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112 Configuring and Using Virtual Media
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The managed system has a DRAC 4 card installed. The virtual CD and floppy drives are two
electronic devices embedded in the DRAC 4 and are controlled by the DRAC 4 firmware.
NOTE: These two devices are present on the managed system’s operating system and BIOS at all times,
whether virtual media is connected or not. Connecting virtual media is just like inserting media into
virtual devices.
The management station provides the physical media or image file across the network. For the
virtual media feature to work, the virtual media plug-in must be installed on the management
station. When you launch the RAC browser for the first time and you access the virtual media
page, the virtual media plug-in is downloaded from the DRAC 4 Web server and is
automatically installed on the management station.
When virtual media is connected, all virtual CD/floppy drive access requests from the managed
system are directed to the management station across the network. When virtual media is not
connected, virtual devices on the managed system behave just like two drives without media
present. Virtual media requires a minimum available network bandwidth of 128 Kbps.
Currently, the virtual floppy drive can be connected to a legacy 1.44 floppy drive with a 1.44
floppy diskette, a USB floppy drive with a 1.44 floppy diskette, a 1.44 floppy image, and USB
keys. The virtual CD-ROM drive can be connected to a CD-ROM, DVD, CDRW, combination
drive with CD-ROM media, or a CD-ROM image file in the ISO9660 format. The virtual
CD-ROM drive can also be connected to a USB CD-ROM drive with CD-ROM media.
Virtual Media supports single session/single track CD/DVD/image data (that is, Virtual Media
does not support multiple sessions, music CDs, and so on.)
NOTE: Changing virtual media while connected could stop the system boot sequence.
Operating System Requirements on the Managed System
Virtual media is supported on systems running the following operating systems:
• Microsoft
®
Windows
®
2000 Server with Service Pack 4
• Windows Server
™
2003
•Red Hat
®
Enterprise Linux AS, ES, and WS (version 3)
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS, ES, and WS (version 4)
NOTE: When using Virtual Media to install Windows 2000, the installation CD must have a built-in
Service Pack 4. Service Pack 4 is required in order to access the virtual drives. This requirement also
applies to using the virtual drives with Windows 2000. The drives do not appear until Service Pack 4 has
been successfully installed.