Configuration and Management Utilities for HP Integrity Servers
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This section provides a brief overview of the configuration and management utilities that are typically available for your Integrity server system. For more information, see the appropriate hardware documentation.
The main interfaces that are typically available for configuring and managing your HP Integrity server environment are the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) and the Management Processor (MP). On entry-class Integrity servers, MP has been replaced by the Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) Management Processor, which includes all the functionality of MP plus additional features. On some models, the Baseboard Management Control (BMC) utility is provided. Cell-based servers include additional management tools.
EFI is the main boot and preboot interface; it is the core interface to the system firmware and console commands on all models. BMC is provided on entry-class HP Integrity servers (although on a few systems the interface itself is hidden). BMC provides basic management capabilities and access to EFI. MP (or iLO) is available on most systems; on some systems it is available only if the necessary console hardware has been installed and configured. In addition to providing access to EFI, MP provides advanced management functionality (beyond that which is available through BMC), including remote management, network console and Web-based access, and enhanced diagnostic capabilities. Both BMC and MP (iLO) can operate on standby power—even when the Integrity server’s main power switch is turned to the off position.
EFI is the base console environment. You can either use MP (iLO) or BMC to interact with the capabilities of the console interface.
The OpenVMS I64 installation and upgrade procedures assist you in adding a boot option for your newly installed or upgraded system disk. Before you can boot your OpenVMS system, your console must be configured correctly, as explained in “Selecting Your OpenVMS Console for the Integrity Server System”.
The following briefly describes some of the main features of EFI, MP, and BMC.
Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI)
EFI is a menu and command-line interface between the operating system and the system firmware. The EFI interface is available only when the operating system is not booted; on cell-based servers, the interface is available from an nPartition console when the nPartition is in an active state but has not booted an operating system. To configure EFI boot options while the operating system is running, OpenVMS provides the OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager utility (SYS$MANAGER:BOOT_OPTIONS.COM). Changes made by this utility do not take effect until the system is rebooted.
The EFI Boot Manager, like the OpenVMS I64 Boot Manager, provides support for operating system loaders and enables you to configure the firmware and control the booting environment for your OpenVMS operating system. A FAT partition on the boot disk stores the system loader. The Boot Configuration menu (or in some versions of EFI, the Boot Option Maintenance Menu) enables you to add or delete a boot option, change the boot order, select the active console, and more. After you power up the server, the EFI boot manager presents different ways to bring up the system, depending on how you have set up the boot options. For example, you can boot to the EFI Shell. When you select the EFI Shell command-line interface option, you can enter commands at the EFI Shell prompt. For more information about EFI options and commands, see “Overview of Using EFI” and the appropriate hardware documentation.
NOTE: In some HP documents, you might see the acronym POSSE used in place of or in combination with EFI. EFI is an Intel specification of an interface between firmware and the operating system. POSSE (Pre-OS System Environment) is the HP implementation of EFI that extends the EFI Shell and EFI Boot Manager to include additional features for managing hardware and system boot options. Management Processor (MP)
Management Processor (or, on entry-class Integrity servers, iLO) provides both local and remote access for controlling the system console, reset/power management, and transfer of control (TOC) capabilities. It also enables you to monitor tasks and display detailed information about various internal subsystems. On cell-based servers, MP is a complex-wide tool and is always available, even if nPartitions are not configured or booted in the server complex. In contrast, EFI does not operate as a complex-wide tool and is only available when the nPartition is in an active state but has not booted an operating system; each nPartition has its own EFI interface. Using MP, you can select the partition for which you want EFI access. You can access all hardware and nPartitions in the complex. The following is a brief summary of MP’s main features:
Console connectivity
As a console interface, MP enables you to interact with EFI and to power the server on or off; ultimately, it can function as the OPA0: terminal port on OpenVMS.
Virtual Front Panel (VFP)
MP provides a virtual front panel that you can use to monitor the front panel LEDs from a remote location.
Command interface
MP provides an extensive menu system and a command-line interface.
Multiple, simultaneous viewers
Multiple users can access the MP console or a particular nPartition console. Only one user at a time is allowed interactive access. All other users have read-only access. (Output from the interactive user is reflected to the read-only users currently accessing the console.) Access to MP can be restricted by password-protected user accounts.
Availability/standby power
MP is available whenever the system is connected to a power source, even if the server’s main power switch is in the off position.
Accessibility
MP is accessible in several ways, including by direct monitor connection using a terminal, PC, laptop or desktop computer connected to the MP serial port; by modem through an EIA-232 port; or by Telnet or Web browser on the LAN. MP is accessible through Secure Shell (SSH), which is provided by TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS. This method of access is more secure than any of the other methods.
Console log
MP records recent output from the system console. The cl command enables you to view the recorded information.
Event logs
MP includes event logs that include information about system events and booting. The sl command displays the contents of system status logs.
On some systems, such as the rx1600, MP is optional. For more information about MP options and commands, see the appropriate hardware documentation.
NOTE: MP provides much more functionality than BMC and might be more appropriate for your needs. On some systems, MP is an optional component and on others it is built into the system. Baseboard Management Controller (BMC)
BMC is more limited in functionality than MP. BMC enables you to control some management features built into the system board, such as diagnostics, configuration, and hardware management. BMC provides a console connection on some systems. As with MP, BMC enables you to interact with EFI; it can function as the OPA0: terminal port on OpenVMS. BMC also operates on standby power. However, BMC is accessible only through the serial port on the back of the system. BMC commands enable you to control the BMC interface, view logs, get help, display firmware revisions, reset the system, turn the system locator LED on or off, and change the BMC password.BMC is not provided on cell-based Integrity servers. On some systems, such as the rx4640, the BMC user interface is hidden but is still present and functional. For more information about BMC commands, see the appropriate hardware documentation.
For the more complex environments provided by cell-based Integrity servers, a wider variety of tools is provided. Systems with multiple nPartitions provide a separate EFI interface for each nPartition. MP provides access to, and allows management across, the complex and each nPartition EFI interface.
In addition to MP and EFI (cell-based servers do not provide BMC), these systems offer Partition Manager and other tools that vary from system to system and operating system to operating system. The Partition Manager (parmgr) utility provides a graphical interface for managing nPartitions and complex hardware. It centralizes all nPartition management functions in one place, providing the system manager with the tools to dynamically reconfigure, power on, power off, create, delete, and modify nPartitions to ensure smooth and well-controlled operation. Partition Manager can be run on HP-UX or Microsoft Windows systems. You can use either version of Partition Manager to manage nPartitions for OpenVMS Version 8.3. Partition Manager is a free product that you can download from the following Web site (PARMGR must be uppercase as shown):
http://www.docs.hp.com/en/PARMGR2/download.html
For more information about Partition Manager, see the HP System Partitions Guide: Administration for nPartitions.
For more information about these and other tools available for configuring or managing Integrity servers, see the appropriate hardware documentation.
The EFI environment and the MP and BMC console interfaces on Integrity server systems interpret the Delete (or Backspace) key as do UNIX systems, which is different from the way OpenVMS Alpha systems or Microsoft Windows systems interpret them. While the OpenVMS operating system uses the ASCII DEL/RUBOUT character (7F hexadecimal) to delete the last character typed in a command line, the Integrity server facilities use Ctrl/H. When you enter commands for the Integrity server, if you press Delete at a VTxxx terminal (or press the key you have mapped to send the DEL/RUBOUT character code in your terminal emulator), the last character typed is not deleted.
You can remap a terminal so that the Delete key removes the last character typed by adding the following command to your login command procedure (generally, LOGIN.COM):
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This command remaps Ctrl/H to DEL. The driver does not remap these keys if the terminal is in one of the following states:
Terminal attribute is set to PASSALL
Terminal attribute is set to PASTHRU
IO$_READALL
IO$_READPBLK
Ctrl/V is entered, which tells the driver to pass the next character and skip the remap check.
Alternatively, you can set up your terminal emulator so that the Backspace key deletes the last character typed. However, for the key to work properly on OpenVMS, you must still enter the SET TERMINAL command described earlier.