Intelligent Provisioning (IP) is the single-server deployment tool embedded in ProLiant servers. It prepares storage, installs a supported OS from original vendor media, and offers maintenance tools such as firmware update, RAID configuration and Active Health System download. This guide follows the current HPE Intelligent Provisioning user guides for Gen10/Gen10 Plus (IP 3.x) and Gen11 (IP 4.x).
Before you start
- Console access: a local monitor and keyboard, or the iLO remote console.
- Original, licensed OS media or an HPE-branded image. HPE does not support demo/developer media or images with slipstreamed service packs in IP.
- For VMware ESXi on some ProLiant models, the HPE Custom Image.
- A backup of any data on the server's drives: the OS install step erases them.
Which Intelligent Provisioning version you have
The HPE Intelligent Provisioning quick-links page lists separate release streams per generation:
| Servers | IP version stream | iLO requirement (from the user guides) |
|---|---|---|
| ProLiant Gen10, Gen10 Plus | 3.x | IP 3.40 and later needs iLO 5 firmware 1.10 or later |
| ProLiant Gen11 | 4.x | IP 4.00 and later needs iLO 6 firmware 1.00 or later |
| ProLiant Gen12 | 5.x | See the Gen12 user guide on the quick-links page |
The Gen11 guide notes that ProLiant RL3xx Gen11 platforms and Gen11 platforms running OpenBMC do not support IP. On HPE Synergy compute modules, IP offers maintenance features but not OS installation. To see your version, use the System Information icon in IP.
Step 1 — Launch Intelligent Provisioning
There are two ways in:
- F10 at POST. Boot the server and press F10 on the POST screen. If Host Authentication is enabled in iLO, enter iLO credentials. F10 mode gives access to SR Storage Administrator (SSA) and, from IP 4.30, MR Storage Administrator (MRSA); HPE notes it includes options that are not available in Always On mode.
- Always On Intelligent Provisioning (AoIP) from iLO. Log in to iLO, click Lifecycle Management, open the Intelligent Provisioning tab and click Always On. IP opens in a new browser window without rebooting the server, and can work while the server is off or while an OS is running. To install an OS in Always On mode, the installation ISO must be extracted on an FTP server.
Step 2 — Complete the First Time Setup wizard
The first time IP runs, a wizard asks for preferences. You can click Skip, but completing it sets up the network for updates and installs.
- Set Interface Language, Keyboard Language, Time Zone, Boot BIOS Mode, System Date and Time, and System Software Update. Click Next.
- Accept the Intelligent Provisioning EULA and click Next.
- Choose whether to Automatically optimize your server, what the server will be used for, whether to keep F10 functionality enabled and whether to apply updates automatically. Click Next.
- Choose the network interface for updates and installs, set a proxy if needed and DHCP or manual addressing. Click Submit.
The home screen then shows two menus: Rapid Setup (guided OS installation) and Perform Maintenance.
Step 3 — Prepare the storage
When you run Rapid Setup, IP checks the RAID controller and drives:
- If a logical drive already exists, IP only displays it. You cannot modify an existing array or logical drive from this screen.
- If no logical drive exists, IP creates an OS drive and a data drive automatically based on the number of drives. You can change this recommended layout: click the pencil icon, then Create Array, select drives as Array or Spare, and set RAID mode, size, accelerator and strip size.
- With more than one RAID controller, IP selects the controller automatically.
On MR controllers, drives in JBOD state cannot be used for RAID. Convert them first: press F9, then System Configuration > MR Controller > Main Menu > Configuration Management > Make Unconfigured Good, select the drives and confirm.
For full control of arrays, use Perform Maintenance > SR Storage Administrator (Smart Array/SR controllers) or MR Storage Administrator (MR controllers). See create an array with SSA and RAID on Gen11 MR controllers.
Step 4 — Install the OS with Rapid Setup
- On the home screen select Rapid Setup. Configure or skip the proxy prompt.
- Select an install source (table below) and enter the connection details.
- Configure the OS settings (for Windows: edition, computer name and so on).
- Review or change the controller layout (Step 3), then choose the OS drive. Leave Use Recommended Partition ticked for automatic partitioning, or untick it to set partitions yourself.
- Optionally enable firmware update and tick the components to update.
- Review the summary and click Accept Configure.
Warning: HPE states that continuing past the review screen resets the drives to a newly installed state and installs the selected OS: any existing information on the server is erased. Back up first, and disconnect or unpresent any storage you do not want touched.
| Install source | Notes from the HPE user guides |
|---|---|
| File on a USB drive | Not supported in Always On mode. For RHEL and SLES, extract the ISO to the USB drive first. |
| DVD-ROM Media | Physical DVD. |
| SMB/CIFS (Windows Share) | Server name or IP, share name, user and password. A server name needs a DNS entry. |
| An anonymous FTP server | Anonymous access only, no proxy, and no spaces or punctuation in the directory path. Extract the ISO on the server. |
| Install from Internet | Downloads source files from an Internet URL. |
| Virtual media | Listed in the Gen11 (4.x) guide; supported only in Always On mode. |
HPE notes that manual install is not supported in IP; the source media and methods supported for each OS are listed in the IP release notes.
Maintenance tools
From Perform Maintenance, the user guides list:
- Firmware Update — shows updates in the latest SPP baseline and can also roll components back. Port 443 must be open, and the guide asks you to generate a token at the HPE entitlement token service. See updating with SPP for a full baseline update.
- Intelligent Provisioning Preferences, Deployment Settings (save a configuration and apply it to another server), BIOS Configuration (RBSU) and iLO Configuration.
- Active Health System log download.
- Intelligent Storage, SR Storage Administrator and MR Storage Administrator.
- Hardware Validation Tool — test the system and export results.
- One-button secure erase and System Erase and Reset — for decommissioning.
Warning: System Erase and Reset overwrites every internal and external drive or volume the server can reach, including SAN, iSCSI and NVMe. HPE notes that IP 3.89 or earlier (Gen10/Gen10 Plus) and 4.32 or earlier (Gen11) show no warning pop-up. Back up first and disconnect or unzone external storage before using it.
Troubleshooting
- F10 is not offered: the F10 prompt may be disabled. Press F9 and go to System Configuration > BIOS/Platform Configuration (RBSU) > Server Security > Intelligent Provisioning (F10 Prompt), select Enabled, then save and reboot.
- F10 pressed but IP does not load: HPE lists damaged IP files (reinstall IP from its ISO with the USB Key Utility) and iLO running in FIPS mode as causes.
- Network install fails: IP does not work in multihomed configurations (two or more networks or IP addresses).
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Intelligent Provisioning to install from a customised ISO?
No. HPE supports only original, licensed vendor media or HPE-branded versions; slipstreamed or modified media can fail.
Do I need to reboot to use Intelligent Provisioning?
Not for Always On mode, opened from Lifecycle Management in iLO. F10 mode needs a reboot.
Checklist
- IP version matches the generation (3.x for Gen10/Gen10 Plus, 4.x for Gen11).
- First Time Setup completed and network for updates working.
- RAID layout checked; MR drives converted to Unconfigured Good if needed.
- Data backed up before Accept Configure.
- Install source reachable and in the supported format.
- Firmware brought to the current SPP after installation.
Skyline can supply, configure and maintain Dell, HPE and Huawei servers under an annual maintenance contract (AMC). Contact us.
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