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Serial console is often helpful and even necessary when performing routine administrative tasks on a remote server. Access to the serial console for many Sun servers is the only way to perform administrative tasks given these servers do not come with a frame buffer (i.e. video card).
It also can be used remotely via IPMI (Viewing serial console over network via IPMI 2.0), Dell DRAC, HP ILO and similar remote control systems.
Serial console allow cutting and pasting test from any Web page into the screen, the thing that is difficult with GUI based console used in DRAC and ILO
The first two sections of this article explain the applications (programs) used from a Sun SPARC server and then a Linux server for obtaining a serial console connection. The remainder of this article attempts to describe the details (cables, connections, adapters) of obtaining a serial console connection to/from different Sun SPARC servers.
As such it is often better for troubleshooting complex issues.
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From a Sun machine, if you wanted to access the serial console of another computer (ie. Linux, Sun, etc.), you would use the tip command. The configuration file for tip is /etc/remote. In most cases, you will be concerned with the hardwire entry in this file. First, connect the two machines by their serial ports (null modem if required), and from the Sun SPARC (Solaris) machine, type the following at the command-line to connect to the serial console of the other machine (Solaris / Linux):Connect to a Sun Serial Console from Linux# tip hardwireBelow is an example /etc/remote file from the Sun SPARC (Solaris) machine that contains the hardwire entry to go through serial port B (/dev/term/b). If you wanted to change this entry to go out through serial port A instead, change "/dev/term/b" to "/dev/term/a".
cuab:dv=/dev/cua/b:br#2400 dialup1|Dial-up system:\ :pn=2015551212:tc=UNIX-2400: hardwire:\ :dv=/dev/term/b:br#9600:el=^C^S^Q^U^D:ie=%$:oe=^D: tip300:tc=UNIX-300: tip1200:tc=UNIX-1200: tip0|tip2400:tc=UNIX-2400: tip9600:tc=UNIX-9600: tip19200:tc=UNIX-19200: UNIX-300:\ :el=^D^U^C^S^Q^O@:du:at=hayes:ie=#$%:oe=^D:br#300:tc=dialers: UNIX-1200:\ :el=^D^U^C^S^Q^O@:du:at=hayes:ie=#$%:oe=^D:br#1200:tc=dialers: UNIX-2400:\ :el=^D^U^C^S^Q^O@:du:at=hayes:ie=#$%:oe=^D:br#2400:tc=dialers: UNIX-9600:\ :el=^D^U^C^S^Q^O@:du:at=hayes:ie=#$%:oe=^D:br#9600:tc=dialers: UNIX-19200:\ :el=^D^U^C^S^Q^O@:du:at=hayes:ie=#$%:oe=^D:br#19200:tc=dialers: VMS-300|TOPS20-300:\ :el=^Z^U^C^S^Q^O:du:at=hayes:ie=$@:oe=^Z:br#300:tc=dialers: VMS-1200|TOPS20-1200:\ :el=^Z^U^C^S^Q^O:du:at=hayes:ie=$@:oe=^Z:br#1200:tc=dialers: dialers:\ :dv=/dev/cua/b: -------------------------------------------------------------------- The attributes are: dv device to use for the tty el EOL marks (default is NULL) du make a call flag (dial up) pn phone numbers (@ =>'s search phones file; possibly taken from PHONES environment variable) at ACU type ie input EOF marks (default is NULL) oe output EOF string (default is NULL) cu call unit (default is dv) br baud rate (defaults to 300) fs frame size (default is BUFSIZ) -- used in buffering writes on receive operations tc to continue a capability
Linux provides two methods (programs) that can be used to connect to a serial console of a Sun server.http://www.pp.clinet.fi/~walker/mcdevel.html.Connecting Using minicom
The first application I'll talk about is "minicom". Most Linux distributions (i.e. Red Hat) already include minicom. If your particular distribution does not include minicom, you can download it from the following URL:
Once you have Minicom installed, start it up with the command "minicom". Press "Ctrl-A Z" to get to the main menu. Press "o" to configure minicom. Go to "Serial port setup" and make sure that you are set to the correct "Serial Device" and that the speed on line E matches the speed of the serial console you are connecting to. (In most cases with Sun, this is 9600.) Here are the settings I made when using my Serial A / COM1 port on my Linux box:
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | A - Serial Device : /dev/ttyS0 | | B - Lockfile Location : /var/lock | | C - Callin Program : | | D - Callout Program : | | E - Bps/Par/Bits : 9600 8N1 | | F - Hardware Flow Control : Yes | | G - Software Flow Control : No | | | | Change which setting? | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+After making all necessary changes, hit the ESC key to go back to the "configurations" menu. Now go to "Modem and dialing". Change the "Init string" to "~^M~". Save the settings (as dflt), and then restart Minicom. You should now see a login prompt.
Connecting Using UUCP
Another common application to use in Linux for connecting to a serial console is UUCP. Most Linux distributions include the UUCP application. Start UUCP with the command "cu -l [device] -s [speed]", where [device] is the serial port you are using, such as ttyS0 (COM1) or ttyS1 (COM2), and [speed] is the speed of the serial console that you are connecting to.Here is an example:
# cu -l /dev/ttyS0 -s 9600You may need to hit enter before you see the login prompt. If you see a bunch of weird characters, then you probably specified the wrong speed.To exit, just type "~.".
Click here or here to see an exploded view of an Ultra 10 Workstation - System Breakdown. The special cable I am refering to is Sun Manufacturing Part# 370-3165 - Serial B and Parallel Cable Assembly - (Code 3a) in the Ultra 10 Workstation System Breakdown. I needed to order the Ultra 10 Cable Service Kit/FRU (370-3267) in order to obtain this cable. You can order this kit from Ajava, Partsolver, Trident Computer Resources, Inc., Asset Conversion Specialists, Inc., or Sun Microsystems.
- Connecting to a Blade 100/150
To obtain a serial console connection to a Sun Blade 100/150 you will need the following (These procedures will work to an Ultra 5/10 as well):
- Connect the serial port of your local PC/workstation to the DB9 Serial port on the back of the Sun Blade (or Ultra 5/10) using a serial cable (straight through).
- You will need to use a null modem adapter.
- Communication settings:
Bits per second: 9600 Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow Control: Hardware
NOTE: You will not be able to make use of the serial console if the Sun server was booted with the keyboard/mouse plugged in. In order to make use of the serial console, you will need to disconnect the keyboard/mouse and reboot the Sun server. On the Sun Blade 100/150, if the keyboard/mouse are plugged in during the boot phase, all console output will be redirected to the VGA console. - Connecting from a Blade 100/150
To obtain a serial connection from a Sun Blade 100/150 to another server (possibly another Sun SPARC machine) you will need the following (These procedures will work from an Ultra 5/10 as well):
- On the back of a Sun Blade 100/150 (or Ultra 5/10) there is only one serial port that is dedicated to serial A (/dev/ttya). This serial port is typically being used by the console and will often require you to use Serial B (/dev/ttyb). This is where it gets fun. There is a second serial port connector located on the motherboard (actually the PCI riser card) labeled J13. The PCI riser card is a PWA-GROVER-PLUS_RISERCARD 411707500011 and requires a special cable. The special cable connects to the PCI riser card (J13) on one end while the other end is a DB9 male port that will use one of your available PCI dust cover slots. This is the only way I have found to make a connection from a Sun Blade (or Ultra 5/10); using serial port B out which requires this special cable to be installed in order to have access to serial port B.
# tip hardwire
Sun Store - (Spare Parts)
- Connecting to a Sun E450
To obtain a serial console connection to a Sun E450 you will need the following:
- Connect the serial port of your local PC/workstation to the DB25 Serial A/B port on the back of the Sun E450 using a serial cable (straight through). There is only one serial port on the back of an E450 that contains both Serial A and Serial B. When you plug directly into the serial port on the back of the E450, you are accessing Serial A.
- You will need to use a null modem adapter.
- Communication settings:
Bits per second: 9600 Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow Control: Hardware - Connecting from a Sun E450
To obtain a serial connection from a Sun E450 to another server (possibly another Sun SPARC machine) you will need the following:
- On the back of a Sun E450, there is only one DB25 (female) serial port (labeled Serial A/B) that is used to contain wiring for both Serial A and Serial B. The system provides two serial communications ports through a single, shared DB25 connector located on the rear panel. If you are to plug a serial cable directly into the DB25 serial port on the back of an E450, you will only be accessing the primary port (Serial A). This will not work to get a serial connection out from since it is reserved for the console of the machine. You will need to obtain access to Serial B (which is contained within the shared Serial A/B port) by using a special Y-Cable (serial splitter). In order to access the secondary port (Serial B), a serial port splitter cable (Sun Part#: X985A or 530-1869) must be attached to the rear panel serial port A/B connector. The serial splitter connects to the Serial A/B - DB25 (female) connection on the back of the E450 to give you two DB25 (female) connections - one for Serial A and the other for Serial B. Here are several places where I found the serial splitter:
You will need to use Serial Port B to make a connection from the E450 to another server. Connect the Sun E450 from its Serial B to the back of the other server (Sun, Linux) you want to make a serial console connection to. In most cases, this will be using a straight through serial cable.
If you are connecting from the Sun E450 to another machine (i.e. Sun Blade, Sun Ultra, etc) that has a normal DB9 male port, you can use a Belkin F2L088-06 DB9 Female/DB25 Male Modem Cable (often with a null modem adapter):
# tip hardwire
Belkin Pro Series AT Serial Modem Cable 6ft
- Connecting to a Sun E250
To obtain a serial console connection to a Sun E250 you will need the following:
- Connect the serial port of your local PC/workstation to the DB25 Serial A port on the back of the Sun E250 using a serial cable (straight through). There are two DB25 serial ports on the back of an E250. Make sure you connect to Serial A.
- You will need to use a null modem adapter.
- Communication settings:
Bits per second: 9600 Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow Control: Hardware - Connecting from a Sun E250
To obtain a serial connection from a Sun E250 to another server (possibly another Sun SPARC machine) you will need the following:
- On the back of a Sun E250, there are two DB25 (female) Serial Ports for Serial A and Serial B. Serial A is used for other machines to obtain a serial console connection into the E250. You will need to use Serial Port B to make a connection from the E250 to another server. Connect the Sun E250 from its second serial port (serial B) to the back of the server (Sun, Linux) you want to make a serial console connection to. In most cases, this will be using a straight through serial cable.
If you are connecting from the Sun E250 to another machine (i.e. Sun Blade, Sun Ultra, etc) that has a normal DB9 male port, you can use a Belkin F2L088-06 DB9 Female/DB25 Male Modem Cable (often with a null modem adapter):
# tip hardwire
- Connecting to a Sun V100
To obtain a serial console connection to a Sun V100 you will need the following:
- Connect the serial port of your local PC/workstation to the serial port (serial port B) on the back of the Sun V100. The Sun V100 has two serial ports on the back of it. To make a serial connection to the Sun V100, you will be connecting to Serial A (LOM A). This is the "Lights Out Management" port used for issuing LOM commands.
Depending on the type of device you use to connect to the Sun V100 server, you may need to use either a DB25 or DB9 serial adapter (both included with the Sun V100).
- Connecting Sun SPARC to Sun V100
To connect to a Solaris tip session or to a VT100 terminal, you need to use either the DB25 (25-Pin DSUB Male to 8-POS RJ-45 Female) adapter that is supplied by Sun (Sun Part# 530-2889) with the V100, or an alternative adapter that performs the same pin crossovers. The Sun-supplied DB25 adapter (530-2889) enables you to connect to any Sun system.
Insert one end of the standard RJ-45 patch cable supplied with the Sun Fire V100 server into Serial A (LOM). Insert the other end of the RJ-45 patch cable into the supplied DB25 adapter. Finally, attach the adapter to the appropriate port in your serial device.
Pin Crossovers in the Sun DB-25 (25-Pin) Adapter Serial Port (RJ-45 Connector) Pin 25-Pin Connecter Pin 1 (RTS) Pin 5 (CTS) Pin 2 (DTR) Pin 6 (DSR) Pin 3 (TXD) Pin 3 (RXD) Pin 4 (Signal Ground) Pin 7 (Signal Ground) Pin 5 (Signal Ground) Pin 7 (Signal Ground) Pin 6 (RXD) Pin 2 (TXD) Pin 7 (DSR) Pin 20 (DTR) Pin 8 (CTS) Pin 4 (RTS) - Connecting PC, Laptop or handheld computer to Sun V100
Some devices, such as a PC, laptop or handheld computer, require you to use either a male or female DB-9 adapter. The Sun DB9 adaptor (Sun Part: 530-3100-xx) is a 9-Pin DSUB female to 8-POS RJ-45 female adapter included with the Sun V100. The following table is the pin crossovers:
Insert one end of the standard RJ-45 patch cable supplied with the Sun Fire V100 server into Serial A (LOM). Insert the other end of the RJ-45 patch cable into the supplied DB9 adapter. Finally, attach the adapter to the appropriate port in your serial device.
Pin Crossovers in the DB-9 (9-Pin) Adapter Serial Port (RJ-45 Connector) Pin 9-Pin Connector Pin 1 (RTS) Pin 8 (CTS) Pin 2 (DTR) Pin 6 (DSR) Pin 3 (TXD) Pin 2 (RXD) Pin 4 (Signal Ground) Pin 5 (Signal Ground) Pin 5 (Signal Ground) Pin 5 (Signal Ground) Pin 6 (RXD) Pin 3 (TXD) Pin 7 (DSR) Pin 4 (DTR) Pin 8 (CTS) Pin 7 (RTS) - You will NOT need to use a null modem adapter for either the DB25 or DB9 connections.
- Communication settings for both DB25 and DB9 connections:
Bits per second: 9600 Data bits: 8 Parity: None Stop bits: 1 Flow Control: Hardware - Connecting from a Sun V100
To obtain a serial connection from a Sun V100 to another server (possibly another Sun SPARC machine) you will need the following:
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