Chapter 4. Configuring The Blade Server - IBM JS21 - BladeCenter - 8844 Installation And User Manual

Chapter 4. Configuring the blade server

This chapter describes the configuration requirements for the blade server.
After you install the blade server in the BladeCenter unit, the blade server is
automatically configured. The Ethernet controller device driver is installed after you
install the operating system. The blade server is automatically reconfigured after
you install software or hardware. IBM will periodically make firmware updates
available for the blade server. Before you continue, you should make sure that the
blade server has the latest version of firmware code. For additional information, see
"Firmware updates" on page 29.
Although the blade server is automatically configured, you must first establish a
connection to the blade server through one of the following methods to install your
operating system, so that you can use the blade server and run programs on the
blade server:
v A Serial over LAN (SOL) connection
v An unattended network-installation method
To establish a Serial over LAN (SOL) connection to the blade server, you must
configure the SOL feature on the blade server and start an SOL session as
described in the IBM BladeCenter Serial over LAN Setup Guide. In addition, the
management module must be configured as described in the IBM BladeCenter
Management Module User's Guide, and the BladeCenter unit must be configured as
described in the IBM BladeCenter Serial over LAN Setup Guide. If you plan to use
the IBM BladeCenter management-module command-line interface to perform Web
interface functions, see the IBM BladeCenter Management Module Command-Line
Interface Reference Guide for information and instructions.
Because the firmware code in the blade server uses auto-configuration, additional
blade server configuration programs are not required for the blade server. However,
if you have attached other devices to the blade server or the BladeCenter unit, you
must configure those devices as described in the documentation that comes with
those devices or with the BladeCenter unit. You do not have to set any passwords
to use the blade server. If you change the battery or replace the system board and
chassis assembly, you must reset the date and time through your operating system.
While the firmware is running POST and before the operating system loads, a
POST menu with POST indicators is displayed. The POST indicators are the words
Memory, Keyboard, Network, SCSI, and Speaker that are displayed as each
component is tested. The POST menu provides the following configuration utilities.
v System management services (SMS)
v Default boot list
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2007
Use the system management services (SMS) utility to view information about
your system or partition, and to perform tasks such as changing the boot list and
setting the network parameters. The SMS utility can be used for AIX or Linux
partitions. See "Using the SMS utility" on page 28 for more information.
Use this utility to initiate a system boot in service mode through the default
service mode boot list. This mode attempts to boot from the first device of each
type found in the list.
Note: This is the preferred method of loading standalone AIX diagnostics from
CD.
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