Difference: RemoteSerialConsoleGuide (1 vs. 2)

Revision 22007/05/09 - Main.BruceThayre

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META TOPICPARENT	name="WebHome"

This guide concerns configuring a Lantronix Securelinx SLC serial console for use in our cluster at the Tier2

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The console switch itself interfaces with the outside world via 2xT100/1000 network interfaces, and with the nodes via 8 cat5 connections utlizing cat5->rs-232 adapters. The SLC unit is connected externally through our switch, using any open external port. Each cat5 port will be used for one node with the proper adapter.

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Configuring the SLC for use

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Configuring A Node For Serial Redirection

Before the node can do anything, the BIOS must first know to redirect the post output to our serial port. First enter the bios, and look under the advanced heading for a submenu titled "Remote Access Configuration"

At first you'll notice that there is only one option, first enable remote access, and the following choices will magically, and unintuitevely, appear:

Now depending on how you plan to set up the SLC, your parameters may be different, but the option that is key to change is "Redirection After Bios Post," which should be set to always. In particular pay attention to whether you are using COM1, or COM2 as this will be relavent for the redirection setup in RHEL. Save the BIOS settings and restart the node, and get ready to embark on your serial odyssey.

Configuring The SLC For Use

Using the frontpanel LCD on the SLC is generally the fasted way to initially configure the unit. Simply give the unit an internal address that is not currently in use, for testing purposes I used something like:

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Speed: 9600, Data Bits: 8, Parity: none, Stop Bit: 1, no handshaking

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Configuring the node for use with the SLC

Configuring the bios for serial redirection

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Make sure to verify that the settings on the SLC, and the settings within the node's BIOS match.

Configuring RHEL for serial redirection

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Entering the motherboard bios on post, look under the heading Advanced Settings. Under the sub-heading Remote Access Configuration, enable the option Remote Access. Once the serial console parameters come up, ensure that the settings match the serial console settings you previously entered on the SLC unit.

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Configuring RHEL for serial redirection is pretty straightforward, it involves little more than editing three lines in the /etc/grub.conf file, adding a line to /etc/inittab file, adding a permission to /etc/securetty, and creating a very simple file.

Editing grub.conf

The following line should be editted as such:

kernel /vmlinuz-<kernelrevision> ro root=/dev/sda5 console=ttyS1,9600 console=tty0

Simply add the console parameters to the root=/dev/sda5 line. Then at the end of the file add the following two lines:

serial --unit=1 --speed=9600

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Configuring RHEL for serial redirection

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terminal serial console Then finally, to ensure the splash logo doesn't interfere with our fragile little serial console, comment out the following line

splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

Editing inittab

All you have to do is add this line to inittab:

# Run agetty on COM1/ttyS0 and COM2/ttyS1
s0:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -L -f /etc/issueserial 9600 ttyS0 vt100

Editing securetty

Still pretty easy, just add ttyS0 (or S1 depending on with port you use), as such:

console
ttyS0
ttyS1
vc/1
vc/2
vc/3
vc/4
vc/5
vc/6
vc/7
vc/8
vc/9
vc/10
vc/11
tty1
tty2
tty3
tty4
tty5
tty6
tty7
tty8
tty9<br />
     <img src="%ATTACHURLPATH%/bios2.jpeg" alt="bios2.jpeg" width='667' height='464' />
tty10
tty11

Creating issueserial

The line added in inittab refers to a file called issueserial, it should be of the format:

HEP
Connected on \l at \b bps
\U

LOGIN

Now that things are set up, it would be nice to see something work. All that's left to do is login somehow to the SLC, direct connect through whichever deviceport you are interested in via the command:

[slc]>connect direct deviceport #

Time for some remote console fun.

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Coming soon to a twiki near you...

-- BruceThayre - 02 May 2007

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META FILEATTACHMENT	attr="" autoattached="1" comment="BiosSubMenu" date="1178750653" name="bios2.jpeg" path="bios2.jpeg" size="37656" user="Main.BruceThayre" version="1"
META FILEATTACHMENT	attr="" autoattached="1" comment="BiosMenu" date="1178750638" name="bios1.jpeg" path="bios1.jpeg" size="44255" user="Main.BruceThayre" version="1"

Revision 12007/05/02 - Main.BruceThayre

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META TOPICPARENT	name="WebHome"

This guide concerns configuring a Lantronix Securelinx SLC serial console for use in our cluster at the Tier2

Connection Scheme

Configuring the SLC for use

IPADDR:192.168.254.254
NETMASK:255.255.0.0
GATEWAY:192.168.0.1 
DNS:132.239.186.69.26 (Mayer Hall's DNS, though the unit shouldn't need to resolve)

Then configure the serial connection parameters, for testing they were:

Speed: 9600, Data Bits: 8, Parity: none, Stop Bit: 1, no handshaking

Configuring the node for use with the SLC

Configuring the bios for serial redirection

Configuring RHEL for serial redirection

Coming soon to a twiki near you...

-- BruceThayre - 02 May 2007

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