Sun Microsystems V490 manual What the System Console Does, Using the System Console

During initial installation of the Sun Fire V490 system and the Solaris OS software, you must use the built-in serial port (ttya) to access the system console. After installation, you can configure the system console to use different input and output devices. See TABLE 5-2for a summary.

TABLE 5-2Ways of Communicating With the System

	During	After
Devices Available for Accessing the System Console	Installation	Installation

An alphanumeric terminal attached to serial port A (ttya)

(See “How to Set Up an Alphanumeric Terminal as the System Console” on page 133.)

A tip line attached to serial port A (ttya)

(See “How to Access the System Console via tip Connection” on page 129.)

A local graphics terminal (frame buffer card, screen etc.)

(See “How to Configure a Local Graphics Terminal as the System Console” on page 135.)

The system controller (SC)

✔ ✔

✔ ✔

✔

✔

(See “Sun Remote System Control Software” on page 22 and “How to Monitor the System Using the System Controller and RSC Software” on page 190.)

What the System Console Does

While the computer is starting up, the system console displays status and error messages generated by firmware-based tests. After those tests have been run, you can enter special commands that affect the firmware and alter the system’s behavior. For more information about tests that run during the boot process, see “About Diagnostics and the Boot Process” on page 77.

Once the Solaris OS software is booted, the system console displays UNIX system messages and accepts UNIX commands.

Using the System Console

To use the system console, you need some means of getting data into and out of the server, which means attaching some kind of hardware to the server. Initially, you may have to configure that hardware, and load and configure appropriate software as well.

70 Sun Fire V490 Server Administration Guide • August 2004