HP OpenVMS 8.x manual

provides serial access as well as networked access to the firmware console. If using the serial port, use a VT100–capable terminal or emulator device. On Integrity servers that do not have an MP port, the console serial port (generally on the back of the server) is enabled.

With the exception of some older Integrity server models, such as the HP Integrity rx2600 server, the current firmware available for Integrity servers provides a text menu-based interface by default. The current firmware also includes the concept of console interfaces that are “Primary,”“Secondary,”and “Not Configured.” The Primary console is the console enabled for interacting with the operating system as well as with the firmware. Although the firmware can interact with multiple console devices, OpenVMS uses only one of these devices as its console and requires that one device be selected. You select one device to serve as the Primary console, as explained in Section A.2.1 (page 154) where more details are also given about the Primary, Secondary, and Not Configured console selections.

When an Integrity server is powered up, the firmware displays information to the Primary and Secondary console devices. If you do not see output within a few seconds of powering up, your console device is probably not selected as a Primary or Secondary device; you will need to connect your console terminal cable to the appropriate device. When connected to the correct device, the firmware displays the EFI Boot Manager screen, from where you can begin to navigate to select the Primary console for use by OpenVMS, as explained later in this section. When using the firmware to boot OpenVMS, if you do not see OpenVMS console output and the system appears hung, your console terminal device might be connected to a Secondary console device instead of the Primary console device.

If you are already using the system console, you can disregard the remainder of this section. If you have ordered a machine with OpenVMS preinstalled, your console selections have been chosen for you, but you might want to change these default console selections. If you have changed your system configuration, or if you are installing OpenVMS on a new (uninstalled) Integrity server, or if you are reinstalling OpenVMS using the INITIALIZE option (removing all the software and data files that were previously installed on the target system disk), you might need to select the correct console. If the correct console is not selected, OpenVMS might use an unexpected device as the console, causing your system to appear to be hanging; or OpenVMS either will fail to boot or will boot with output sent to the wrong location.

You can use MP to establish remote console access, such as through the TELNET utility provided with HP TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS. Alternatively, you can access the MP console interface through the Internet using an Internet browser.If you intend to set up LAN or remote access for an MP console interface, you must initially use the serial port for console operations when you set up the Integrity server for the first time. (See your hardware documentation for instructions on setting LAN or remote access for the MP console interface.)

Your first step is to decide what console to use. Depending on your hardware/firmware configuration, OpenVMS can use one of the following types of consoles:

•System serial port

•MP (or iLO MP) serial port

The MP interface is not visible to OpenVMS unless the MP serial port is selected as the Primary console.

•Graphics (VGA) device

Graphics console support is introduced with OpenVMS Version 8.3–1H1. This allows you to use a monitor and a USB keyboard and mouse connected directly to the Integrity server ports available for such purposes. Certain older (legacy) Integrity servers, such as the rx2600, do not support a graphics console because they lack the required firmware capabilities. On some Integrity servers, a VGA device might not be built into the system, in which case a graphics option card is required for VGA console support.

Most Integrity servers support multiple graphics options; the exceptions are the rx1600 and rx1620 servers. A graphics option consists of a graphics card and a graphics display interface (monitor). When multiple graphics devices are present, you can select only one device for use by the firmware as a console device. The other graphics devices must be set to Not Configured (NC). When DECwindows is used on a system booted using the VGA as the OpenVMS console, DECwindows selects the VGA console as the default screen. When

A.2 Selecting Your OpenVMS Console for the Integrity Server System 153