Server registration profiles

Available since: 7.1

Overview

Server Registration Profiles in MetalSoft define how newly added or discovered servers are initialized, validated, and prepared for use. These profiles allow administrators to standardize server onboarding by applying consistent hardware, firmware, and storage configurations during the registration workflow.

This document outlines each configurable option available under Servers → Server Registration Profiles in the MetalSoft UI and provides context for how these settings influence server behavior during registration.

You can set the Default Server Registration Profile under Sites/Site Name/Configuration. The default is “Automatic”, which means that MetalSoft will use the defaults below.

You can edit or clone the default Server Registration Profile, but if it is set to Automatic at site level, it will use the original defaults as below.

You can use these for both Server ZTP registration and manual registration, and there is no limit to the number of Server Registration Profiles you can create.

Credential and interface settings

Set random credentials

• Default: Disabled

• Description: When enabled, MetalSoft automatically configures random credentials on the server’s BMC.

• Behavior:

  Enabled: System generates and applies random BMC credentials.

  Disabled: Credentials remain as provided by the user during server addition or inherited from the ZTP profile.

Minimum number of connected interfaces

• Default: 0

• Description: Defines the minimum number of network interfaces that must show an active link during registration.

• Behavior:

  MetalSoft retries link discovery until it detects the required number of active interfaces or 10 minutes pass.

  If the threshold is not met, MetalSoft marks the server “registration incomplete”.

Recommendation: Set this to the expected number of connected NICs when known.

Disable embedded NICs

• Default: Enabled

• Description: Disables any embedded NICs detected on the server.

• Behavior:

  Enabled: MetalSoft uses embedded NICs during the registration process.

  Disabled: MetalSoft does not use embedded NICs during the registration process.

Use Case: Useful when you want to use only add‑in NICs for networking.

Virtual media protocol

• Default: HTTPS

• Description: Determines the protocol used by the server to access OS images from the Site Controller.

Examples: May include protocols such as HTTPS, NFS, or vendor‑specific virtual media mechanisms.

Storage and RAID settings

Reset RAID controllers

• Default: Enabled

• Description: Resets the RAID controller during registration.

Impact:

Increases registration time.

Helps resolve issues where drives are not detected correctly or existing configuration exists.

If Enabled and resetting the RAID Controller is not supported by the manufacturer or the controller, then the server will move to “Registration incomplete”.

Cleanup drives

• Default: Enabled

• Description: Performs a secure cleanup of all drives.

• Behavior:

  Enabled: Uses cryptographic erase if supported. Falls back to zero‑writing if cryptographic erase is unavailable.

  Disabled: Will not clean up the drives during registration. Administrators should normally use this setting only for testing purposes.

Note: Zero‑writing can be time‑consuming on large or numerous drives.

Recreate RAID

• Default: Enabled

• Description: Rebuilds RAID configurations on the server’s RAID controllers.

Use Case: Ensures consistent RAID layouts across servers. The default behaviors are as follows.

RAID configuration rules

• Description: MetalSoft allows defining RAID levels based on the number of drives present:

RAID config for one drive

• Default: RAID0

RAID config for two drives

• Default: RAID1

RAID config for odd number of drives

• Default: RAID5

RAID config for even number of drives

• Default: RAID10

Note: Available options are RAID0, RAID1, RAID5, and RAID10.

These rules allow flexible, automated RAID provisioning across heterogeneous hardware.

BIOS and security settings

BIOS configurations

• Description: Allows applying predefined BIOS settings during registration.

• Options

  Manufacturer Server Model Attribute Name Attribute Value

Examples: Boot mode, CPU virtualization features, power profiles, etc. This is free form, and you must check the options in the manufacturer’s documentation.

Enable syslog monitoring

• Default: Enabled

• Description: Configures the server to forward syslog messages to the Site Controller.

Benefit: Centralized logging for troubleshooting and auditing.

Enable TPM

• Default: Enabled

• Description: Enables the Trusted Platform Module if present.

Use Case: Required for secure boot, attestation, and other security workflows.

Enable Intel TXT

• Default: Enabled

• Description: Enables Intel Trusted Execution Technology when supported.

Benefit: Provides hardware‑based security for measured launch environments.

Summary

Server Registration Profiles in MetalSoft provide a powerful mechanism to standardize and automate the onboarding of physical servers. By defining consistent rules for credentials, networking, storage, BIOS, and security, administrators can ensure predictable and secure server initialization across diverse hardware environments.

These profiles are especially valuable in large‑scale or automated deployments where consistency, repeatability, and security are critical.