Hardware RequirementsDell™ PowerEdge™ 1600SC Systems User's Guide
Managing the Host System Remotely
Configuring Special Key Functions
Console redirection allows you to manage a host (local) system from a client (remote) system by redirecting keyboard input and text output through a serial port. You cannot redirect graphic output. You can use console redirection for tasks such as configuring BIOS or RAID settings.
You can also connect the client system to a port concentrator that can access numerous host systems using a shared modem. After logging into the port concentrator, you can select a host system to manage using console redirection.
This section describes the most basic connection possible: connecting systems using a null-modem serial cable, which directly connects the serial ports on two systems.
This port must not conflict with any other ports on the client system.
All versions of the Microsoft® Windows® operating system include Hilgraeve's HyperTerminal terminal emulation software. However, the included version does not provide many functions required during console redirection. Either upgrade to HyperTerminal Private Edition 6.1 or later, or select new terminal emulation software.
Configure console redirection on the host (local) system through the System Setup program (see "Using the System Setup Program"). The Console Redirection screen allows you to enable or disable the console redirection feature, select the remote terminal type, and enable or disable console redirection after booting.
After configuring the host system, configure the ports and terminal settings for the client (remote) system.
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NOTE: The examples in this section assume that you have upgraded to Hilgraeve's HyperTerminal Private Edition 6.1 or later. If you are using other terminal emulation software, see the documentation for that software. |
After you select an available COM port, the COM port properties window appears.
Console redirection supports only 9600, 19.2 K, 57.6 K, or 115.2 K bps.
Ensure that this setting is the same as the setting you selected for the Console Redirection option on the host system.
A setting for the number of rows and columns appears.
If you do not have these settings, you must upgrade your terminal emulation software.
After you configure the host and client systems (see "Configuring the Host System" and "Configuring the Client System"), you can use console redirection to restart a host system or to change a host system's configuration settings.
See "Configuring Special Key Functions" for instructions.
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NOTE: To run utilities on the host system's utility partition, you must have created the utility partition using Dell OpenManage™ Server Assistant version 6.3.1 or later. |
Console redirection uses ANSI or VT 100/220 terminal emulation, which is limited to basic ASCII characters. Function keys, arrow keys, and control keys are not available in the ASCII character set, and most utilities require function keys and control keys for ordinary operations. However, you can emulate a function key or control key using a special key sequence, called an escape sequence.
An escape sequence starts with an escape character. You can enter this character in different ways, depending on the requirements of your terminal emulation software. For example, 0x1b and <Esc> each represent the escape character. In HyperTerminal, you can create macros by selecting Key Macros from the View menu. You can assign a macro to almost any key for almost any key combination. Create a macro to represent each function key.
Table B-1 lists the escape sequences that represent a special key or function.
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NOTE: When creating macros in HyperTerminal, press <Insert> before <Esc> to signify that you are sending an escape sequence rather than escaping out of the dialog box. If you do not have this function, you must upgrade HyperTerminal. |
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NOTE: Escape-sequence key combinations listed in Table B-1 are case-sensitive. For example, to generate the character <A> you must press <Shift><a>. |
After creating macros for the keys listed in Table B-1, press <F1> on the client system's keyboard during terminal emulation to send the escape sequence <Esc><O><P> to the host system. The host system then interprets the sequence as <F1>.
Additional escape sequences may be required by certain utilities or functions on the host system. Create macros for the additional sequences listed in Table B-2.
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NOTE: Escape-sequence key combinations listed in Table B-2 are case-sensitive. For example, to generate the character <A> you must press <Shift><a>. |