Ubuntu 16.04 is not officially support by Dell, but 14.04 is. So I tried to install the OMSA packages for 14.04, which almost works out of the box:

  • Add APT repository at /etc/apt/sources.list.d/openmanage.list:
deb http://linux.dell.com/repo/community/ubuntu trusty openmanage
  • Download and add GPG key for repository:
# gpg --keyserver pgpkeys.mit.edu --recv-key 1285491434D8786F
# gpg -a --export 1285491434D8786F | apt-key add -
  • Update list of available packages:
# apt update
  • Just installing the 'srvadmin-' packages would result in a missing dependency on 'libsmbios2'. But it's possible to install the package 'libsmbios2v5' instead:
# apt install smbios-utils libsmbios2v5
  • Now you can download and install the OMSA packages by ignoring that dependency:
# mkdir omsa
# cd omsa
# apt-get download srvadmin-omcommon srvadmin-storage srvadmin-base srvadmin-storageservices srvadmin-deng srvadmin-omacs srvadmin-omilcore srvadmin-storelib srvadmin-ominst srvadmin-smcommon srvadmin-storelib-sysfs srvadmin-isvc srvadmin-rnasoap srvadmin-xmlsup srvadmin-realssd srvadmin-nvme srvadmin-storageservices-snmp srvadmin-storageservices-cli srvadmin-storage-snmp srvadmin-deng-snmp srvadmin-isvc-snmp srvadmin-idrac-snmp srvadmin-storage-cli srvadmin-omacore
# dpkg -i --ignore-depends=libsmbios2 *.deb
  • In order to permanently ignore the dependency you should now carefully edit /var/lib/dpkg/status:
...
Package: srvadmin-storage
...
Depends: (remove "libsmbios2, ")
...
Package: srvadmin-omcommon
...
Depends: (remove "libsmbios2, ")
...
  • After start the 'dataeng' service you can use the 'omreport' command to display system information:
# service dataeng start


# omreport system version
Version Report

---------------------
Main System Chassis
---------------------

Name    : BIOS
Version : 1.12.0


Name    : iDRAC6
Version : 2.85.00 (Build 4)


Name    : Lifecycle Controller
Version : 1.5.5.27

----------
Software
----------

Name    : Linux
Version : Kernel 4.4.0-21-generic (x86_64)


Name    : Dell Server Administrator
Version : 7.4.0-1

-----------------------------
Storage Controller Firmware
-----------------------------

Name    : PERC H700 Integrated
Version : 12.10.7-0001


# omreport storage controller
 Controller  PERC H700 Integrated (Slot 4)

Controllers
ID                                            : 0
Status                                        : Ok
Name                                          : PERC H700 Integrated
Slot ID                                       : PCI Slot 4
State                                         : Ready
Firmware Version                              : 12.10.7-0001
Latest Available Firmware Version             : Not Applicable
Driver Version                                : 06.810.09.00-rc1
Minimum Required Driver Version               : Not Applicable
Storport Driver Version                       : Not Applicable
Minimum Required Storport Driver Version      : Not Applicable
Number of Connectors                          : 2
Rebuild Rate                                  : 30%
BGI Rate                                      : 30%
Check Consistency Rate                        : 30%
Reconstruct Rate                              : 30%
Alarm State                                   : Not Applicable
Cluster Mode                                  : Not Applicable
SCSI Initiator ID                             : Not Applicable
Cache Memory Size                             : 512 MB
Patrol Read Mode                              : Auto
Patrol Read State                             : Stopped
Patrol Read Rate                              : 30%
Patrol Read Iterations                        : 187
Abort Check Consistency on Error              : Disabled
Allow Revertible Hot Spare and Replace Member : Enabled
Load Balance                                  : Not Applicable
Auto Replace Member on Predictive Failure     : Disabled
Redundant Path view                           : Not Applicable
CacheCade Capable                             : Not Applicable
Persistent Hot Spare                          : Disabled
Encryption Capable                            : Yes
Encryption Key Present                        : No
Encryption Mode                               : None
Preserved Cache                               : Not Applicable
Spin Down Unconfigured Drives                 : Disabled
Spin Down Hot Spares                          : Disabled
Spin Down Configured Drives                   : Not Applicable
Automatic Disk Power Saving (Idle C)          : Not Applicable
T10 Protection Information Capable            : No