A: The kernel prints diagnostic output to all console devices you have
configured on the kernel command line, but /dev/console, which is what
userland (such as init) uses, can only be connected to *one* device (the
last one specified).
Refer to: http://fixunix.com/unix/238795-seeing-kernel-messages-multiple-vga-serial-consoles.html
6. use http://serverip:1311 after installing Dell Openmanager to change bios settings
login as root
go to system-bios-setup tab, change it as follows:
Serial Communications
Instructions: Click each BIOS setup object to set its state.
Serial Communications On with Console Redirection via COM2
Console Redirection After Boot Enabled
External Serial Connector Serial Device2
Console Redirection Failsafe BAUD Rate 115200
Serial Address Select Serial Device1=COM1, Serial Device2=COM2
or modify bios settings through Linux OS itself (Dell OpenManage must be installed first)
# racadm config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialBaudRate 115200
# racadm config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialCom2RedirEnable 1
# racadm config -g cfgSerial -o cfgSerialSshEnable 1
optional for ipmi
# racadm config -g cfgIpmiSol -o cfgIpmiSolEnable 1
# racadm config -g cfgIpmiSol -o cfgIpmiSolBaudRate 115200
7. Useful dell iDRAC 6 commands:
a. restart server through ssh into drac and issue command racadm
/admin1-> racadm help serveraction
serveraction -- perform system power management operations
Usage:
racadm serveraction <action>
action server power management operation to peform
Valid actions:
powerdown - power server off
powerup - power server on
powercycle - perform server power cycle
hardreset - force hard server power reset
powerstatus - display current power status of server
/admin1-> racadm serveraction powerstatus
Server power status: ON
/admin1 -> racadm serveraction hardreset
b. check configuration:
[root@util01 boot]# racadm getconfig -g cfgServerPowerSupply -i 1
# cfgServerPowerSupplyIndex=1
# cfgServerPowerSupplyMaxInputPower=945 W
# cfgServerPowerSupplyMaxOutputPower=717 W
# cfgServerPowerSupplyOnlineStatus=Present
# cfgServerPowerSupplyFwVer=04.18.00
# cfgServerPowerSupplyCurrentDraw=5.00 Amps
# cfgServerPowerSupplyType=AC
[root@util01 boot]# racadm getconfig -g cfgSerial
cfgSerialBaudRate=115200
cfgSerialConsoleEnable=1
cfgSerialConsoleQuitKey=^\
cfgSerialConsoleIdleTimeout=300
cfgSerialConsoleNoAuth=0
cfgSerialConsoleCommand=
cfgSerialHistorySize=2000
cfgSerialCom2RedirEnable=1
cfgSerialTelnetEnable=0
cfgSerialSshEnable=1
c. system event log
# racadm racresetcfg # reset to factory default
[root@util01 boot]# racadm getsel
Record: 1
Date/Time: 08/20/2012 23:44:22
Source: system
Severity: Ok
Description: Log cleared.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Record: 2
Date/Time: 08/22/2012 13:33:40
Source: system
Severity: Critical
Description: The power input for power supply 1 is lost.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
d. configure drac user and ip address
$ racadm getconfig -g cfgUserAdmin -i 2 # display root user info for drac
$ racadm config -g cfgUserAdmin -o cfgUserAdminUserName -i 2 jwu # create user id 2 or change username to jwu
$ racadm config -g cfgUserAdmin -o cfgUserAdminPassword -i 2 newpassword # set user id 2 new password
$ racadm config -g cfgUserAdmin -o cfgUserAdminUserName -i 2 "" # remove user id 2
$ racadm setniccfg -s 192.168.0.1 255.255.255.0 192.168.0.254 # configure drac new ip address
Static IP configuration enabled and modified successfully
[root@util01 boot]# racadm racreset # restart drac os
RAC reset operation initiated successfully. It may take up to a minute
for the RAC to come back online again.
[root@util01 boot]# racadm getsysinfo | grep 'Current' # get drac ip address info
Current DNS Domain =
Current IP Address = 192.168.0.1
Current IP Gateway = 192.168.0.254
Current IP Netmask = 255.255.255.0
$ ipmitool sdr # check hardware info realtime
$ ipmitool sel # sel means System Event Log
$ ipmitool sel list
8. How to access VM guest console from Oracle VM server 3.1.1 hypervisor
# /etc/grub.conf
timeout=5
serial --unit=0 --speed=115200
terminal --timeout=5 serial console
Add console=hvc0 to kernel boot parameter
Add hvc0 into /etc/securetty
then reboot server