Host_Initialisation/Sun

TableOfContents

Documentation

There's almost no documentation coming with the system, it's all available online only:

http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/Servers/Workgroup_Servers/x4100/index.html

Getting the ILOM going is described in the Servers Setup Guide which is coming in printed form, though.

ILOM (Service Processor) Setup

To get the IP interface going without having dynamic DHCP for it available, use the serial port:

find a notebook or a system nearby with a 9-pin SUB-D serial port
attach the adaptor coming with the server to this port
use an RJ45 cable (a normal patch cable works) to connect the adaptor to the serial management port of the server
fire up the terminal emulation software (linux: minicom) and configure the port correctly:
- 9600,8N1 (on a notebook, the port ist /dev/ttyS0, on a server it may be ttyS1)
- no flow control, neither hardware nor software
you should now be able to log in as root (password: changeme)
change the password
set the IP interface to a static address as described in the Servers Setup Guide:
```
 cd /SP/network
 set pendingipaddress=141.34.42.xyz
 set pendingipnetmask=255.255.255.0
 set pendingipgateway=141.34.42.1
 set pendingipdiscovery=static
 set commitpending=true
```
The last step takes a couple of seconds and produces some error messages. Don't panic. Verify if it worked by pinging the service processor afterwards. You should now be able to log in with ssh or https. All other steps can be done from your desktop. See ["Remote Management"].

MAC Address Retrieval

Service Processor

Run show SP/network :

-> show SP/network

  /SP/network
    Targets:

    Properties:
        commitpending = (Cannot show property)
        ipaddress = 141.34.42.159
        ipdiscovery = Static
        ipgateway = 141.34.42.1
        ipnetmask = 255.255.255.0
        macaddress = 00:03:BA:F1:EC:95
        pendingipaddress = 141.34.42.159
        pendingipdiscovery = Static
        pendingipgateway = 141.34.42.1
        pendingipnetmask = 255.255.255.0

Onboard Gigabit NICS

The system has four onboard interfaces. IN the SP tree, these show up as two dual port controllers NET0 and NET1. The primary interface (recognized as eth0 under linux, and labelled NET0) is the one with the lowest MAC address shown. Only the lower MAC of each dual port card will show up in the SP output:

-> show /SYS/MB/NET0

  /SYS/MB/NET0
    Targets:

    Properties:
        SEEPROM = 
          Product Information:
          manufacturer name = INTEL   
          product name = DUAL PORT GIGABIT ETHERNET CONTROLLER (COPPER)  
          version = (no information)
          serial number = 00:14:4F:01:A9:9C
          part number = 82546EB

    Commands:
        cd
        show

-> show /SYS/MB/NET1

  /SYS/MB/NET1
    Targets:

    Properties:
        SEEPROM = 
          Product Information:
          manufacturer name = INTEL   
          product name = DUAL PORT GIGABIT ETHERNET CONTROLLER (COPPER)  
          version = (no information)
          serial number = 00:14:4F:01:A9:9A
          part number = 82546EB

    Commands:
        cd
        show

The primary interface in this example is ...:9A. The others are :9B (not shown), :9C (shown) and 9D (not shown).

BIOS

This server's BIOS has very many options, and most have not been explored or even understood yet.

Some that matter:

Legacy USB (default: enabled)BR Can be a problem under Linux if enabled (instability). If off, the keyboard (USB only, no PS/2 ports) will work in the BIOS, but not in the bootloader. This should probably be set to auto.
AC power loss recovery (This BIOS option does not exist)BR The 'Power Restore Policy' is set to 'always-off' anyway
Advanced -> Remote Access Configuration (default: 9600 baud on ttys0)BR Make sure that serial redirection is enabled, and all the speed settings match (by default, all are 9600, which works but is slow):
- serial redirection
- service processor serial port speed (external and internal)
- operating system parameters: grub and agetty
  - CF_CONMGR_TTY=ttyS0
  - CF_ConMgr_BaudRate=9600

System Serial Number Retrieval

Log into the SP as root, and run

-> show SYS/MB

Or use dmidecode. Or the web interface or ...

Wiki