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Re: configure iLO via serial port?

 
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Jaroslaw Rafa
New Member

configure iLO via serial port?

Hello,
is it possible to perform an *initial* iLO 3 configuration on a *fresh* server via serial port *only* (ie. without a keyboard and monitor)?
I see no way to do this because of two reasons. The first one is, when I try to configure iLO from the CLI (after I type ESC ( on the serial terminal to access iLO CLI), when iLO is reset to defaults and no IP address has been assigned by DHCP, CLI hangs up when you try to "set" or even "show" ANY network-related parameter.
So I thought about using iLO RBSU from BIOS Serial Console, however there is a second problem: how to send the "F8" key to enter the RBSU during bootup from serial terminal? I tried various key combinations, none of them works.
Please help! It would be very important to us to be able to configure servers using serial terminal only, without the need to connect physical monitor and keyboard.
6 REPLIES 6
Jimmy Vance
HPE Pro

Re: configure iLO via serial port?

There are a few ways to access the iLO for setup. If your using DHCP and know the IP address you can use cpqlocfg.exe or locfg.pl to send remote commands to iLO. For serial port access us these key sequences

Function Keys

1 F1
2 F2
3 F3
4 F4
5 F5
6 F6
7 F7
8 F8
9 F9
0 F10
! F11
@ F12

Control Keys
h Home
k End
+ Insert
- Delete
? Page Up
/ Page Down

Reset Key
RrR System Reset


CPQLOCFG.EXE utility for iLO3

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=18964&prodSeriesId=4154735&prodNameId=4154847&swEnvOID=4006&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-36cecb9dd4554793a25db78e4a

Example XML scripts for use with CPQLOCFG.exe and LOCFG.pl for iLO3 (this package includes LOCFG.pl)

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=18964&prodSeriesId=4154735&prodNameId=4154847&swEnvOID=4006&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=MTX-9ded60bd746942e18651211f51



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Jaroslaw Rafa
New Member

Re: configure iLO via serial port?

As I wrote in my first message, there is no DHCP and no IP address will be assigned.
Also, ESC 8 doesn't work as a way to invoke iLO RBSU when machine boots up - I tried it in the first place.
So, this answer doesn't actually refer to my question.
Assume that there is no DHCP, no keyboard and monitor connected and the only way to access the machine is via serial port. How to configure iLO then?
Jimmy Vance
HPE Pro
Solution

Re: configure iLO via serial port?

In your 1st message, you didn't say there wasn't any DHCP available, just that "no IP address has been assigned by DHCP"

Anyway, I've tested this on a DL380 G7 with both minicom from a Linux system and using PuTTy in serial mode from a Windows 7 system. 8 works just fine. Actually the first time I tried I missed the prompt and had to use the RrR System Reset sequence to reboot the system.

The iLO prompt wait time is very short, hit the key sequence as soon as you see the word iLo appear on the screen during POST

Attached is a screen capture from a puTTY session
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Jaroslaw Rafa
New Member

Re: configure iLO via serial port?

I tried it again, this time using a directly connected laptop (previously I was using a terminal server connected to the serial port). It works for me with 50% probability, ie. once in two tries. Sometimes, when the iLO prompt appears, as soon as I press ESC the machine exits the iLO prompt and skips to next messages (so I don't even have a chance to press 8). Sometimes, however, it accepts ESC 8 and enters the iLO setup.
It's not a perfect solution, but at least works somehow... Thanks.
Jimmy Vance
HPE Pro

Re: configure iLO via serial port?

I sent a note to the iLO team letting them know the prompt is not on screen long enough when using the serail port
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Jaroslaw Rafa
New Member

Re: configure iLO via serial port?

I think the more serious problem is that when IP address is not initially assigned, you cannot set it from iLO CLI using "set" commands, because CLI hangs.
If this would work OK, then one wouldn't have to bother with ESC 8 when rebooting the machine - we could just press ESC ( at any time to enter iLO CLI, and use appropriate commands to configure iLO.