Console Access
Console Access
Console Access
Console Access
The optimal configuration of console device(s) depends on a number of factors, including the customer's
data center layout, console security needs, customer engineer access needs, and the degree with which
an operator must interact with server or peripheral hardware and a partition (i.e. changing disks, tapes).
This section provides a few guidelines. However the configuration that makes best sense should be
designed as part of site preparation, after consulting with the customer's system administration staff and
the field engineering staff.
Customer data centers exhibit a wide range of configurations in terms of the preferred physical location
of the console device. (The term "console device" refers to the physical screen/keyboard/mouse that
administrators and field engineers use to access and control the server.) The Superdome server enables
many different configurations by its flexible configuration of access to the MP, and by its support for
multiple geographically distributed console devices.
Three common data center styles are:
The secure site where both the system and its console are physically secured in a small area.
The "glass room" configuration where all the systems' consoles are clustered in a location
physically near the machine room.
The geographically dispersed site, where operators administer systems from consoles in remote
offices.
These can each drive different solutions to the console access requirement.
The considerations listed below apply to the design of provision of console access to the server. These
must be considered during site preparation.
The Superdome server can be operated from a VT100 or an hpterm compatible terminal
emulator. However some programs (including some of those used by field engineers) have a more
friendly user interface when operated from an hpterm.
LAN console device users connect to the MP (and thence to the console) using terminal emulators
that establish telnet connections to the MP. The console device(s) can be anywhere on the network
connected to either port of the MP.
Telnet data is sent between the client console device and the MP "in the clear", i.e. unencrypted.
This may be a concern for some customers, and may dictate special LAN configurations.
If an HP-UX workstation is used as a console device, an hpterm window running telnet is the
recommended way to connect to the MP. If a PC is used as a console device, Reflection1
configured for hpterm emulation and telnet connection is the recommended way to connect to the
MP.
The MP currently supports a maximum of 16 telnet-connected users at any one time.
It is desirable, and sometimes essential for rapid time to repair to provide a reliable way to get
console access that is physically close to the server, so that someone working on the server
hardware can get immediate access to the results of their actions. There are a few options to
achieve this:
Place a console device close to the server.
Ask the field engineer to carry in a laptop, or to walk to the operations center.
Use a system that is already in close proximity of the server such as the Instant Support
Enterprise Edition (ISEE) or the System Management Station as a console device close to the
system.
The system administrator is likely to want to run X-applications or a browser using the same
client that they access the MP and partition consoles with. This is because the partition
configuration tool,
parmgr
, has a graphical interface. The system administrator's console
device(s) should have X-window or browser capability, and should be connected to the
system LAN of one or more partitions.
QuickSpecs
HP Integrity Superdome Servers 16-socket, 32-socket,
HP Integrity Superdome Servers 16-socket, 32-socket,
HP Integrity Superdome Servers 16-socket, 32-socket,
HP Integrity Superdome Servers 16-socket, 32-socket,
and 64-socket
and 64-socket
and 64-socket
and 64-socket
Configuration
DA - 11717 Worldwide — Version 20 — May 3, 2005
Page 18
