Dell Drac 5 User Guide

							Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 551
Configuring the BIOS Setup Program for a Serial Connection on the 
Managed System
Perform the following steps to configure your BIOS Setup program to 
redirect output to a serial port.
 NOTE: You must configure the System Setup program in conjunction with the 
connect com2 command.
1Turn on or restart your system.
2Press  immediately after you see the following message:
 = System Setup
3
Scroll down and select Serial Communication by pressing .
4Set the Serial Communication screen as follows:
External Serial Connector — Remote Access Device
Redirection After Boot
 — Disabled
5Press  to exit the System Setup program to complete the System 
Setup
 program configuration.
Using the Remote Access Serial Interface
When establishing a serial connection to the RAC device, the following 
interfaces are available:
• IPMI serial interface. See Using the IPMI Remote Access Serial Interface 
on page 274.
• RAC serial interface
RAC Serial Interface
RAC also supports a serial console interface (or RAC Serial Console) that 
provides a RAC CLI, which is not defined by IPMI. If your system includes 
aRAC card with Serial Console enabled, the RAC card will override the 
IPMI serial settings and display the RAC CLI serial interface. 
						

							52Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 5
To enable the RAC serial terminal interface, set the cfgSerialConsoleEnable 
property to 1 (TRUE). 
Fo r  e x a m p l e :
racadm config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialConsoleEnable 1
See cfgSerialConsoleEnable (Read/Write) on page 366 for more 
information.
Table 4-1 provides the serial interface settings.
Configuring Linux for Serial Console Redirection During Boot
The following steps are specific to the Linux GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB). 
Similar changes would be necessary if you use a different boot loader.
 NOTE: When you configure the client VT100 emulation window, set the window or 
application that is displaying the redirected console to 25 rows x 80 columns to 
ensure proper text display; otherwise, some text screens may be garbled.
Edit the /etc/grub.conf file as follows:
1
Locate the General Setting sections in the file and add the following two 
new lines:
serial --unit=1 --speed=57600
terminal --timeout=10 serial
2
Append two options to the kernel line:
kernel ............. console=ttyS1,57600
3
If the /etc/grub.conf contains a splashimage directive, comment it out.
Table 4-2 provides a sample /etc/grub.conf file that shows the changes 
described in this procedure.
Table 4-1. Serial Interface Settings
IPMI Mode RAC Serial Console Interface
Basic Disabled Basic Mode
Basic Enabled RAC CLI
Terminal Disabled IPMI Terminal Mode
Terminal Enabled RAC CLI 
						

							Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 553
Table 4-2. Sample File: /etc/grub.conf
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after 
making changes 
# to this file
# NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This 
means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative 
to /, e.g.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=
/dev/sdal
# initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=10
#splashimage=(hd0,2)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
serial --unit=1 --speed=57600
terminal --timeout=10 serial
title Red Hat Linux Advanced Server (2.4.9-e.3smp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.9-e.3smp ro root=
/dev/sda1 hda=ide-scsi console=ttyS0 console=
ttyS1,57600
initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.9-e.3smp.img
title Red Hat Linux Advanced Server-up (2.4.9-e.3)
root (hd0,00)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.9-e.3 ro root=/dev/sda1 s
initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.9-e.3.im 
						

							54Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 5
When you edit the /etc/grub.conf file, use the following guidelines:
1
Disable GRUBs graphical interface and use the text-based interface; 
otherwise, the GRUB screen will not be displayed in RAC console 
redirection. To disable the graphical interface, comment out the line 
starting with 
splashimage.
2To enable multiple GRUB options to start console sessions through the 
RAC serial connection, add the following line to all options:
console=ttyS1,57600
Ta b l e 4 - 2
 shows console=ttyS1,57600 added to only the first option.
Enabling Login to the Console After Boot
Edit the file /etc/inittab as follows:
Add a new line to configure agetty on the COM2 serial port:
co:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -h -L 57600 ttyS1 ansi
Table 4-3 shows a sample file with the new line.  
						

							Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 555
Table 4-3. Sample File: /etc/innitab
#
# inittab This file describes how the INIT process 
should set up
# the system in a certain run-level.
#
# Author: Miquel van Smoorenburg 
# Modified for RHS Linux by Marc Ewing and 
Donnie Barnes
#
# Default runlevel. The runlevels used by RHS are:
# 0 - halt (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
# 1 - Single user mode
# 2 - Multiuser, without NFS (The same as 3, if you 
do not have
# networking)
# 3 - Full multiuser mode
# 4 - unused
# 5 - X11
# 6 - reboot (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
#
id:3:initdefault:
# System initialization.
si::sysinit:/etc/rc.d/rc.sysinit
l0:0:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 0
l1:1:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 1
l2:2:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 2
l3:3:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 3
l4:4:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 4
l5:5:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 5
l6:6:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 6 
						

							56Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 5
Edit the file /etc/securetty as follows:
Add a new line with the name of the serial tty for COM2:
ttyS1 # Things to run in every runlevel.
ud::once:/sbin/update
# Trap CTRL-ALT-DELETE
ca::ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t3 -r now
# When our UPS tells us power has failed, assume we 
have a few
# minutes of power left. Schedule a shutdown for 2 
minutes from now.
# This does, of course, assume you have power 
installed and your
# UPS is connected and working correctly. 
pf::powerfail:/sbin/shutdown -f -h +2 Power Failure; 
System Shutting Down
# If power was restored before the shutdown kicked 
in, cancel it.
pr:12345:powerokwait:/sbin/shutdown -c Power 
Restored; Shutdown Cancelled
# Run gettys in standard runlevels
co:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -h -L 57600 ttyS1 ansi
1:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty1
2:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty2
3:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty3
4:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty4
5:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty5
6:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty6
# Run xdm in runlevel 5
# xdm is now a separate service
x:5:respawn:/etc/X11/prefdm -nodaemon
Table 4-3. Sample File: /etc/innitab (continued) 
						

							Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 557
Table 4-4 shows a sample file with the new line.
Enabling the DRAC 5 Serial/Telnet/SSH Console
The serial/telnet/ssh console can be enabled locally or remotely.
Enabling the Serial/Telnet/SSH Console Locally
 NOTE: You (the current user) must have Configure DRAC 5 permission in order to 
perform the steps in this section.
To enable the serial/telnet/ssh console from the managed system, type the 
following local RACADM commands from a command prompt:
racadm config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialConsoleEnable 1
racadm config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialTelnetEnable 1
racadm config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialSshEnable 1
Table 4-4. Sample File: /etc/securetty
vc/1
vc/2
vc/3
vc/4
vc/5
vc/6
vc/7
vc/8
vc/9
vc/10
vc/11
tty1
tty2
tty3
tty4
tty5
tty6
tty7
tty8
tty9
tty10
tty11
ttyS1 
						

							58Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 5
Enabling the Serial/Telnet/SSH Console Remotely
To enable the serial/telnet/ssh console remotely, type the following remote 
RACADM commands from a command prompt:
racadm -u  -p  -r  config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialConsoleEnable 1
racadm -u  -p  -r  config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialTelnetEnable 1
racadm -u  -p  -r  config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialSshEnable 1
 NOTE: When you use Internet Explorer version 6 SP2 or version 7 to log into a 
managed system on a private network, but without access to the Internet, you may 
experience a delay of up to 30 seconds while using remote RACADM commands.
Using the RACADM Command to Configure the Settings for the Serial 
and Telnet Console
This subsection provides steps to configure the default configuration settings 
for serial/telnet/ssh console redirection. 
To configure the settings, type the RACADM config command with the 
appropriate group, property, and property value(s) for the setting that you 
want to configure. 
You can type RACADM commands locally or remotely. When using 
RACADM commands remotely, you must include the user name, password, 
and managed system DRAC 5 IP address. 
Using RACADM Locally
To type RACADM commands locally, type the following command from 
a command prompt on the managed system:
racadm config -g  -o  
To view a list of properties, type the following command from a command 
prompt on the managed system:
racadm getconfig -g  
						

							Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 559
Using RACADM Remotely
To  u s e  R A C A D M  c o m m a n d s remotely, type the following command from 
a command prompt on a management station:
racadm -u  -p  -r  config -g  -o  
Ensure that your web server is configured with a DRAC 5 card before you use 
RACADM remotely. Otherwise, RACADM times out and the following 
message appears: 
Unable to connect to RAC at specified IP address.
To enable your web server using Secure Shell (SSH), telnet or local RACADM, 
type the following command from a command prompt on a management station:
racadm config -g cfgRacTuning -o 
cfgRacTuneWebServerEnable 1
Displaying Configuration Settings
Table 4-5 provides the actions and related commands to display your 
configuration settings. To run the commands, open a command prompt on 
the managed system, type the command, and press .
Table 4-5. Displaying Configuration Settings
Action Command
List the 
available groups.racadm getconfig -h
Display the 
current settings 
for a particular 
group.racadm getconfig -g 
For example, to display a list of all cfgSerial group settings, type the 
following command:
racadm getconfig -g cfgSerial
Display the 
current settings 
for a particular 
group remotely.racadm -u  -p  -r  getconfig -g cfgSerial
For example, to display a list of all of the settings for the cfgSerial 
group remotely, type:
racadm -u root -p calvin -r 192.168.0.1 
getconfig -g cfgSerial 
						

							60Advanced Configuration of the DRAC 5
Configuring the Telnet Port Number
Type the following command to change the telnet port number on the DRAC 5.
racadm config -g cfgRacTuning -o cfgRacTuneTelnetPort 

Using a Serial or Telnet Console
You can run the serial commands in Table 4-19 remotely using RACADM or 
from the serial/telnet/ssh console command prompt. 
Logging in to the DRAC 5
After you have configured your management station terminal emulator software 
and managed node BIOS, perform the following steps to log into the DRAC 5:
1
Connect to the DRAC 5 using your management station terminal 
emulation software.
2Type your DRAC 5 user name and press .
You are logged into the DRAC 5.
Starting a Text Console
After you have logged into the DRAC 5 through your management station 
terminal software with telnet or SSH, you can redirect the managed system 
text console by using connect com2, which is a telnet/SSH command. 
Only one connect com2 client is supported at a time. 
To connect to the managed system text console, open a DRAC 5 command 
prompt (displayed through a telnet or SSH session) and type:
connect com2
From a serial session, you can connect to the managed system’s serial console 
by pressing , which connects the managed system’s 
serial port directly to the servers’ COM2 port and bypasses the DRAC 5. 
To reconnect the DRAC 5 to the serial port, press . 
The managed node COM2 port and the DRAC 5 serial port baud rates must 
be identical.