Custom attributes

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About custom attributes

A custom attribute is a simple name/value pair you define, that is used as a form of variable substitution in scripts, configuration files, parameters, and other appliance functions. When referenced, the custom attribute name is replaced by the value of that custom attribute. Custom attributes do not stand alone; they are always associated with an object in the management database, such as servers, device groups, facility, or OS Build Plans. See the Insight Control Server Provisioning Build Plans Reference Guide for more information on the custom attributes used in HP-provided Build Plans.

Custom attributes substitute specific values into scripts, configuration files, and package paths when a Build Plan is run. This is useful for configuring installation processes, including network and server configuration. Custom attributes are typically used for overriding default values.

For example, when using custom attributes in script code, use the format:

@name@

@name:default_value@

where name is the custom attribute name and default_value is the value that will be used if this custom attribute is not found in the appliance database. Defining a default value is optional.

Examples of custom attributes in scripts:

If a custom attribute is defined using the UI as name MediaServer and value 10.1.1.2, you may reference it in a script with @MediaServer@. When the OS Build Plan is run on a server, @MediaServer@ will be replaced with 10.1.1.2.
If your script contains the code @Password:ChangeMe123!@ and the custom attribute Password is not defined via the UI, when the Build Plan is run the custom attribute Password is not found in the appliance database so Password will be replaced with ChangeMe123!.

Custom attributes can be inherited from a containing object. For example, a server in a device group will inherit the custom attributes from that device group. See Rules for custom attributes.

Custom attributes may be defined in the UI as follows:

For a specific server use the Edit Servers screen.
For a device group use the Edit Device Groups screen.
For a specific Build Plan use the Edit OS Build Plans screen.
System wide (default value) facility custom attributes may be viewed and edited from the Settings screen by selecting Edit on the Facility Custom Attributes panel.

See Table of some commonly used custom attributes for a list of some commonly used custom attributes.

For a list of custom attributes used in the HP-provided Build Plans, see the Insight Control Server Provisioning Build Plans Reference Guide. You can, of course, define your own custom attributes (see Creating your own custom attributes).

Rules for custom attributes

Custom attributes must conform to the following rules:

The name may not contain spaces or special characters. It may contain numbers, underscores, and dashes.
The value can contain special characters and spaces, and you may also leave it blank. Special characters might require double quotes if the value will be executed, for example “echo hello > temp.txt”.
A custom attribute value can be multiple lines.
Since it is used as a delimiter, the @ sign cannot be used in the default value you specify in a custom attributes.
You may not use a custom attribute within a custom attribute value.
You may not have duplicate custom attribute names for an individual OS Build Plan, server or facility level.
Custom attributes are associated with servers, device groups, your facility, and OS Build Plans. If the same custom attribute name is defined at multiple levels, conflicts are resolved by precedence.
Custom attribute precedence, highest to lowest
1. Servers
2. Device group
3. Facility
4. OS Build Plans
For example, if a custom attribute is defined for a server and defined for an OS Build Plan, the custom attribute value defined for the server would be used.

If the same custom attribute is assigned to multiple device groups and the same server is in both of those groups, the device group the server inherits that custom attribute from is unpredictable.

NOTE: Custom attributes set at the OS Build Plan level are at the lowest precedence.

Creating your own custom attributes

Objects that are allowed to have custom attributes will have an area on the resource’s Overview screen for creating them.


	NOTE: Do not create custom attributes with the prefix “_ _OPSW” (double underscore preceding “OPSW”) as that identifies custom attributes internal to IC server provisioning.

If you create a custom attribute that already exists for another higher precedence object, then the value of the higher precedence object custom attribute will be used.

Table of some commonly used custom attributes

The table lists some commonly used custom attributes. For a complete list of custom attributes, see the Insight Control Server Provisioning Build Plans Reference Guide.

Name Description Example values

For Windows deployment:

SystemDrive Drive label set for the target server’s system drive where Windows will be installed. C, D, E

SystemDiskNumber

The physical drive number to install the OS to. This custom attribute is not meant to be set by the end user. It is set automatically during Build Plan execution and is used to make sure the Windows installer does not install to the ProLiant Intelligent Provisioning flash drives. During reprovisioning, this value might be left over from a previous installation and cause the installation to fail. If this happens, simply delete the custom attribute before running the Build Plan.


	NOTE: During a Windows OS installation, boot files are always placed on drive 0. Drive 0 must be partitioned and formatted for the Windows installer to access it.

0, 1, 2, 3

ComputerName

Network name of the installed target server. This is 15 characters, maximum. Follow NETBIOS rules.

Windows OS only.


	NOTE: If you specify a computer name with network personalization when running a Build Plan, it will override this name.

EncryptedAdminPassword

Used to set the “Administrator” password in encrypted form.

Refer to Set (encrypt) the administrator/root password for how to create an encrypted password.

For Linux and ESXi deployment:

kernel_arguments

Used to specify additional arguments to the kernel where the installation is running.


	NOTE: To get your Build Plan to work for servers with B120i and B320i controllers, the custom attribute `kernel_arguments` must be set to `blacklist=ahci` for RHEL installations or `brokenmodules=ahci` for SLES installations.

“noapci”, “root=LABEL=/”, “quiet”, “splash”

encrypted_root_password

Used to set the “root” password in encrypted form.

Refer to Set (encrypt) the administrator/root password for how to create an encrypted password.

boot_disk Describes which disk to install the OS to. “sda”, “hdc”, “cciss/c0d1”

For Hardware

HBA_Config Contains information used to configure an HBA or CNA on a target server with your appropriate boot LUN. This is a multi-line custom attribute and the values are defined in the help topic Configure the boot device on a Fibre Channel HBA.

Additional custom attributes

hpsa_netconfig, netconfig Special custom attributes used to pass static network configuration information. hpsa_netconfig is read by the Inject personalization settings step to configure static networking as part of an OS installation. netconfig is used when running a configure network job after the server is installed. These custom attributes are set automatically by the static networking configuration (see the online help topic on Run as OS Build Plan).

configuration_location

Specifies a temporary location used to store the configuration file that is written as part of a Build Plan. Only some Build Plans use this custom attribute, and it is typically assigned as a custom attribute of the Build Plan itself, although it can be overridden if needed.


	NOTE: Custom attributes set at the OS Build Plan level are at the lowest precedence.

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