iDRAC ISO Tool

A lightweight, single-file Python CLI tool for mounting ISO images over HTTP/HTTPS to Dell iDRAC via Redfish API, setting one-time boot to virtual CD, and rebooting the server.

Perfect for automating remote OS installations, rescue boots, and bare-metal provisioning on Dell PowerEdge servers.

Features

• 🚀 Single-file script - Easy to deploy and use
• 🔒 Secure by default - TLS verification enabled (with option to disable)
• 🔄 Automatic retries - Handles transient network errors gracefully
• 📝 Clear logging - Info and debug modes for troubleshooting
• 🎯 Smart discovery - Automatically finds the correct VirtualMedia endpoint
• ⚡ Fast execution - Completes in seconds with proper error handling
• 🛡️ Exit codes - Scriptable with standard exit codes
• 💡 Smart power management - Automatically powers on if server is off, reboots if on

Requirements

• Python 3.8 or higher
• requests library
• Dell iDRAC9 or iDRAC10 with Redfish support
• Network access to both iDRAC and ISO URL

Installation

Option 1: Direct Download

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/yourusername/redfish-iso/main/idrac_iso_tool.py
chmod +x idrac_iso_tool.py

Option 2: Clone Repository

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/redfish-iso.git
cd redfish-iso
chmod +x idrac_iso_tool.py

Install Dependencies

pip install requests

Or with a virtual environment:

python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install requests

Quick Start

Basic Usage

python idrac_iso_tool.py \
  -H 10.0.0.25 \
  -u root \
  -p calvin \
  -i http://repo.example.com/ubuntu-24.04.iso

Secure Usage (HTTPS ISO with SSL verification)

python idrac_iso_tool.py \
  --host idrac.example.com \
  --user admin \
  --iso https://releases.ubuntu.com/24.04/ubuntu-24.04-live-server-amd64.iso

Interactive Password Prompt

python idrac_iso_tool.py -H 10.0.0.25 -u root -i http://repo.local/installer.iso
# Password prompt appears (hidden input)

Replace Existing Media

python idrac_iso_tool.py \
  -H 10.0.0.25 \
  -u root \
  -p calvin \
  -i http://repo.local/new-installer.iso \
  --eject-first

Skip SSL Verification (Lab/Testing Only)

python idrac_iso_tool.py \
  -H 10.0.0.25 \
  -u root \
  -p calvin \
  -i http://repo.local/installer.iso \
  --insecure

Command-Line Options

Required Arguments

Option	Description
-H, --host	iDRAC hostname or IP address
-u, --user	iDRAC username
-i, --iso	HTTP(S) URL to ISO image

Optional Arguments

Option	Description	Default
-p, --password	iDRAC password (prompts if omitted)	-
--insecure	Disable SSL certificate verification	False
--timeout	Request timeout in seconds	30
--debug	Enable debug logging	False
--eject-first	Force eject existing media before insert	False
--no-wait	Don't wait for status confirmation	False
--manager-id	Manager ID	iDRAC.Embedded.1
--system-id	System ID	System.Embedded.1

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
0	Success
1	Authentication or connection error
2	API error (invalid response, conflict, etc.)
3	Invalid arguments
4	Timeout

Usage Examples

Automated Bare-Metal Installation

#!/bin/bash
# deploy-server.sh

IDRAC_HOST="10.0.0.25"
IDRAC_USER="root"
IDRAC_PASS="calvin"
ISO_URL="http://repo.local/ubuntu-autoinstall.iso"

python idrac_iso_tool.py \
  -H "$IDRAC_HOST" \
  -u "$IDRAC_USER" \
  -p "$IDRAC_PASS" \
  -i "$ISO_URL" \
  --eject-first

if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
  echo "Server is rebooting and will install Ubuntu"
else
  echo "Failed to mount ISO"
  exit 1
fi

CI/CD Integration

# .github/workflows/provision.yml
- name: Mount installation ISO
  run: |
    python idrac_iso_tool.py \
      -H ${{ secrets.IDRAC_HOST }} \
      -u ${{ secrets.IDRAC_USER }} \
      -p ${{ secrets.IDRAC_PASSWORD }} \
      -i https://repo.example.com/os-install.iso \
      --insecure

Rescue Boot

# Boot into rescue mode
python idrac_iso_tool.py \
  -H server1-idrac.local \
  -u admin \
  -i https://boot.netboot.xyz/ipxe/netboot.xyz.iso \
  --debug

How It Works

1. Authenticate - Connects to iDRAC using Basic Authentication
2. Discover - Finds the VirtualMedia CD endpoint via Redfish API
3. Check State - Verifies current media status (ejects if --eject-first)
4. Insert ISO - Mounts the ISO from the provided HTTP(S) URL
5. Set Boot - Configures one-time boot override to CD
6. Check Power State - Determines if server is powered on or off
7. Power On/Reboot - Powers on (if off) or reboots (if on) the server
8. Verify - Waits for confirmation (unless --no-wait)

Smart Power Management: The tool automatically detects the server's power state. If the server is powered off, it executes a startup from CD. If the server is already running, it performs a reboot.

Redfish API Endpoints Used

GET  /redfish/v1
GET  /redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1
GET  /redfish/v1/Managers/iDRAC.Embedded.1/VirtualMedia
GET  /redfish/v1/Managers/iDRAC.Embedded.1/VirtualMedia/CD
POST /redfish/v1/Managers/iDRAC.Embedded.1/VirtualMedia/CD/Actions/VirtualMedia.InsertMedia
POST /redfish/v1/Managers/iDRAC.Embedded.1/VirtualMedia/CD/Actions/VirtualMedia.EjectMedia
PATCH /redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1
POST /redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1/Actions/ComputerSystem.Reset

Troubleshooting

Authentication Failed (401)

# Verify credentials
curl -k -u root:calvin https://10.0.0.25/redfish/v1

# Try with correct credentials
python idrac_iso_tool.py -H 10.0.0.25 -u root -p correct_password -i http://...

SSL Certificate Verification Failed

# For production: Add CA certificate to system trust store
# For testing only: Use --insecure flag
python idrac_iso_tool.py -H 10.0.0.25 -u root -p calvin -i http://... --insecure

Media Already Inserted (409/400)

# Force eject before inserting new media
python idrac_iso_tool.py -H 10.0.0.25 -u root -p calvin -i http://... --eject-first

Connection Timeout

# Increase timeout for slow networks
python idrac_iso_tool.py -H 10.0.0.25 -u root -p calvin -i http://... --timeout 60

Debug Output

# Enable debug logging to see all API calls
python idrac_iso_tool.py -H 10.0.0.25 -u root -p calvin -i http://... --debug

Supported Platforms

Tested On

• Dell PowerEdge R640, R650, R750 (iDRAC9)
• Dell PowerEdge R660, R760 (iDRAC10)
• Python 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11, 3.12

Compatible With

• Any Dell server with iDRAC9 or iDRAC10
• Redfish 1.x compatible iDRAC firmware

Security Considerations

• Never commit passwords to version control
• Use environment variables or secure vaults for credentials
• Enable TLS verification in production (--insecure should only be used for testing)
• ISO URLs over HTTP are warned about (use HTTPS when possible)
• The tool does not store or cache credentials

Example: Using Environment Variables

export IDRAC_HOST="10.0.0.25"
export IDRAC_USER="root"
export IDRAC_PASS="calvin"

python idrac_iso_tool.py \
  -H "$IDRAC_HOST" \
  -u "$IDRAC_USER" \
  -p "$IDRAC_PASS" \
  -i http://repo.local/installer.iso

Limitations

• HTTP/HTTPS only - NFS and CIFS shares are not supported
• Single host - No multi-node orchestration (use shell loops or Ansible)
• No ISO upload - ISO must be hosted on accessible HTTP(S) server
• One-time boot only - Persistent boot configuration not supported

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Development Setup

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/redfish-iso.git
cd redfish-iso
python3 -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Running Tests

# Syntax check
python3 -m py_compile idrac_iso_tool.py

# Type hints check (if mypy installed)
mypy idrac_iso_tool.py

# Test help output
python idrac_iso_tool.py --help

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details

Author

Created for automating Dell PowerEdge bare-metal provisioning

Related Projects

• Dell iDRAC Redfish API Documentation
• DMTF Redfish Specification

Support

• 🐛 Report Issues
• 💬 Discussions
• 📖 Wiki

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⚠️ Important: This tool reboots the target server. Always verify the correct iDRAC host before running!