Text Console Redirection (SOL, Serial Over LAN)

 

 

Figure 9-1

 

On the Text Console tab in the Viewing Window (as shown in Figure 9-1), there is a function that allows you to remotely control the managed system from a text mode console. Click the Start button to start the text console redirection. During control, click the ReSynch button to synchronize the text console with the managed system if you think the screen is not shown properly. Click the Stop button to stop the text console.

 

BMC for IPMI 1.5

 

Console Redirection is not a function in the IPMI specification V1.5. We provides this useful function for a manager to control the managed system remotely.  When a managed system is booting up and in the POST routine and no other software application can give you control to redirect the console, it offers this valuable function.  Console Redirection will dump a managed systemˇ¦s screen and send the key codes you entered in the managed system. 

 

When a managed system switches its video mode from Text Mode to Graphics Mode, a terminate notice will be sent to terminate the console redirection.  Text Console Redirection only works for text mode.

 

Important: Console Redirection puts a very heavy load on a managed system.  It will dump the whole screen to the managerˇ¦s system and slow down the managed system significantly.  We suggest you use this function only when you need to get special control and cannot achieve it any other way.  For other applications, a proper console redirection software application (pcAnywhere, Symantec Corporation) or a remote login protocol (telnet) is suggested.  When you finish your remote operation, click Stop to terminate console redirection to take the load off the managed system.

 

BMC for IPMI 2.0

 

IPMI specification V2.0 defines Serial Over LAN (SOL) to support Text Console Redirection.  This implementation performs better than the one we implemented for IPMI 1.5.  The Text mode console remains working on Windows 2003, even when the OS is running.  To support Text Console Redirection on Windows 2003, Special Administration Console (SAC) must be enabled.  The following instruction is used to enable SAC:

 

1.      Enable Console Redirection in BIOS, and set it to COM 2 (or COM B)

2.      Modify boot.ini in C:\.   Boot.ini is a hidden file.  Below is an example of boot.ini

 

[boot loader]

redirect=com2

redirectbaudrate=19200

timeout=30

default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS

[operating systems]

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Standard" /fastdetect /redirect

 

 

For Text Console Redirection on a Linux Platform

 

1. Host A with IPMI BMC installed (Linux Platform):

                   a) BIOS POST:

         (i) Enable "Console Redirection" in BIOS Setup.

For example, COM2 / 19.2Kbps / 8N1
         (ii) Disable "Enable Console Redirection after POST" in BIOS setup.

       b) BOOT LOADER:

         (i) For GRUB, add the following TWO lines into /boot/grub/grub.conf, but    

             comment out "splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz"

 serial --unit=1 --speed=19200 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1

 terminal --timeout=10 serial console

 #splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz   

        (ii) Then add "serial console=ttyS1,19200n8" to the end of kernel /vmlinuz in    

             /boot/grub/grub.conf.

 For example:

kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.5-1.358smp ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet serial console=ttyS1,19200n8

 

          This will result in all boot messages being output to console ttyS1, and you will not see    

          all these boot messages on the local console until the login message prompts.

          

           c) LINUX OS:
                    (i) Add the following line into /etc/inittab.

                            s0:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty ttyS1 19200

                   (ii) Edit /etc/securetty and add ttyS1

 

2. Start Console Redirection right after the Host A reboots.    

 

     You will see the BIOS POST, the boot loader, and the Linux OS messages and prompts.