Appendix G: Profile Configuration - Avocent MERGEPOINT SP MANAGER Installer/User Manual

206 MergePoint® SP Manager Installer/User Guide

Appendix G: Profile Configuration

The MergePoint SP manager uses profiles for handling communications with SPs. Profiles are
introduced in Managing SP Profiles (Admin users only) on page 41. Administrator-modifiable
parameters that are defined for each profile are Family and Command Template, either or both
of which can be modified to enable communications with SPs that do not work out of the box.
Families, Expect scripts and command templates
Each SP should belong to a family. Each SP family is defined by an Expect script in the
/etc/libexec/mergepoint directory in the form: talk_<family_name>.exp. For example, the
Expect script that defines the iLO family is talk_ilo.exp.
The Expect scripts use text-based interfaces that are in command templates to log into the SPs
and perform supported management actions on behalf of authorized users. One Expect script
and one command template are assigned to each SP.
Because the default Expect scripts and command templates do not always work for all types of
SPs, or for all SPs of the same type, you need to create a custom family (Except script), or create
/ modify a command templates as desired.
For a new type of SP, you need to perform the following procedures:
• Create a custom family (Except script)
• Create a user profile
• Test the existing template with the selected family
• If the test fails, then create new or modify a command template
For an SP of an existing type, but using different commands, you need to perform the following
procedures:
• Create a user profile
• Test the existing template with the selected family
• If the test fails, then create new or modify a command template
Creating custom families
To create a new device family, the administrator can create a customized Expect script by
copying, renaming and modifying one of the default Expect scripts. The administrator should
set the file permissions to allow reading and execution by all users and writing by members of
the admin group. The format of a custom Expect script's file name should be: talk_
customN.exp.