7.5. nodehm: Remote Console

Many servers ship with the ability to redirect serial console out of the IPMI device.  This is great as it allows for remote logging and offers another way to access the machine if the ip address isn't set right.  IPMI 2.0 is much better than its predecessor IPMI 1.5 in that it is more robust.  However, many people still prefer to use Terminal Servers.  xCAT provides a manner to run commands like rcons and wcons to view these consoles.  However, the configurations must be performed in advanced.

Configuring Hardware For Serial Over LAN

In order to use xCAT's capabilities, you may need to change the BIOS/uEFI settings of a machine.  To get started you could reboot one machine and take a look at the console settings in the BIOS.  In the below example we show how console redirection might be set for an IBM iDataPlex dx360.  Yours will certainly be different!  And it may take time to see what these settings should be.  If you have issues, please ask your server type on the comments section below.

-Console Redirection   
   Console Redirection      [Serial Port B]
   Flow Control      [RTS/CTS]
   Baud Rate        [19.2k]
   Terminal Type      [PC-ANSI]
   Legacy OS Redirection    [Enabled]

What to do if you have lots of machines?  Certainly you don't want to flip and configure the BIOS of every machine manually.  This is insane.  We will discuss that in a later chapter, but for now consider asking your vendor what types of software tools exist to update BIOS/uEFI/CMOS settings.

xCAT Settings for Serial over LAN

Settings for SOL usually require 3 changes inside of the nodehm table.  Here are some examples of some of the known nodes:

IBM iDataPlex dx360 M2/M3

• nodehm.mgt=ipmi
• nodehm.serialport=0
• nodehm.serialspeed=115200
• nodehm.serialflow=hard

KVM Virtual Machine

• nodehm.mgt=kvm
• nodehm.serialport=0
• nodehm.serialspeed=115200
• nodehm.serialflow=""

IBM BladeCenter HS21xM/LS22/HS22

• nodehm.mgt=blade
• nodehm.serialport=1
• nodehm.serialspeed=19200
• nodehm.serialflow=hard

IBM iDataPlex dx340

IBM x3650

• nodehm.mgt=ipmi
• nodehm.serialport=0
• nodehm.serialspeed=19200
• nodehm.serialflow=hard

Dell R410

• nodehm.mgt=ipmi
• nodehm.serialport=1
• nodehm.serialspeed=115200
• nodehm.serialflow=hard

For Dell R410 you can follow the directions to set up the remote console via this paper on Dell's website.  (Look around page 65).  In a nutshell, the BIOS settings should be:

- Serial Communication: On with Console Redirection via COM2

- Serial Port Address: Serial Device2=COM2

- External Serial Connector: Serial Device2

- Failsafe Baud Rate: 115200

- Remote Terminal Type: 115200

- Remote Terminal Type: VT100/VT220

- Redirection After Boot: Enabled