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Remote Access Service

Dell OpenManage™ Server Administrator Version 1.4 User's Guide

  Overview

  Hardware Prerequisites

  Software Prerequisites

  Adding and Configuring RAC Users

  Configuring an Existing RAC User

  Configuring the RAC Network Properties

  Configuring the RAC Alert Properties

  Configuring DRAC III Dial-in (PPP) Users and Modem Settings

  Configuring the RAC Remote Features Properties

  Configuring RAC Security

  Accessing and Using a Remote Access Controller

Overview

The Server Administrator Remote Access Service provides a complete remote system management solution for SNMP- and CIM-instrumented systems equipped with a Dell™ Remote Access Card (DRAC) III, a DRAC III/XT, an Embedded Remote Access (ERA) controller, an ERA Option (ERA/O) card, or an ERA/MC controller. These hardware and software solutions are collectively known as remote access controllers (RACs).

The Remote Access Service provides remote access to an inoperable system, allowing you to get the system up and running as quickly as possible. The Remote Access Service also provides alert notification when a system is down and allows you to remotely restart a system. Additionally, the Remote Access Service logs the probable cause of system crashes and saves the most recent crash screen.

You can log into the Remote Access Service through the Server Administrator home page or by directly accessing the controller's IP address using a supported browser.

See the Server Administrator Command Line Interface User's Guide and the Dell Remote Access Controller Racadm User's Guide for information about running the Remote Access Service from the command line.

When using the Remote Access Service, you can click Help on the global navigation bar for more detailed information about the specific window you are viewing. Remote Access Service help is available for all windows accessible to the user based on user privilege level and the specific hardware and software groups that Server Administrator discovers on the managed system.

NOTE: The Remote Access Service is not available on modular systems. You must directly connect to the remote access controller (RAC) on a modular system. See the Dell Embedded Remote Access/MC Controller User's Guide for more information.

NOTE: See the Dell Remote Access Controller Installation and Setup Guide for complete information about installing and configuring a DRAC III, a DRAC III/XT, or an ERA/O controller, configuring an ERA controller, and using a RAC to remotely access an inoperable system. See the Dell Embedded Remote Access/MC Controller User's Guide for complete information about configuring and using an ERA/MC controller to remotely manage and monitor your modular system and its shared resources through a network.

Hardware Prerequisites

The managed system must have a RAC installed to use the Remote Access Service.

For a list of specific hardware requirements for your RAC, see the readme file for your remote access controller on the Systems Management CD and the Dell Remote Access Controller Installation and Setup Guide or the Dell Embedded Remote Access/MC Controller User's Guide on the documentation CD.

NOTE: The RAC software is installed as part of the Express Setup and Custom Setup installation options when installing managed system software from the Systems Management CD, provided that the managed system meets all of your RAC's installation prerequisites. See the appropriate RAC documentation for complete software and hardware requirements.

Software Prerequisites

The managed system must have the RAC software installed. See the Dell Remote Access Controller Installation and Setup Guide or the Dell Embedded Remote Access/MC Controller User's Guide for a complete list of software installation prerequisites.

NOTE: The RAC software is installed as part of the Express Setup and Custom Setup installation options when installing managed system software from the Systems Management CD, provided that the managed system meets all of your RAC's installation prerequisites. See the appropriate RAC documentation for complete software and hardware requirements.

NOTE: For systems running supported Red Hat Linux operating systems, the Remote Access Service does not support Netscape Navigator.

Adding and Configuring RAC Users

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

The RAC can store information for up to 16 users. The Remote Access Service provides security by requiring a user to provide a user name and password prior to establishing a remote connection. The Remote Access Service can also provide paging services to notify users if the system crashes, loses power, or experiences a defined list of other events. Paging services are only available for DRAC III cards.

To create a RAC user, perform the following steps:

1. Click the Main System Chassis object on the Server Administrator home page, and then click the Remote Access Controller object.
   
   
2. Click the Users tab.
   
   

The Remote Access Controller Users window appears.

3. Click Add.
   
   

The Add Remote Access Controller User window appears.

4. Type a user name in the User Name field.
   
   
5. Type a new password in the Password field.
   
   
6. Type the new password again in the Confirm Password field.
   
   
7. Configure numeric paging (for DRAC III users only):
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Numeric Paging and enter a pager number in the Pager Number field.
      
      
   2. Enter the numeric message in the Numeric Message field that you want the RAC to send when it receives certain events.
      
      
8. Configure e-mail paging:
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Email Paging and enter an e-mail address in the Email Address field.
      
      
   2. Enter the message in the Message field that you want the RAC to send when it receives certain events.
      
      
9. Configure alphanumeric paging (for DRAC III users only):
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Alpha-Numeric Paging and enter a pager number in the Pager Number field.
      
      
   2. Select the alphanumeric protocol used by the pager's service provider, 7E0 or 8N1.
      
      
   3. Select the pager's baud rate, 300 or 1200.
      
      
   4. Enter the message in the Custom Message field that you want the RAC to send when it receives certain events.
      
      
   5. Enter the pager's PIN in the Pager ID field, and then, if required, enter a pager password in the Pager Password field.
      
      
   6. Click Apply Changes at the bottom of the window.
      
      
10. Under Severity Configuration, specify the trap and the severity that the trap must have to trigger a paging action from the RAC.
    
    

Traps enable you to configure the RAC to respond to alert conditions from the system's ESM hardware or to other conditions such as operating system crashes or power failures.

The first (left-most) column of check boxes corresponds to the severity level Informational, the second column corresponds to the severity level Warning, and the third column corresponds to the severity level Critical. The last seven events can only report the severity level Informational.

11. Click Apply Changes and then click OK to save the alert, paging, and user configuration to the Server Administrator data repository.
    
    

Server Administrator returns to the Users tab. The user you just created and configured is displayed in the User Name list.

Configuring an Existing RAC User

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

To configure a RAC user, perform the following steps:

1. Click the Main System Chassis object on the Server Administrator home page, and then click the Remote Access Controller object.
   
   
2. Click the Users tab.
   
   

The Remote Access Controller Users window appears.

3. Click the user name for the user you want to configure.
   
   
4. Change the password:
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Change Password and type a new password in the Password field.
      
      
   2. Type the new password again in the Confirm Password field.
      
      
5. Configure numeric paging (for DRAC III users only):
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Numeric Paging and enter a pager number in the Pager Number field.
      
      
   2. Enter the numeric message in the Numeric Message field that you want the RAC to send when it receives certain events.
      
      
6. Configure e-mail paging:
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Email Paging and enter an e-mail address in the Email Address field.
      
      
   2. Enter the message in the Message field that you want the RAC to send when it receives certain events.
      
      
7. Configure alphanumeric paging (for DRAC III users only):
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Alpha-Numeric Paging and enter a pager number in the Pager Number field.
      
      
   2. Select the alphanumeric protocol used by the pager's service provider, 7E0 or 8N1.
      
      
   3. Select the pager's baud rate, 300 or 1200.
      
      
   4. Enter the message in the Custom Message field that you want the RAC to send when it receives certain events.
      
      
   5. Enter the pager's PIN in the Pager ID field, and then, if required, enter a pager password in the Pager Password field.
      
      
   6. Click Apply Changes at the bottom of the window.
      
      
8. Under Severity Configuration, specify the trap and the severity that the trap must have to trigger a paging action from the RAC.
   
   

Traps enable you to configure the RAC to respond to alert conditions from the system's ESM hardware or to other conditions such as operating system crashes or power failures.

The first (left-most) column of check boxes corresponds to the severity level Informational, the second column corresponds to the severity level Warning, and the third column corresponds to the severity level Critical. The last seven events can only report the severity level Informational.

9. Click Apply Changes and then click OK to save the alert, paging, and user configuration to the Server Administrator data repository.
   
   

Server Administrator returns you to the Users tab.

Configuring the RAC Network Properties

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

Your RAC contains an integrated 10BASE-T/100BASE-T Ethernet NIC and supports TCP/IP. The NIC has a default address of 192.168.20.1 and a default gateway of 192.168.20.1.

NOTE: If your RAC is configured to the same IP address as another NIC on the same network, an IP address conflict occurs. The RAC stops responding to network commands until the IP address is changed on the RAC. The RAC must be reset even if the IP address conflict is resolved by changing the IP address of the other NIC.

NOTE: Changing the IP address of the RAC causes the RAC to reset. If SNMP polls the RAC before it initializes, a temperature warning is logged because the correct temperature is not transmitted until the RAC is initialized.

To configure the network properties of your RAC, perform the following steps:

1. Click the Main System Chassis object on the Server Administrator home page, and then click the Remote Access Controller object.
   
   
2. Click the Configuration tab.
   
   

The Configure Network Properties window appears.

3. Click the check box next to Enable NIC (this option is selected by default).
   
   
4. To have the DHCP system assign the NIC information, click the check box next to Use DHCP (For NIC IP Address). If you do not, clear (deselect) this check box and enter the RAC's NIC information in the Static IP Address, Static Subnet Mask, and Static Gateway Address fields.
   
   
5. Enable dial-in networking (for DRAC III users only):
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Dial-In (this option is selected by default).
      
      
   2. To have the DHCP system assign the dial-in information, click the check box next to Use DHCP (For Dial-In IP Address). If you do not, clear (deselect) this check box and enter the DRAC III modem's base IP Address in the Base IP Address field.
      
      
   3. Specify the Dial-In Authentication settings that dial-in connections require:
      
      
      • Any — Allows the connection to use any type of encryption, including no encryption
        
        
      • Encrypted — Requires the connection to use some type of encryption
        
        
      • CHAP — Requires the connection to use the CHAP
        
        
6. To enable SMTP server address control, click the check box next to Enable SMTP, and type the SMTP server address in the SMTP (Email) Server Address field.
   
   
7. Click Apply Changes and click OK to save your changes.
   
   

Configuring the RAC Alert Properties

RACs can be configured to respond to alert conditions from the system's ESM or to other conditions such as operating-system crashes or power failures.

RACs offer the following types of alert actions:

• Alphanumeric paging (DRAC IIIs only) (See "Adding and Configuring RAC Users" for information about configuring this type of alert action.)
  
  
• Numeric paging (DRAC IIIs only) (See "Adding and Configuring RAC Users" for information about configuring this type of alert action.)
  
  
• E-mail (See "Adding and Configuring RAC Users" for information about configuring this type of alert action.)
  
  
• SNMP traps (See the following subsection for information about configuring this type of alert action.)
  
  

Configuring the SNMP Alert Properties

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

To configure the Remote Access Service alert properties, perform the following steps:

1. Click the Main System Chassis object on the Server Administrator home page, and then click the Remote Access Controller object.
   
   
2. Click the Configuration tab.
   
   
3. Click SNMP.
   
   
4. Click Add or click the Destination IP Address to edit existing SNMP alert properties.
   
   
5. Click the check box next to Enable SNMP Trap, if a check isn't already in the check box.
   
   
6. Enter the SNMP community name to which the destination management station belongs in the Community field.
   
   
7. Enter a destination IP Address of the management station to which you want the RAC to send SNMP traps when an event occurs in the IP Address field.
   
   
8. Use the check boxes under Severity Configuration to specify the events and the severity level that those events must have to trigger an alert action from the RAC.
   
   

The first (left-most) column of check boxes corresponds to the severity level Informational, the second column corresponds to the severity level Warning, and the third column corresponds to the severity level Critical. The last seven events can only report the severity level Informational.

9. Click Apply Changes and then click OK to save your changes.
   
   

Configuring DRAC III Dial-in (PPP) Users and Modem Settings

Dial-in (PPP) users and modem features are currently only available for the DRAC III.

Adding and Configuring DRAC III Demand Dial-Out Entries

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

When preset, dial-in (PPP) users call a DRAC III, the demand dial-out entry causes the Remote Access Service to disconnect and call the management station back at a preset number. Upon callback, users must provide their RAC user authentication to access the Remote Access Service.

NOTE: The RAC managed system software uses a PPP connection to talk to the installed RAC. The IP address for this PPP connection is 192.168.234.235. It is possible that this network IP address could already be in use by other systems or applications. If this situation occurs, the PPP connection fails to operate. If this address is already in use, the user is required to change the managed-system PPP client IP address to a different number. To change the managed-system PPP server IP address to use another network so that conflicts do not occur, you must use the racadm utility. See the Dell Remote Access Controller Racadm User's Guide for information about using the racadm utility.

To add a demand dial-out entry, perform the following steps:

1. On the Server Administrator home page, click the Main System Chassis object, and then click the Remote Access Controller object.
   
   
2. Click the Configuration tab.
   
   
3. Select Demand Dial-Out.
   
   
4. Click Add.
   
   
5. Enter the management station IP address that the Remote Access Service calls back when called by this user.
   
   
6. Enter the phone number used by the system's modem in the Phone Number field.
   
   
7. Enter the user name for the demand dial-out user in the User Name field.
   
   
8. Enter the password for the demand dial-out user in the Password field.
   
   
9. Select a setting from the Authentication drop-down menu:
   
   
   • Any — Allows the connection using any type of encryption, including no encryption
     
     
   • Encrypted — Requires the connection to use some type of encryption
     
     
   • CHAP — Requires the connection to use the CHAP
     
     
10. Click Apply Changes and click OK to save your changes.
    
    

Adding and Configuring a DRAC III Dial-In (PPP) User

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

This subsection describes how to add and configure a dial-in (PPP) user. After dial-in users are authenticated, they must enter the RAC user authentication at the remote access controller login screen to access the DRAC III.

NOTE: The Server Administrator managed-system PPP client uses the 192.168.234.235 network to talk with the installed DRAC III. It is possible that this network IP address could already be in use by other systems or applications. If this situation occurs, the PPP connection fails to operate. If this address is already in use, the user is required to change the managed-system PPP client IP address to a different number. To change the managed-system PPP server IP address to use another network so that conflicts do not occur, you must use the racadm utility. See the Dell Remote Access Controller Racadm User's Guide for information about using the racadm utility.

To add and configure dial-in users, perform the following steps:

1. On the Server Administrator home page, click the Main System Chassis object, and then click the Remote Access Controller object.
   
   
2. Click the Configuration tab.
   
   
3. Click Dial-In Users.
   
   
4. Click Add.
   
   
5. Type a user name in the User Name field.
   
   
6. Type a new password in the Password field.
   
   
7. Type a callback number in the Callback Number field.
   
   

This number is the one the Remote Access Service calls if Callback Type is set to Preset.

8. Select a setting from the Callback Type drop-down menu:
   
   
   • None — When called, the Remote Access Service does not disconnect and call back; the connection remains active.
     
     
   • Preset — When called, the Remote Access Service disconnects and calls the number specified in the Callback Number field; this setting activates the callback number control.
     
     
   • User Specified — When called, the Remote Access Service asks the user for the callback number. Then the Remote Access Service disconnects and calls the number the user specified.
     
     
9. Click Apply Changes and then click OK to save your changes.
   
   

Configuring the DRAC III Modem Settings

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

If your DRAC III kit includes the optional PCMCIA modem, you must configure the modem prior to use.

To configure the DRAC III modem, perform the following steps:

1. On the Server Administrator home page, click the Main System Chassis object, and then click the Remote Access Controller object.
   
   
2. Click the Configuration tab.
   
   
3. Click Modem.
   
   
4. For Dial Mode, choose either Pulse or Tone.
   
   
5. From the Country Code drop-down menu, select the country where the DRAC III is located.
   
   
6. For Initialization String, enter the required initialization string for the DRAC III modem in the text field.
   
   
7. Select a Baud Rate setting from the drop-down menu (the default is 38400).
   
   
8. Click Apply Changes, and then click OK to save your changes.
   
   

Configuring the RAC Remote Features Properties

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

If the local boot image on the managed system has been corrupted, a RAC has the ability to boot its host server using a diskette boot image that it downloads from a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server. This feature is called remote floppy boot. A RAC can also update its firmware using a firmware image located on a TFTP server. This feature is called remote firmware update, and the process is similar to flashing a system BIOS.

To configure the remote floppy boot feature and the remote firmware update feature of your RAC, perform the following steps:

1. Click the Main System Chassis object on the Server Administrator home page, and then click the Remote Access Controller object.
   
   
2. Click the Configuration tab.
   
   

The Configure Network Properties window appears.

3. Click Remote Features.
   
   

The Remote Properties window appears.

4. Click the check box next to Enable Remote Floppy Boot to configure the remote boot parameters,
   
   
5. Configure the RAC's remote boot parameters:
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Remote Floppy Boot.
      
      
   2. Type the TFTP server's IP address in the Remote Floppy TFTP Address field.
      
      
   3. Type the boot image filename in the Remote Floppy TFTP Path field. The path must be relative to the root directory of the TFTP server.
      
      
6. Configure the RAC's firmware update parameters:
   
   
   1. Click the check box next to Enable Remote Firmware Update.
      
      
   2. Type the TFTP server's IP address in the Remote Firmware TFTP Address field.
      
      
   3. Type the firmware image filename in the Remote Firmware Update Path field. The path must be relative to the root directory of the TFTP server.
      
      
7. Click Apply Changes and click OK to save your changes.
   
   

Configuring RAC Security

NOTE: You must have Admin privileges in Server Administrator to use the Remote Access Service.

NOTE: See the Dell Remote Access Controller Installation and Setup Guide for more information about RAC security features.

To configure your RAC security from the Server Administrator home page, click System® Main System Chassis® Remote Access Controller and then click the Security tab. Under the Security tab, you can perform CSR certificate management and set RAC user login authentication options.

Certificate Management

Use the Certificate Management window to generate a certificate signing request (CSR), upload a server certificate or certificate authority (CA) certificate to the RAC firmware, or view an existing server certificate or CA certificate. From the Certificate Management window, the following options are available:

• Generating a CSR
  
  
• Uploading a Certificate
  
  
• Viewing a Certificate
  
  

A CSR is a digital request to a CA for a secure server certificate. Secure server certificates ensure the identity of a remote system and ensure that information exchanged with the remote system cannot be viewed or changed by others. To ensure the security for your RAC, it is strongly recommended that you generate a CSR, submit the CSR to a CA, and upload the certificate returned from the CA.

A certificate authority is a business entity that is recognized in the IT industry for meeting high standards of reliable screening, identification, and other important security criteria. Examples of CAs include Thwate and VeriSign. Once the CA receives your CSR, they review and verify the information the CSR contains. If the applicant meets the CA's security standards, the CA issues a certificate to the applicant that uniquely identifies that applicant for transactions over networks and on the internet.

After the CA approves the CSR and sends you a certificate, you must upload the certificate to the RAC firmware. The CSR information stored on the RAC firmware must match the information contained in the certificate.

Generating a CSR

NOTICE: Each new CSR overwrites any pervious CSR on the firmware. It is crucial that the CSR on the firmware matches the certificate returned from a CA.

1. From the Certificate Management window, select the Generate a new CSR option and click Next.
   
   

The Certificate Signing Request (CSR) Generation window appears.

2. Type a value or choose a value from a drop-down menu for each listed attribute and click Generate.
   
   

A message appears stating that the CSR was successfully generated and giving the path where it was saved.

3. You are now ready to send your CSR to a CA.
   
   

Uploading a Certificate

To upload your server certificate or CA certificate to the RAC firmware, you must designate the CSR type, designate the exact filename and file path, and click Upload.

1. From the Certificate Management window, select the Upload certificate option and click Next.
   
   

The Upload Certificate window appears.

2. Select the certificate type from the drop-down menu.
   
   

The selections are Server Certificate and CA Certificate.

3. Type the exact path and filename of the certificate to be uploaded.
   
   

NOTE: When you have a fully-qualified path or file name that contains spaces, you must place double quotation marks around the string. For example, if your file is contained in c:\security files\certificates\sslcert.cer, you must place the fully qualified path name and file name in double quotations because a space appears between "security" and "files." For example: "c:\security files\certificates\sslcert.cer".

4. Click Upload.
   
   

A message appears stating that the certificate was successfully uploaded to the RAC firmware.

5. Restart the RAC to enable the new certificate.
   
   

Viewing a Certificate

The following information is included on both the View Server Certificate and View CA Certificate windows. See Table 6-1.

Table 6-1. Certificate Information

Configuring Remote Connect Authentication Options

Use the Remote Connect Authentication Options window to set RAC user login authentication options. You can configure the RAC to only allow login by users created thought the Remote Access Service (RAC users), or to allow RAC login by users created both through the Remote Access Service and through the local operating system.

1. Click System® Main System Chassis® Remote Access Controller and then click the Security tab.
   
   

The Certificate Management window appears.

2. Click Authentication Options.
   
   

The Remote Connect Authentication Options window appears. There are two configuration options, each proceeded by a check box.

The RAC Authentication check box is selected by default and cannot be deselected. This setting allows login to the RAC by users created through the RAC (RAC users).

Put a check in the Local Operating System Authentication check box to also allow login to the RAC by users created through the local operating system.

3. Click Apply Changes and click OK to save your changes.
   
   

Accessing and Using a Remote Access Controller

This section provides basic information about using a RAC to monitor and manage your system, including connecting to the RAC to access system and session information, managing the RAC configurations, and performing remote access functions on the managed system. This section includes the following topics:

• Accessing a RAC
  
  
• Remote Access Service RAC Home Page
  
  
• Properties
  
  
• Sensors
  
  
• Logs
  
  
• Configuration
  
  
• Remote Access
  
  
• Debug
  
  
• Configuring RAC Security
  
  
• Updating RAC Firmware
  
  

Accessing a RAC

To link to the Remote Access Service RAC Log in window from the Server Administrator home page, click the Main System Chassis object, click the Remote Access Controller object, click the Remote Connect tab, and then click Remote Connect. The RAC Log in window appears.

You can also link to the Remote Access Service RAC Log in window by accessing the RAC's IP address from a supported Web browser. Open your Web browser and type http://IP address in the address field and press <Enter> (where IP address is the IP address for the RAC). The RAC Log in window appears.

Logging In and Out

To log into the Remote Access Service RAC home page, perform the following steps:

1. In the User Name field, enter your RAC user name.
   
   

This field is case sensitive. The default login name is root.

2. In the Password field, enter your RAC password.
   
   

This field is case sensitive. The default password is calvin. You can also press <Tab> to navigate to this field.

3. Select an appropriate entry from the Domain drop-down box.
   
   

Local RAC is the default entry.

4. Click OK or press <Enter>.
   
   

To end your Remote Access Service session, click Log Out on the global navigation bar.

Remote Access Service RAC Home Page

The Remote Access Service RAC home page defaults to the Summary window under the Properties tab.

Like the Server Administrator home page, the Remote Access Service RAC home page has three main areas:

• The global navigation bar provides links to general services.
  
  
• The system tree displays the type of RAC installed in the managed system.
  
  
• The action window displays the available management actions for the system's RAC.
  
  

Additionally, when you are logged into the Remote Access Service RAC home page, the RAC type, system model, and current user's user name are displayed in the top-right corner of the window.

Figure 6-1 shows a sample Remote Access Service RAC home page layout for a user logged in to an ERA. For more information about the Remote Access Service RAC home page layout, see "The Server Administrator Home Page."

Figure 6-1. Sample Remote Access Service RAC Home Page

Status Indicator Icons

The status indicator icons graphically show the status of a sensor or component (as of the latest page refresh).

	A green check mark indicates a healthy (normal) status condition.
	A yellow triangle containing an exclamation point indicates a warning (noncritical) status condition.
	A red X indicates a critical (failure) status condition.
	A blank space indicates that the status is unknown.

Properties

From the Remote Access Service RAC home page, you can access system and sessions information. To access system and session information for your RAC, click the Properties tab. The following options are available:

• RAC Information
  
  
• System Information
  
  
• Watchdog Information
  
  
• Session Status
  
  

RAC Information

• RAC Date/Time — Displays current time in one of two ways. In the interval of time between when the RAC starts and when the managed system event server initializes, the time displayed is the time elapsed since the RAC start-up. Start-up time appears in the following format:
  
  

DSU+HH:MM:SS

After the managed system event system is initialized and exchanges local time information with the RAC, the time displayed is the local date and time. Local date and time appears in the following format:

YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS GMT<+ | - >HH:MM

NOTE: The time zone is represented as hours and minutes east or west of GMT. West is negative, east is positive.

Example:

2001-01-01 23:00:59 GMT - 14:30

• Firmware Version — Displays the current firmware version level.
  
  
• Firmware Updated — Displays the date and time that the firmware was last updated.
  
  

NOTE: The Firmware Updated field remains blank until a firmware update is performed.

• Hardware Version — Displays the RAC hardware version level.
  
  
• Current IP Address — Displays the IP address assigned to the RAC NIC.
  
  
• Current IP Gateway — Displays the IP address of the switch or router currently servicing the RAC NIC.
  
  
• Current IP Netmask — Displays the IP address of the subnet to which the RAC is connected.
  
  
• PCMCIA Card Info — Displays specifications for the PCMCIA modem, if installed (DRAC III only).
  
  
• DHCP Enabled? — Indicates if DHCP is enabled or disabled on the controller. The default value is TRUE (Yes).
  
  

System Information

• System ID — Displays the system identifier for the managed system.
  
  
• System Model — Displays the managed system's model and type.
  
  
• BIOS Version — Displays the managed system's BIOS version level.
  
  
• Asset Tag — Displays the managed system's asset tag number.
  
  
• Service Tag — Displays the managed system's service tag number, if assigned.
  
  
• OS Type — Displays the type of operating system installed on the managed system.
  
  
• HostName — Displays the name of the managed system where the RAC is installed.
  
  
• OS Name — Displays the name of the operating system installed on the managed system, including version, build, and service pack information.
  
  
• ESM Version — Displays the managed system's firmware version level.
  
  

Watchdog Information

• Recovery Action — Specifies whether to reset, power cycle, shut down, or take no action when the system hangs.
  
  
• Present countdown value — Displays the time remaining before the recovery action is initiated.
  
  
• Initial countdown value — Displays the time elapsed since the countdown started.
  
  

NOTE: Watchdog provides the same functionality as automatic recovery.

Session Status

NOTE: A RAC supports up to 16 simultaneous sessions.

• Valid Session — Displays the current number of active sessions (equal to the number of users that are logged on).
  
  
• Unused Sessions — Displays the name of the user initiating the session.
  
  
• Session Type — Displays the current session type (HTTP or HTTPS).
  
  
• Session User — Displays the name of the user initiating the session.
  
  
• User's IP address — Displays the IP address of the user initiating the session.
  
  
• Login Date/Time — Displays the time and date that the user logged in according to the RAC internal clock.
  
  
• Active Consoles — Lists all of the active consoles for the current session including the current redirection type (Console Redirect).
  
  

Sensors

From the Remote Access Service RAC home page, you can access sensor data. To access sensor information, click the Sensors tab. The following options are available:

RAC Sensors (DRAC IIIs only)

Displays a summary of temperature and voltage values and status. Click the probe name for more information about that sensor.

• RAC Temperature Sensors — Displays a temperature gauge that graphically represents the current temperature and normal operating threshold. The thresholds are also displayed as numerical values in the top-right corner of the sensor details box. For definitions of the RAC status indicator icons, see "Status Indicator Icons." For definitions of the sensor thresholds, see "Sensor Thresholds."
  
  
• RAC Voltage Sensors — Displays a voltage gauge that graphically represents the current voltage and normal operating threshold. The thresholds are also displayed as numerical values in the top-right corner of the sensor details box. For definitions of the RAC status indicator icons, see "Status Indicator Icons." For definitions of the sensor thresholds, see "Sensor Thresholds."
  
  

Server Sensors

Displays a summary of managed system sensors. For more information on a particular sensor, perform the following steps:

1. From the Server Sensors window, place a check mark in the Add box to the right of the sensor.
   
   

The selected sensor appears in the Sensors to Poll box on the right side of the screen. To remove the sensor from the Sensors to Poll list, click X.

NOTE: You can monitor up to eight sensors at a time.

2. Click Monitor Selected Sensors, after you have selected all the sensors you want to monitor.
   
   

A summary of the eight sensors is displayed.

3. Click the probe name for more information on a specific sensor.
   
   

After clicking the probe name, a graphical temperature gauge is displayed that identifies the current reading and normal operating threshold for the probe. The thresholds are also displayed as numerical values in the top-right corner of the sensor details box. For definitions of the RAC status indicator icons, see "Status Indicator Icons." For definitions of the sensor thresholds, see "Sensor Thresholds."

Sensor Thresholds

• Status — Current sensor status:
  
  
• Normal — The sensor value is between Max Warning Threshold and Min Warning Threshold.
  
  
• Low Warning — The sensor value is between the Min Warning Threshold and the Min Critical Threshold.
  
  
• High Warning — The sensor value is between the Max Warning Threshold and the Max Critical Threshold.
  
  
• Low Critical — The sensor value is below the Min Critical Threshold.
  
  
• High Critical — The sensor value is above the Max Critical Threshold.
  
  
• Disabled — The sensor is disabled. In this case, the sensor value is usually 0.
  
  
• Unknown — The state of the sensor is unknown.
  
  
• Reading — Current sensor value.
  
  
• Max Critical Threshold — Maximum value which causes component/system failure.
  
  
• Max Warning Threshold — Maximum value which triggers a warning alert.
  
  
• Min Warning Threshold — Minimum value which triggers a warning alert.
  
  
• Min Critical Threshold — Minimum value which causes component/system failure.
  
  

Logs

From the Remote Access Service RAC home page, you can access RAC logs and system logs. To access log information, click the Logs tab. A RAC provides access to logs that are generated by both the RAC and the managed system:

• POST — "Viewing the POST Log"
  
  
• RAC — "Viewing the RAC Log"
  
  
• Hardware — "Viewing the Hardware Log"
  
  
• Boot Path Analysis — "Viewing the Boot Path Analysis Log"
  
  
• Last Crash Screen — "Viewing the Last Crash Screen"
  
  

Viewing the POST Log

The POST log is generated by the managed system and lists POST events recorded during the most recent system boot. To access the POST log from the Logs window, click POST.

The contents of the POST log are written by the BIOS of the managed system and are overwritten during each system boot. The POST log displays the following information:

• POST Code — A numerical identifier associated with a particular event that occurs during system boot.
  
  
• Description — A brief description of the event identified by the POST code.
  
  

Viewing the RAC Log

The RAC log is a persistent log maintained in the RAC firmware. To access the RAC log from the Logs window, click RAC.

The log contains a list of user actions (such as log in and log out) and alerts issued by the RAC. The oldest entries are overwritten when the log becomes full. If the RAC loses communication with the managed system, all entries that the RAC would have added to the Hardware log (such as power failure or RAC sensor alert) are added to the RAC log until communication is re-established.

The RAC log displays the following information:

• Severity — Displays a RAC status indicator icon. For definitions of the RAC status indicator icons, see "Status Indicator Icons." For definitions of the sensor thresholds, see "Sensor Thresholds."
  
  
• Date & Time — Displays the full date and time (for example, Thu Mar 14 14:41:47 2002). When the RAC is unable to communicate with the managed system, the letters "DSU" appear before the time, followed by the elapsed time since the RAC was started.
  
  
• User — Displays the name of the user logging into the RAC.
  
  
• ID — Displays the identifying number of the message displayed.
  
  
• Description — Displays a brief description of the event.
  
  

To clear the RAC log of all entries, click Clear Log in the top-right corner of the screen.

Viewing the Hardware Log

The hardware log displays system-critical events that occur on the managed system. To access the hardware log from the Logs window, click Hardware.

The hardware log is generated by ESM instrumentation on the managed system and by the RAC if you have configured it to monitor any managed system events. It includes date, time, and a description of each event generated by the ESM and other instrumentation on the managed system.

The hardware log displays the following information:

• Date & Time — Displays the date and time that the event occurred.
  
  
• Description — Displays a brief description of the event.
  
  

Viewing the Boot Path Analysis Log

The boot path analysis log displays operations performed and problems encountered during system boot. To access the boot path analysis log from the Logs window, click Boot Path Analysis.

The boot path analysis log displays the following information:

• Severity — Displays a RAC status indicator icon. For definitions of the RAC status indicator icons, see "Status Indicator Icons." For definitions of the sensor thresholds, see "Sensor Thresholds."
  
  
• POST Code — A numerical identifier associated with a particular event that occurs during system boot.
  
  
• Description — A brief description of the event identified by the POST code.
  
  

Viewing the Last Crash Screen

The Last Crash Screen option displays the most recent crash screen, allowing you to obtain information on events leading up to the system crash. This information is saved in RAC memory and made available for remote display. To access Last Crash Screen from the Remote Access window, click Last Crash Screen.

The Last Crash Screen option works in conjunction with the managed system's auto recovery (watchdog timer) functions. In order to capture a last crash screen, the system's Auto Recovery option must be set to either Reboot System or PowerCycle System.

To set the Auto Recovery option, perform the following steps:

1. On the Server Administrator home page, click the System object.
   
   
2. Under the Properties tab click Auto Recovery.
   
   
3. Specify the Action on Hung Operating System Detection setting:
   
   
   • None — Take no action when the operating system is hung or has crashed.
     
     
   • Reboot System — Shut down the operating system and initiate system startup, performing BIOS checks and reloading the operating system.
     
     
   • PowerOff System — Turn the electrical power to the system off.
     
     
   • PowerCycle System — Power cycle turns the electrical power to the system off, pauses, turns the power on, and reboots the system. Power cycling is useful when you want to reinitialize system components such as hard disk drives.
     
     
4. Type a value (in seconds) in the System Reset Timer field.
   
   
5. Click Apply Changes and then click OK to save your changes.
   
   

NOTE: If no crash screen is available, the message No previously captured last crash screen is available is displayed.

Configuration

From the Remote Access Service RAC home page, you can configure sensor poll rates. To access the RAC configuration features, click the Configuration tab.

Poll Rates

The Poll Rates option allows you to configure the time interval for the RAC to update specific information. To access the poll rates features from the Configuration window, click Poll Rates.

Poll Rate configuration allows you to set the rate at which the RAC samples status information from its integrated sensors (for DRAC IIIs only) or from the ESM sensors on the managed system. It also determines how often the RAC retrieves system information from the managed system. Use the Poll Rates option to change the Session Timeout Value and to change the frequency with which the following fields are updated:

• System Info Poll Rate
  
  
• RAC Sensor Poll Rate (DRAC IIIs only)
  
  
• Server Sensor Poll Rate
  
  

Configuring Poll Rates

1. From the Poll Rates window, select an interval of seconds from the drop-down menu (30, 60, 90, 120, 150, or 180).
   
   
2. Click Apply Changes to save the configuration.
   
   

NOTE: Poll rate settings are retained only for the current session and do not apply to any other user sessions.

Remote Access

To access the RAC Remote Access functions, click the Remote Access tab on the Remote Access Service RAC home page. From the Remote Access window, the following options are available:

• Server Reset Options
  
  
• Remote Floppy Boot
  
  
• Console Redirect
  
  

Server Reset Options

A RAC allows you to remotely perform a variety of power management actions on the managed system, such as graceful shutdown through the operating system or a hard reset (equivalent to pressing the reset button). To access the server reset options from the Remote Access window, click Server Reset Options.

From the Server Reset Options window, you can configure the following resets for the managed system by selecting from the following reset options and clicking Apply Reset Option:

NOTE: If the Graceful Server Shutdown or the Graceful Server Restart commands are issued to systems running a supported Novell® NetWare® operating system, an MS- DOS® prompt is displayed. This prompt indicates that the operating system has been shut down, but the system must be manually turned off and on using the power button. If either of these commands are issued to systems running a supported Red Hat Linux operating system, the operating system shuts down and then displays a message indicating that it is okay to manually turn the system off or on using the power button.

• Graceful Server Shutdown — Shuts down the managed system through the operating system.
  
  
• Graceful Server Restart — Shuts down and restarts the managed system through the operating system.
  
  

NOTE: When using Graceful Server Restart, Reset, and Server Power Cycle options with console redirection, you must allow approximately 2 minutes for the managed system to restart before attempting to log back into the system remotely. This time allows the managed system time to reestablish a connection with the console redirection service.

• Reset — Resets the system (equivalent to pressing the reset button); the power is not turned off by this function.
  
  
• Server Power Cycle — Turns off the system power and turns it on again (equivalent to pressing the power button twice).
  
  
• Server Power On — Turns on the system power (equivalent to pressing the power button).
  
  
• Server Power Off — Turns off the system power (equivalent to pressing the power button).
  
  

Remote Floppy Boot

The Remote Floppy Boot option, available for supported Windows and Red Hat Linux operating systems, allows you to boot a managed system from a bootable floppy image stored on a TFTP server or on the RAC. To access the Remote Floppy Boot option from the Remote Access window, click Remote Floppy Boot.

Using the Remote Floppy Boot option, you can boot a managed system into a temporary command-prompt environment to run diagnostic programs or utilities. After the managed system boots, you can use console redirection to interact with the command-prompt environment.

Before using the Remote Floppy Boot option, you must first do one of the following:

• Create the bootable floppy image file and then copy it to a logical drive. For systems using a supported Microsoft Windows operating system, Server Administrator offers two utilities to create the image file: RemoteFloppyUtility.exe (a GUI utility), and remotefloppy.exe (a command-line utility). For more information, see "Remote Floppy Boot on Systems Running a Supported Windows Operating System."
  
  
• Load the bootable floppy image from a file that resides on a TFTP server or your local file system. The RAC can load the bootable floppy image into its firmware using TFTP. After the image is loaded, the RAC can boot the managed system from the image.
  
  

NOTE: You must have a TFTP server running to download bootable floppy image files to the RAC. Many TFTP servers are available both commercially or free on the Internet. If you do not already have a TFTP server running, it is recommended that you use one of the TFTP servers on the Microsoft website at www.microsoft.com.

NOTE: The maximum size of the image used for remote floppy boot is 1.44 MB.

Remote Floppy Boot on Systems Running a Supported Windows Operating System

The following subsections provide procedures for using the RemoteFloppyUtility.exe and remotefloppy.exe utilities to create an image file for remote floppy boot.

To create or copy the bootable floppy image file using the GUI utility, perform the following steps:

1. Start Windows Explorer and navigate to the directory that contains the RemoteFloppyUtility.exe utility.
   
   
2. Double-click RemoteFloppyUtility.exe.
   
   

The GUI utility starts.

3. Under Choose Action, select the action you want to perform.
   
   
   • Copy Image From Drive Letter To Filename — Copies a bootable floppy image from a logical drive (can be a RAM drive or physical drive) to the path and filename specified.
     
     
   • Copy Image From Filename To Drive Letter — Copies a bootable floppy image from a path and filename specified to a logical drive.
     
     
4. Perform one of the following actions:
   
   
   • In the Filename field, specify the path and filename of the bootable floppy image file.
     
     

or

• Click Browse to open a standard Windows file browser and select the location and name of the bootable floppy image file.
  
  

The default bootable floppy image filename is bootimg.bin.

5. From the Drive Letter drop-down menu, select the drive letter designation for the source or target diskette drive.
   
   

The default diskette drive letter is A.

6. Click Begin Copy to start the image transfer.
   
   

The Progress Indicator shows the percent complete of the transfer, and the Status window shows status and error messages that may occur during the transfer.

7. Click Clear to clear the Status window.
   
   
8. Click Clear All to reset all options to their defaults.
   
   

To create or copy the bootable floppy image file using the command-line utility, perform the following steps:

1. Click the Start button, click Run, and then type the following command and press <Enter>:
   
   

cmd

A command-prompt window opens.

2. At the command prompt, change to the RAC installation directory using the CD command.
   
   
3. At the command prompt, type the following command and press <Enter>:
   
   

remotefloppy.exe -h

This command returns the following text in the command prompt window:

Usage: remotefloppy.exe <-c | -p> [-d <drive:>] [-f filename] [-v] [-h]

-c Create file image of a target disk floppy.

-p Put existing file image onto a target disk floppy.

-d <drive> Drive letter containing floppy disk.

The drive letter must contain ':'.

The default drive letter is "a:".

-f <filename> Filename of boot file. The default filename is "BOOTIMG.BIN".

-v Version information will be displayed to the user.

-h Usage syntax will be displayed to the user.

The -c (create) and -p (put) parameters are required and mutually exclusive; you must select one or the other. The -d, -f, -v, and -h parameters are all optional. The -v and -h parameters are used alone to display the version of the utility and the help screen.

4. Type the appropriate command to create or put the bootable floppy image file.
   
   

For example, if you want to create an image file named BOOTIMG.BIN from a bootable floppy image residing on logical drive A, type the following command:

remotefloppy.exe -c

Using another example, if you want to put an image file named BOOT1.BIN on logical drive B, type the following command:

remotefloppy.exe -p boot1.bin

After you create or put the desired.bin files, close the command prompt window.

Remote Floppy Boot on Systems Running a Supported Red Hat Linux Operating System

The following commands are used to create and copy the boot image file from a Linux command shell window.

To copy the diskette image to a file, type the following line at the shell prompt and press <Enter>:

dd if=/dev/fd0 of=<filename> bs=1440k

where <filename> is the name of the output file.

To copy an image file to a diskette, type the following line at the shell prompt and press <Enter>:

dd if=<filename> of=/dev/fd0 bs=1440k

Performing the Remote Floppy Boot

NOTE: Before using this procedure, you must create a bootable floppy image and make it available locally or on a TFTP server. See the previous sections for more information.

To boot a managed system from a bootable floppy image, perform the following steps:

1. From the Server Administrator RAC home page, click Remote Access, and then click Remote Floppy Boot.
   
   
2. Check the status of the remote floppy boot in the Status Text box on the bottom-left corner of the screen.
   
   

The following is an example of status text:

Remote Floppy Enabled: No

Image Loaded: No

Boot From: Remote Floppy, One Time

Mode: Read Only

Before you can initiate a remote floppy boot, you must load the bootable floppy image and then enable the remote floppy boot feature.

3. If Remote Floppy Enabled is No, perform the following steps; otherwise, proceed to step 4.
   
   
   1. From the Commands box, click Set Remote Floppy State.
      
      
   2. Select Enabled, and then click Apply Remote Floppy Boot Changes.
      
      

A feedback (progress) message appears, followed by the remote floppy boot status. Remote Floppy Enabled should now read Yes.

4. If Image Loaded is No, perform the following steps; otherwise, proceed to step 5.
   
   

At the top of the Remote Floppy Boot window, select Insert Remote Floppy.

1. In the Get Image From group, select one of the following options:
   
   
   • TFTP Server — Select this option to download a boot image file from a TFTP server system and load that image into the RAC. You must specify the TFTP server's IP address and the bootable floppy image file. The default bootable floppy image file name is bootimg.bin.
     
     
   • Local File — Select this option to load a bootable floppy image from a file on the management station (the system running the Web browser). Type the local file path and file name in the text box.
     
     
2. Click Apply Remote Floppy Boot Changes.
   
   

A Command in progress message appears in the Status Text box, followed by the remote floppy boot status. Image Loaded should now read Yes.

NOTE: If at any time you want to save the bootable floppy image loaded into the RAC to a local file, select Copy Remote Floppy to Local System File, type a file path into the text box, and then click Apply Remote Floppy Boot Changes.

3. From the Remote Floppy Persistence Options box, select one of the following options:
   
   
   • Always Boot From Remote Floppy — Select this option to always boot the managed system from the bootable floppy image loaded into the RAC. This option is useful if you anticipate having to reboot the system more than once during the current diagnostic and recovery attempt.
     
     
   • Boot From Remote Floppy One Time — Select this option to boot the RAC managed system from the bootable floppy image exactly once. If you select this option, you must reselect and reapply changes (by clicking Apply Remote Floppy Boot Changes) to your remote floppy boot parameters.
     
     
   • Boot From the Physical Boot Device — Select this option to boot the managed system from its usual boot device, such as diskette drive A. This option is useful if, for example, you have previously used one of the bootable floppy image file creation utilities to copy a bootable floppy image to a diskette and have placed it in the diskette drive in the event you need to perform a remote floppy boot. The Command in progress message appears, followed by the remote floppy boot status. Boot from should now reflect your selection, such as Physical Floppy Drive.
     
     

5. To make changes to the bootable floppy image loaded in firmware, such as modifying a batch file, perform the following step; otherwise proceed to step 6.
   
   

In the Remote Floppy Boot window, select Set Remote Floppy Mode, select Read/Write, then click Apply Remote Floppy Boot Changes.

The Command in progress message appears, followed by the remote floppy boot status. Remote Floppy Mode should now read Read/Write.

6. From the Remote Access window, click Server Reset Options.
   
   
7. From the Server Reset Options window, select a reset option and click OK. (For more information, see "Server Reset Options.")
   
   
8. When prompted, confirm that you want to perform the action.
   
   
9. From the Server Administrator RAC home page, click Remote Access, and then click Console Redirect.
   
   
10. In the Console Redirect window, change to the A drive, which points to the diskette boot image loaded in the RAC. Use the dir command to view the contents of the image.
    
    

You can now make modifications to the bootable floppy image, such as using the edit command to edit a batch file.

Console Redirect

The Console Redirect option allows you to use the display, mouse, and keyboard on a local management station to control the corresponding devices on the remote managed system. To access the Console Redirect window from the Remote Access window, click Console Redirect.

NOTE: For graphical redirection, the managed system is performing the redirection process; therefore, a percentage of available microprocessor time is consumed when the process is active. It is recommended that you stop console redirection when not needed so that the system is available to perform its normal tasks. In addition, you should run the managed system in a low-resolution graphics mode, such as 800 x 600, and at a maximum of 256 colors to minimize the redirection task.

NOTE: If a supported Novell NetWare operating system is running on the managed system, console redirection will be displayed as text-only.

Console redirection provides the following functions:

• Preboot text, video, and keyboard redirection
  
  
• Postboot graphics, video, keyboard, and mouse redirection
  
  
• Seamless operation between preboot and postboot screens
  
  

NOTE: When switching between preboot and postboot screens, it may take several minutes for screen content to appear because the RAC must first connect to the RAC services on the managed system.

Using the Console Redirect Buttons

The following buttons are available for use in the Console Redirect window:

• Close — Use this button to exit the Console Redirect window.
  
  
• Refresh — Use this button to completely update the entire remote system-screen viewport.
  
  
• CtrlAltDel — Use this button to send the <Ctrl><Alt><Delete> key combination to the remote system.
  
  
• To apply the <Alt> key to the next keystroke sent to the remote system, click the Alt check box.
  
  
• To apply the <Ctrl> key to the next keystroke sent to the remote system, click the Ctrl check box.
  
  
• Help — Use this button to open the online help for the Console Redirect screen.
  
  
• Enable Local Console — Use this button to enable or disable the managed system's console keyboard and mouse functions when the console is redirected. This button operates only when the managed system is running a supported Windows operating system, and does not operate during system boot.
  
  

If the managed system is running a supported NetWare operating system and has the RAC managed system software installed and running, the button appears as Enter Debug Mode. Use this button to enter Netware Debug Mode.

NOTICE: Entering Network Debug Mode will stop all services on the managed system.

• Create Snapshot — Use this button to capture the current remote system screen to a .jpg file on the local system. A dialog box is displayed to allow you to save the .jpg file to a specified location.
  
  

RAC Console Redirection on Systems Running a Supported Red Hat Linux Operating System

For Red Hat Linux, the VNC service (RACVNC) does not display the actual primary-system console of the managed system. Instead, RACVNC provides a virtual desktop that the remote user can use to execute systems management applications. This virtual desktop has all of the capabilities of any desktop that might be displayed at the actual managed system's console. This model is the generally accepted model for remote management for Red Hat Linux or UNIX®.

Only one shared systems management desktop is provided for console redirection through the RAC. Therefore, all remote, user-created console-redirection sessions through the RAC share the same desktop. If multiple management station users create console-redirection sessions at the same time, they simultaneously share the same desktop.

Debug

The Debug option allows you to configure and perform RAC debugging and diagnostic tests for network and paging on the RAC or managed system. To access RAC debug functions from the Remote Access Service RAC home page, click Debug. From the Debug window, the following options are available:

• Network Debug
  
  
• Command Debug
  
  
• Trace Log
  
  
• Status Check
  
  

Network Debug

The Network Debug option allows you to perform debugging tasks for network and paging. To access the Network Debug window from the Debug window, click Network Debug. From the Network Debug window, the following information and options are available.

NOTE: After clicking one of the following options and clicking Submit, results of the debug tasks will be displayed in the Status Text box at the bottom of the page.

• ARP — Displays the content of the ARP table. ARP entries may not be added or deleted.
  
  
• IPConfig — Displays the contents of the network interface table.
  
  
• NetStat — Prints the contents of the routing table. If the optional interface number is provided in the text field to the right of the NetStat option, NetStat prints additional information regarding the traffic across the interface, buffer usage, and other network interface information.
  
  
• Ping — Verifies that the destination IP address is reachable from the RAC with the current routing-table contents. A destination IP address must be entered in the field to the right of this option. An ICMP echo packet is sent to the destination IP address based on the current routing-table contents. If the destination matches one of the demand-dial database destination IP addresses, and if the demand-dial connection is not currently active, the packet is queued, and an attempt is made to bring up the demand-dial connection.
  
  

NOTE: In the case of nonactive demand-dial connections, the ping option might report a failure because it usually takes more than 5 seconds to establish a demand-dial connection. If ping is retried after the connection is established, the packet is passed across the link. Even when the connection is established, it is still possible that the destination system is not reachable and able to respond to the ICMP echo. However, if the destination system is reachable and able to respond within 5 seconds, ping reports success on attempts after the connection is established.

Command Debug

The Command Debug option allows you to manually input debug commands. To access the Command Debug window from the Debug window, click Command Debug. From the Command Debug window, you may use any of the following case-sensitive commands. To activate a command, click Submit. Command responses are displayed in the Status Text box at the bottom of the page.

NOTE: The debug selections in this group should only be used under the direction of qualified support personnel.

• getsysinfo — Displays general RAC information, system information, or watchdog status information, depending upon which of the following command options are entered:
  
  
• getsysinfo -d — Displays RAC information.
  
  
• getsysinfo -s — Displays system information.
  
  
• getsysinfo -w — Displays auto recovery (watchdog) information.
  
  
• getsysinfo -A — Eliminates the printing of data headers/labels.
  
  
• getssninfo — Displays a list of currently active or pending users and optionally includes summary-session information. The summary-session information lists the total number of sessions in each of the defined session states (Not Used, Preliminary, Unvalidated, Valid, and Invalid).
  
  
• getssninfo -A — Eliminates the printing of data headers.
  
  
• getssninfo -u — (user name) Limits the printed output to only the detailed session records for the given user name; if an asterisk (*) is entered as the user name, all users are listed; no summary information prints when this option is specified.
  
  
• coredump — Displays the last RAC crash information, including detailed information such as register values and a memory map recorded when the most recent RAC crash occurred; displays the message No CORE dump available if no previous card crash has occurred or if the data has been cleared with the coredumpdelete command.
  
  
• coredumpdelete — Deletes the coredump stored in the RAC. This command clears the area reserved for persistent storage of card crash information regardless of whether any card crash information is currently stored in the area reserved for this information.
  
  

For DRAC IIIs only:

• getd3sensors — Displays information about the sensors that are present on the RAC itself.
  
  
• getd3sensors -s — Allows you to specify a single sensor to display; if no -s option is used, all sensors are displayed, one per line.
  
  
• getd3sensors -AEh — Displays all RAC sensors as hexadecimal values without leading hexadecimal numbers.
  
  

Trace Log

The Trace Log option allows you to display the dump trace log and to set debugger trace levels to identify the types of messages being sent on the local network. To access the Trace Log window from the Debug window, click Trace Log. From the Trace Log window, select one of the following options:

• Dump Trace Log — Selecting this option displays a UNIX-style system log. This log is a volatile, memory-resident log that contains time-stamped entries.
  
  
• Set Trace Level — This option allows you to set debugger trace levels to identify the types of messages being sent on the local network. Select one or more of the following options and click Submit.
  
  
• CHAT — Traces the CHAT, a protocol used by PPP and numeric paging.
  
  
• DHCP — Traces the DHCP packets sent and received.
  
  
• IP — Traces IP packets sent and received on PPP links.
  
  
• PPP — Traces PPP connection negotiation packets sent and received.
  
  
• TAP — For DRAC IIIs only, traces TAP information sent and received.
  
  

Status Check

The Status Check option allows you to perform diagnostic tasks on the RAC or managed system. To access the Status Check window from the Debug window, click Status Check. From the Status Check window, select one of the following options and click Submit.

• Delete Core Dump — Clears the area reserved for persistent storage of card crash information regardless of whether any card crash information is currently stored in the area reserved for this information.
  
  
• Display Last Core Dump — Displays the last RAC crash, including detailed information such as register values and a memory map recorded when the most recent RAC crash occurred; displays the message No CORE dump available if no previous card crash has occurred or if the data has been deleted.
  
  
• Dump RAC Status — Provides status and general RAC board information.
  
  
• Reset RAC — Issues a reset command to the RAC.
  
  

Updating RAC Firmware

NOTE: You can also update the RAC firmware using the Server Administrator Update Service.

The Update option allows you to update the RAC firmware into the RAC flash memory. To access the firmware update from the Remote Access Service RAC home page, click the Update tab.

NOTE: The Firmware Updated field in the System Information window is blank until a firmware update is performed.

The data included in the RAC firmware package includes the following:

• RAC firmware code and data produced by code compilation
  
  
• Expansion ROM image
  
  
• Java user interface, HTML, JPEG, and other user interface data files (including VNC Java files, if applicable)
  
  
• Default configuration files
  
  

NOTE: The firmware update retains the current RAC settings.

NOTE: You must have a TFTP system running to download firmware image files to the RAC. Many TFTP systems are available both commercially and without cost on the Internet. If you do not already have a TFTP system running, Dell recommends that you use one of the TFTP systems that you can find on the Microsoft website at www.microsoft.com.

Updating the RAC Firmware

NOTE: Before beginning the firmware update, you must first download the latest firmware version from Dell Support at support.dell.com and then upload it to a TFTP server.

To update your RAC firmware, perform the following steps:

1. From the Remote Access Service RAC home page, click the Update tab.
   
   
2. From the Firmware Update window, type the relative path on the TFTP server where the firmware image files reside in the Image Path field.
   
   
3. Type the IP address for the TFTP server where the firmware image resides in the TFTP Server field.
   
   
4. Click Update Firmware.
   
   

The RAC will reset after the firmware update is complete.

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