Well, duh...

[altivo]

So after I managed to get the boot problem for the Poweredge server solved by setting up a PXE network bootstrap, and got the OS installed on it, I discover (with some prompting) that it does have a CDROM drive after all, cleverly camouflaged to make it really inconspicuous. Bleah.

Anyway, it's up and running now. I just have to figure out how to fit it into the network rack.