How Do You Connect to iLO4 Using Rear Serial Interface

[HalR]

I have about 500 DL360p-G8 servers where the iLO4 network interface no longer responds to SSH, HTTP, or SNMP connections.  The iLO4 will respond to pings but nothing else.  Since these servers are in production, I can't go to the front panel to shut them down and reset the iLO4.  I want to access the iLO4 via the rear panel serial port so I can just reset the iLO4.

It appears that using "Esc(" to "break" into the iLO4 CLI only works up until the point where the sever actually begins to boot from media.  Is there any way to access the iLO4, via the rear serial port, after the server has booted? 

[Oscar A. Perez]

Just to be clear, are you saying that once POST is completed, using the "ESC + SHIFT 9" key sequence to get into the iLO CLI won't work?

[DanRobinson]

I am about 99% sure that the rear Serial port is wired to the host, NOT the iLO.

Depending on the OS, I would use HPONCFG from the inside the Host OS along with Reset_RIB.xml from the iLO Sample Scripts package to reboot the iLO without rebooting the host.

obviously try this on a test machine to be sure it meets expectations before proceeding.

[Jimmy Vance]

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DanRobinson wrote:

I am about 99% sure that the rear Serial port is wired to the host, NOT the iLO.

Actually iLO keeps an eye on the serial port and pressing "ESC (" should get you an iLO login prompt

[TVVJ]

You refer to the iLO 4 User Guide, page 148 that details using the virtual serial port. The guide is locatable at the following link:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c03334051/c03334051.pdf

You may also refer to the HP iLO 4 Scripting and Command Line Guide for cli commands, locatable at the following link:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c03334058/c03334058.pdf

Regards,

Vijayasarathy

[Dave73]

As said by Dan, try reset via ribcl.

If this works for you, i have an excel spread sheet with a built in script that you can populate for inifinite ilo resets.

Cheers

[Oscar A. Perez]

The server's serial port is wired to both the host and iLO through a MUX.  iLO has a UART that is always "listening" to the server's physical serial port and when iLO detects the "ESC + SHIFT 9" key sequence, iLO switches the MUX and takes full control of the serial port.  

In order for this feature to this to work, iLO "Serial Command Line Interface Status" must be enabled (either with "authentication required" setting or not) and the "Serial Command Line Interface Speed" has to match the Baud Rate of the device connected to the server's serial port. iLO Default speed is 9600 bits/second.

Once you are in the iLO CLI prompt you can reboot iLO by typing

cd /map1

reset

[Dave73]

Oscar, is the "ESC + SHIFT 9" key sequence is done during post ?

[Dave73]

Hal, have you tired to telnet to the ilo ? You can also reset it once connected.

[Oscar A. Perez]

The ESC sequence should work all the time.

[HalR · Accepted solution]

Thanks to all who responded in an attempt to assist me with my problem.  It turns out that the hardware works exactly like the documention states.  Using "Esc(" will get you into the iLO no mater what the state of the server. (halted or booted).

My problem was that Windows Hyperterm has a "bug/feature" and would not work correctly.  I switched to using PuTTY and everything worked fine.  I also tried a MAC with a terminal window and that worked also.

Bottom line, DON'T use Hyperterm!!!!