Reflection terminal emulator settings for Integrity MP

[Adam Garsha]

What is a good/best terminal setting for default rx7640 (or similar) MP access via serial cable?

Every look ok, except when I have menus.

[Luk Vandenbussche]

Adam,

You find the info on this page

http://www.docs.hp.com/en/AB312-9001B/ch02s08.html#d0e3578

Search for "Management Processor Access"

[Adam Garsha]

I'll reserve points until I get a few more posts.

My issue isn't getting the communication link set, but with adjusting the terminal emulator so that it works well with menu's etc that EFI, etc can present. They look all garbled.

[Torsten.]

Hi,

I always use the VT102 emulation, this works very well.

[Bill Hassell · Accepted solution]

The console is unlike any other serial port. For very obscure reasons, the MP has hardcoded one of two terminal types in it's firmware and this value destroys the ability to automatically identify the actual terminal (ie, ttytype -s). What happens is that for all connections (telnet, ssh, serial/modem) except the console, the terminal type can be sensed by ttytype -s and the proper environment values may then be set. Then programs that use special terminal features (like a menu) will use the appropriate codes for the terminal. But this is if-and-only-if the menu program pays attention to the environment variables TERM COLUMNS LINES. Typically, such programs will use the curses library to allow any type of terminal. Sam and swinstall are good examples of menu programs that work with the TERM value.

However, the MP (and GSP on PA-RISC machines) has a hardcoded value that defeats the ttytype probe and simply returns one of two internal values, hpterm or vt100. Thus, the console connection is crippled because the actual terminal model and characteristics will usually be mismatched to the terminal or emulator.

There are two fixes:

1. Go into the MP and change the console emulation to match your setting in Reflection. If Reflection is set to an HP terminal (ie, 2392a 70092 70094, etc) then change the MP setting to hpterm.

2. Change your Reflection emulation to match the MP. Since there are only two possible console settings, check the terminal type you are currently using and just change it to the other. If Reflection is set to an HP terminal, change Reflection to use VT102. Now if your version of Reflection does not offer an HP terminal emulation, you probably have Reflection for Unix. The Reflection for HP version has both VT and HP emulations.

Note that because the MP lies about your actual terminal, you will be stuck with a truly dumb VT100 terminal when connected to the console port. Most sysadmins will stay away from the console to avoid this problem and use ssh or telnet connections.