iLO 2 standard - remote console and text mode linux

[Stefan Winter]

Hi,

some of our recently-bought ProLiants have iLO 2 on board. With iLO 1, when a server running Linux was in text mode (kernel option vga=normal) remote console worked beautifully.

Now with iLO 2, even when in text mode, iLO 2 insists that an Advanced license is required to view this *GRAPHIC* mode. But it isn't graphic, it's 80x25 text based, and the very same config worked fine in iLO 1.

Is this a bug in iLO 2 or is it just a clever marketing move to make people buy advanced licenses?

Stefan Winter

[ramesh_naik_]

Hi Stefan,


What is the Proliant server with the ILO 2 we are talking?
The ProLiant p-class BL servers include the advanced license key.
Press Enter when prompted for a license on a blade server; otherwise, the XML script will not be executed on the designated server.


To configure the availability of the Remote Console port, complete the following steps:
1. Log on to the iLO management device using an account that has supervisor status.
2. In the Administration section,
â ¢ For iLO, click Global Settings then click Access.
â ¢ For iLO 2, click Settings then click Access.
3. In the Remote Console Port Configuration section, click the appropriate option.


Hope this answers!!!!!


Regards,
rmn

[Stefan Winter]

This is a DL380G5 - without an Advanced license.

But my point was: it used to work in iLO 1 _without_ an Adanced license. So I thought it still should work on iLO 2 without an Advanced license.

[Stefan Winter]

This is a DL380G5 - without an Advanced license.

But my point was: it used to work in iLO 1 _without_ an Adanced license. So I thought it still should work on iLO 2 without an Advanced license. For the record, I verified the settings you mentioned and it didn't change anything.

[sandeep_raman]

Hello Stefan,

Ilo 2 Standard supports Remote Text Console.

http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/ilo2/index.html
Model comparison Chart.

http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/ilo2/questionsanswers.html#b1
What iLO 2 Standard features are included with the purchase of a ProLiant server?

SRH

[Moderator edit: The above links are no longer valid. Please refer to https://support.hpe.com/]

[acartes]

First-generation iLO supports text mode standard and requires iLO Advanced for graphical remote console.

iLO 2 supports POST standard, and requires iLO Advanced for remote console otherwise. (Blade servers have remote console as a standard capability).

You will also note that iLO 2 does not support a "remcons" command from the command-line interface (SSH). This is because iLO 2 acquires the host console in a different way, in which there is no "Graphics" mode or "text" mode.

If you want a text console for Linux, assign a tty to the virtual serial port. You can access the VSP from the browser or from SSH through the command-line interface.

For details, visit:
www.hp.com/servers/lights-out, pick your product, select Support & Documents, then Manuals.
View "Integrated Lights-Out Virtual Serial Port configuration and operation HOWTO."

[Moderator edit: Removed the broken link.]

[Stevenp63]

Seriall console only works once the os is installed, and we loose a lot of visual cues that are only available via the real console.

This is also does work for installationpurposes, as there is no serial console for it.

Any help

Steven

[acartes]

Also examine the host RBSU setting for BIOS Serial Console Port. This can be configured so that text-mode writes using BIOS interrupts (i.e., POST and DOS) can be captured and routed to the iLO virtual serial port.

[Stevenp63]

Question our ILO1 on the G1's worked
just fine for our text console based purposes, but the new
G2's, and the forcing of ILO2, I'm unable to find a text mode any ideas

Steven

[acartes]

In systems with iLO 2:
http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/remotemgmt/supported-servers.html
The remote console is accessed using a browser and launching the Integrated Remote Console or the Remote Console applets.

You will not see an explicit "text mode" for remote console listed.

[Moderator edit: Removed the broken link.]

[barnett chan]

Stefan,

Do you have the same Linux distribution on both the iLO1 and iLO2 system? Some of the newer Linux (rh4, rh5, sles10) actually run some of the text modes within a graphics mode.

[NeilP]

are you using the nofb (no framebuffer) kernel option?

I'm guessing that its the mode the graphics card is in that counts.

[Ken Miller_3]

Hi,

So I'm still trying to understand this (as the original author was).

With a DL 380 G5, in order to use remote text console from Power-On thru POST and boot of a Linux OS, you need an Advanced ILO PAK?

I have a DL 380 G5 with V1.35 ILO2 firmware and it doesn't appear this is the case; however, I'm staging a DL 380 G5 with V1.43 ILO2 firmware, and it DOES appear to be the case.

Please confirm this change in ILO2 Firmware behavior.

Thanks,

== k ==

[acartes]

>> With a DL 380 G5, in order to use remote text console from Power-On thru POST and boot of a Linux OS, you need an Advanced ILO PAK?

iLO 2 enables remote console from server boot until POST completes as a standard option on all platforms. License is required for remote console on ML and DL servers as soon as the OS load starts. A license is not required on blades, where remote console is standard.

Linux can be configured to support a TTY on the iLO virtual serial port. This can be accessed from iLO and does not require a license key.

[ilouser]

I'm new to the iLo interface.

I've got a number of C7000 chassis with some BL685c G5's, all running iLo 1.70 firmware.

I've automated the configuration of the OA and VCs using expect to install networking and SSH keys, then switching to SSH to roll out the rest of the setup.

I now want to connect using SSH (not using a web browser) to the iLo and then have them PXE boot from a DHCP/NFS server and automatically install our SUSE Linux 9 setup.

How do I get a ascii text console on my blades using iLO and run it from SSH?

Thanks.

[hesam]

we have 2 different command mode

1- hpilo commnad
2- server operating system command like ssh
my question is with activating tty on virtual port in linux which command line is active ?