Enable Virtual Serail Port DL380 G3

[MMostafa]

i have dl380 g3 , i need to enable the Vitual Serail Port using ILO , how can i do that ?

[Tarek Kawach]

Hi Mohamed:

Make sure you have the latest Firmware for the server (6/23/2004) and ILO (1.62.

From Customer note: 3887N

Virtual Media and Serial Port for Linux
The virtual media feature for Linux clients enables virtual remote diskette and CD support for Linux browsers.

The virtual serial port for Linux enables serial teletype (tty) sessions through the iLO Virtual Serial Port Console.


Attached is a document you can follow.

best regards,

Tarek.

[MMostafa]

dear Tarek
how can i use the virtual serail port in windows ?

[Tarek Kawach]

Through telnet session.

http://support.microsoft.com/search/default.aspx?Catalog=LCID%3D1033%26CDID%3DEN-US-KB%26PRODLISTSRC%3DON&Product=MSALL&Query=how%20to%20use%20telnet%20from%20windows&Queryc=how%20to%20use%20telnet%20from%20windows&REF=false&srchstep=0&KeywordType=ALL&Titles=false&numDays=&maxResults=100&FR=0

From the Revision History of your bios firmware for that server:

version 4.05 P29-07/25/2003 (8 Aug 03)




Added BIOS Serial Console auto-enable upon detection of VT100 compatible terminal running at 9600 Baud connected to COM1. Replaced Full-screen menu GUI with a Command-Line interface (CLI) for all ROM embedded utilities (RBSU, etc.) when the server is being controlled remotely via the BIOS Serial Console option. Customers that do not use the embedded BIOS Serial Console feature will not notice any difference in functionality. Detailed differences as follows:


System will check for a VT100 compatible terminal running at 9600 Baud connected to the COM1 serial port and enable the BIOS Serial Console option automatically if one is detected. This is the default out-of-box behavior. This obviates the need to run RBSU with a local keyboard and monitor attached initially to enable the BIOS Serial Console feature. Customers that have had their configuration custom set should not notice any difference. Customers that use BIOS Serial Console feature, but at a different baud rate than 9600 or with a non-VT100 compatible terminal will still need to configure the feature via RBSU initially.


The interface for all ROM embedded utilities such as RBSU will run with a Command-Line interface (CLI) if the user is controlling the ProLiant server remotely through the BIOS Serial Console option. The CLI interface has built in HELP commands. The HELP command provides a list of all available commands for each embedded utility. The CLI interface for each embedded utility provides equivalent functionality of the full-screen GUI interface. Additionally, the CLI interface in the RBSU utility also has new scripting support via a 'SHOW CONFIG SCRIPT' command.


The normal full-screen menu interface will still be used for all embedded utilities if a local keyboard and monitor is attached and being used instead of the BIOS Serial Console feature. Also, the CLI interface for ROM embedded utilities can be disabled altogether via an override setting in the RBSU - BIOS Serial Console menu.

-----------

[Halil Tulumbaci]

Hi Mohamed,

there is a customer advisory regarding DL380G3 with the following content:

Serial port access to the Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) Command Line Interface is not and will not be supported on 400 MHz models of the ProLiant DL380 G3 server.
details
ProLiant DL380 G3 servers with a 400 MHz front side bus are unable to establish a serial port connection with iLO.
Serial port access to the iLO Command Line Interface is a feature that was added to the iLO firmware after the ProLiant DL380 G3 400 MHz front side bus models were no longer sold. Technical constraints of the 400 MHz models of the ProLiant DL380 G3 server force the iLO firmware to disable this feature. Therefore, ProLiant DL380 G3 servers 400 MHz front side bus models are unable to establish a serial port connection with iLO.
Source:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=PSD_CN0549W

[kris rombauts]

Mohammed,

to access the >SAC prompt via the iLO port, you have to change a setting in the servers BIOS setup (RBSU) via F9 called :

"BIOS serial console/EMS"
Set the "EMS console" to "REMOTE"
so that your server physical serial port is not used by this but the iLO does the trick via network redirection.


Then when the Windows 2003 OS is up and running , you can access the >SAC prompt by doing this:

- log in to the iLO port
- choose Virtual Devices
- then Virtual Serial Port
- hit enter and from their you should see
the > SAC prompt


You also need to make sure the service called "Special Administration Console Helper" is Started (by default it is manual as startup type but it should be in a Started state when you go and check.

The above works for me on a G3 ML370.

See also the attached document in chapter 2.
Hope this helps you further, let us know.

Kris