Chapter 1. Introduction - IBM HS40 - BladeCenter - 8839 Setup Manual

Chapter 1. Introduction

Serial over LAN (SOL) provides a means to manage servers remotely by using a
command-line interface (CLI) over a Telnet or Secure Shell (SSH) connection. SOL
is required to manage servers that do not have keyboard/video/mouse (KVM)
support, such as the JS20 Type 8842 blade server.
SOL provides console redirection for both BIOS and the blade server operating
system. The SOL feature redirects server serial-connection data over a LAN
without the need for special cabling. The SOL connection enables blade servers to
be managed from any remote location with network access. The advantages of SOL
include:
v Remote administration without keyboard, video, or mouse (headless servers)
v Reduced cabling and no need for a serial concentrator
v Standard Telnet interface that eliminates the need for special client software
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access to the text-console command prompt on each blade server through a SOL
connection, enabling the blade servers to be managed from a remote location. This
document explains how to update and configure BladeCenter components for SOL
operation using the BladeCenter management-module Web interface. You can also
perform many configuration procedures using the management-module
command-line interface or the simple network management protocol (SNMP). See
the BladeCenter Management Module Command-Line Interface Reference Guide for
information about the management-module command-line interface and
instructions about how to use it. All BladeCenter unit types, including the
BladeCenter T unit, are referred to throughout this document as the BladeCenter
unit. Unless stated otherwise, all descriptions and instructions in this document
apply to all BladeCenter unit configurations.
In the BladeCenter environment, the integrated system management processor
(ISMP) and network interface controller (NIC) on each blade server routes the
serial data from the blade server serial communications port to the network
infrastructure of the BladeCenter unit, including an Ethernet-compatible I/O
module that supports SOL communication. BladeCenter components are
configured for SOL operation through the BladeCenter management module. The
management module also acts as a proxy in the network infrastructure to couple a
client running a Telnet session with the management module to an SOL session
running on a blade server, enabling the Telnet client to interact with the serial port
of the blade server over the network. Because all SOL traffic is controlled by and
routed through the management module, administrators can segregate the
management traffic for the BladeCenter unit from the data traffic of the blade
servers.
To start an SOL connection with a blade server, you must first start a Telnet
command-line interface session with the management module. When this Telnet
command-line interface session is running, you can start a remote-console SOL
session with any blade server in the BladeCenter unit that is set up and enabled
for SOL operation. You can establish up to 20 separate Web interface, Telnet, serial
(advanced management module only), or SSH sessions with a BladeCenter
management module. For a BladeCenter unit, this enables you to have 14
simultaneous SOL sessions active (one for each of up to 14 blade servers) with 6
additional command-line interface sessions available for BladeCenter unit
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BladeCenter management module command-line interfaces provide
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