS – 3.41.0.9-15
• WiFi CPLD image – 0x01
• rNDC CPLD image – 0x02
• rNDC nvm images (DUP package – 18.08.200)
5. From a Windows or Linux server, copy the vep4600_ufw_2.8 file to a USB. (USB size 2GB is sufficient)
Mount_USB_on_the_VEP4600
1. Insert the USB into the USB port in the VEP4600 front panel.
2. From the serial console DiagOS:
a. Run the command mkdir /mnt/usb to create the mount point
b. Run the command mount /dev/sdb /mnt/usb
3. The USB can take a different device name, but usually VEP4600 DIAG OS assigns sdb for the USB. If you run fdisk -l the USB is
usually one of the last drives in the list.
Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1 32 30031871 30031840 14.3G c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
Run the Unified Firmware Updater through USB
1. From mounted USB, run the Unified Firmware Updater with the following commands:
a. root@dellemc-diag-os:~# cd /mnt/usb
b. root@dellemc-diag-os:/mnt/usb# chmod 777 vep4600_ufw_x.x
c. root@dellemc-diag-os:/mnt/usb# ./vep4600_ufw_x.x interactive
2. The following menu is displayed below:
root@dellemc-diag-os:/mnt/usb# chmod 777 vep4600_ufw_x.x
root@dellemc-diag-os:/mnt/usb# ./vep4600_ufw_x.x interactive
Creating directory images
Verifying archive integrity... 100% MD5 checksums are OK. All good.
Uncompressing release 100%
Selecting previously unselected package zlib1g-dev:amd64.
(Reading database ... 20150 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../zlib1g-dev_1%3a1.x.x.dfsg-2+b1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking zlib1g-dev:amd64 (1:1.x.x.dfsg-2+b1) ...
Setting up zlib1g-dev:amd64 (1:1.x.x.dfsg-2+b1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.0.2-5) ...
fopen: Permission denied
Selecting previously unselected package libssl-dev:amd64.
(Reading database ... 20181 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libssl-dev_1.0.1t-1+deb8u6_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libssl-dev:amd64 (1.0.1t-1+deb8u6) ...
Setting up libssl-dev:amd64 (1.0.1t-1+deb8u6) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libssl-doc.
(Reading database ... 20267 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libssl-doc_1.0.1t-1+deb8u6_all.deb ...
Unpacking libssl-doc (1.0.1t-1+deb8u6) ...
Setting up libssl-doc (1.0.1t-1+deb8u6) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.0.2-5) ...
fopen: Permission denied
Selecting previously unselected package bc.
(Reading database ... 21629 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack diag/bc_1.06.95-9_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking bc (1.06.95-9) ...
Setting up bc (1.06.95-9) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.0.2-5) ...
fopen: Permission denied
Package version: x.x
Packaged images:
18 Upgrade Firmware through DiagOS

BMC image: x.x
BIOS image: 3.41.0.x-xx
CPLD image: XxXX
Wifi CPLD image: XxX
Note:If BMC version is less than 1.23 CPLD versions will not be shown correctly
1. Automatically update all firmware components
2. BMC image[Primary version:x.x, backup version:1.23]
3. BIOS image[Booted version: 3.41.0.x-xx]
4. CPLD image[CPLD version: XxXX]
5. rNDC left CPLD image[CPLD version: 0x2]
6. rNDC right CPLD image[CPLD version: 0x2]
q. Exit
Enter your choice:1
3. Enter 1Automatically update all firmware components.
updating ALL images
updating BMC image
****************************
* BMC version = x.x *
* Back-up Version = x.x *
****************************
Already have x.x programmed
updating BIOS image
******************************
* BIOS version = 3.41.0.9-13 *
******************************
updating primary image only..
BIOS image is ./VEP4600-BIOS-3.41.0.x-xx.BIN
01
INFO: Yafu INI Configuration File not found... Default options will not be applied...
Creating IPMI session via USB...Done
-------------------------------------------------
YAFUFlash - Firmware Upgrade Utility (Version 4.11x.x)
-------------------------------------------------
(C)Copyright 2016, American Megatrends Inc.
Beginning BIOS Update...
Uploading Image : 100%... done
Flashing Firmware Image : 100%... done
Verifying Firmware Image : 100%... done
Done with updating image
Will continue to update rest of components
Power cycle cpu to boot new BIOS after update is complete
updating CPLD image
Already have XxXX programmed
updating MC1_CARD CPLD image
Already have 0x2 programmed
WARNING: To avoid damage to your device, do not stop the update or reboot or power off the
system during t update.
Intel(R) Ethernet NVM Update Tool
NVMUpdate version 1.32.20.18
Copyright (C) 2013 - 2018 Intel Corporation.
done updating
Power cycle chassis for updates to take effect
Package version: x.x
Packaged images:
BMC image: x.x
BIOS image: 3.41.0.x-xx
Upgrade Firmware through DiagOS 19

CPLD image: XxXX
Wifi CPLD image: XxX
Note:If BMC version is less than 1.23 CPLD versions will not be shown correctly
1. Automatically update all firmware components
2. BMC image[Primary version:x.x, backup version:1.23]
3. BIOS image[Booted version: 3.41.0.x-xx]
4. CPLD image[CPLD version: XxXX]
5. rNDC left CPLD image[CPLD version: 0x2]
6. rNDC right CPLD image[CPLD version: 0x2]
q. Exit
Enter your choice:q
4. After firmware upgrade complete, enter qto exit.
5. Once all firmware updates are complete, a system power cycle is required either with remote power cycler or manually unplugging and
plugging back the power cord.
NOTE: Please note that the power down state should be minimum of 15 seconds for the complete power drain.
20 Upgrade Firmware through DiagOS