B.1 Configuration and Management Utilities for HP Integrity servers
This section provides a brief overview of the
configuration and management utilities that are typically available
for your Integrity servers system. For more information, see
the appropriate hardware documentation.
B.1.1 Overview of Utilities and Console Options
The main interfaces that are typically available
for configuring and managing your HP Integrity servers 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 On entry-class Integrity servers, MP has been replaced by the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. On servers supporting
iLO and Insight Power Management (IPM), a power management interface
is available for OpenVMS Integrity servers. For more information,
see the HP OpenVMS Utility Routines Manual. IPM provides centralized monitoring and control of server power
consumption and thermal output. (Although OpenVMS still supports the
SYSGEN parameter CPU_POWER_MGMT, the iLO interface takes precedence
over this parameter.) Before installing OpenVMS Integrity servers,
check that power management is set in the state that you prefer. For
more information, see the HP OpenVMS Utility Routines Manual..
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 Integrity servers 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 Section B.2.
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
Integrity servers 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 Integrity servers 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 Section B.3 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 (with certain
Integrity servers, you can also use a VGA monitor and USB keyboard
and mouse); 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.
B.1.2 Configuration and Management Utilities on Cell-Based Servers
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 8.4. Partition Manager is a free
product that you can download from the following website (PARMGR must
be uppercase as shown):
For more information about Partition Manager,
see the nPartition Administrator's Guide (previously titled 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.
B.1.3 Using the Delete or Backspace Key with Integrity server Utilities
Some versions of the EFI environment and the MP
and BMC console interfaces on Integrity server systems still interpret
the Delete (or Backspace) key as
do UNIX systems, which is different from the way OpenVMS Alpha systems
or Microsoft Windows systems interpret it. Whereas the OpenVMS operating
system uses the ASCII DEL/RUBOUT character (7F hexadecimal) to delete
the last character typed in a command line, these Integrity server
facilities use Ctrl/H. When you
enter commands for these Integrity servers, 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):
$ SET TERMINAL/BACKSPACE=DELETE
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.
