User's Manual

148 Configuring and Using Virtual Media
The managed system is configured with a DRAC 4 card. The virtual CD and
floppy drives are two electronic devices embedded in the DRAC 4 that are
controlled by the DRAC 4 firmware. These two devices are present on the
managed system’s operating system and BIOS at all times, whether virtual
media is connected or disconnected.
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. Connecting virtual media is identical to inserting media into virtual
devices. 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.
Table 7-1 lists the supported drive connections for virtual floppy and virtual
optical drives.
NOTE: Changing virtual media while connected could stop the system boot
sequence.
Table 7-1. Supported Drive Connections
Supported Virtual Floppy Drive
Connections
Supported Virtual Optical Drive Connections
Legacy 1.44. floppy drive with a 1.44
floppy diskette
CD-ROM, CDRW, or a combination drive
with CD-ROM media
USB floppy drive with a 1.44 floppy
diskette
DVD, DVD-RW, or combination drive with
DVD media
1.44 floppy image CD-ROM image file in the ISO 9660 format
USB memory key USB CD-ROM or DVD drive with CD-ROM
or DVD media