[Beowulf] Re: recommendation on crash cart for a cluster room:fullcluster KVM is not an option I suppose?

[Rahul Nabar]

On Fri, Oct 9, 2009 at 12:44 AM, Mark Hahn <hahn at mcmaster.ca> wrote:

> my first wish would be for some way to automate BIOS settings. node
> properties like MAC and SNs are easy enough to gather yourself. flashing
> BIOS versions is easy enough too via pxe - but again,
> only as long as the flash doesn't fubar your settings...


Well, it's embarrassing to admit but I have never flashed a BIOS
firmware since I am mortally scared of messing things and ending up
with a $3000 expensive paperweight. :)

Is BIOS firmware-flashing  routine for you guys? Is it easy or
error-prone. Are there any such "paperweight servers" lurking in your
racks and server-rooms? Or is this a bugaboo of the ancient dark-ages?

-- 
Rahul