6.0 on Dell 1850 with DRAC4 management card?
Scott Mitchell
On to my next question about running 6.0 on a Dell PE1850, since it seems
that the RAID card will work just fine...
I'm thinking about getting the machine with a DRAC4 remote management card.
This looks to be OS-independent (you can configure through the BIOS) so I
expect it will just work. I've seen various posts talking about how it
tends to take over the keyboard and render the real console inaccessible,
but there are workarounds for that.
Does anyone have the console redirection working? I'd like to leave the
'real' console (actually a USB keyboard attached to a KVM) active so the
machine is accessible to someone actually in the server room, but still be
able to get to the console remotely when necessary. The Dell docs imply
that you can just point a browser at the DRAC and fire up a new console,
but I'd like to hear from someone who's done this with FreeBSD!
Apologies for all the dumb questions... I'd try all this stuff myself but
the hardware isn't here yet and has to go into production pretty quickly
once it arrives. All the similar machines in the building are already
running Windows and someone would object if I 'liberated' any of them :)
Cheers,
Scott
--
===========================================================================
Scott Mitchell | PGP Key ID | "Eagles may soar, but weasels
Cambridge, England | 0x54B171B9 | don't get sucked into jet engines"
scott at fishballoon.org | 0xAA775B8B | -- Anon
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Ralph Hempel
> Hi all,
>
> On to my next question about running 6.0 on a Dell PE1850, since it seems
> that the RAID card will work just fine...
>
> I'm thinking about getting the machine with a DRAC4 remote management card.
> This looks to be OS-independent (you can configure through the BIOS) so I
> expect it will just work. I've seen various posts talking about how it
> tends to take over the keyboard and render the real console inaccessible,
> but there are workarounds for that.
I'm not sure about that, but I have 15 of these machines in locations
all over Ontario, running Windows2003 Server.
To make the thing as secure as possible, there is no keyboard or
monitor on the server, I attach through the client's LAN.
The DRAC gets a static IP on the local subnet, so using a laptop with
a connection (hard or wireless), I can access and control the server
from inside the server room, from an office or desk in the building,
or from anywhere in the world there is an Internet connection.
The last option means having VPN access to the local building network.
> Does anyone have the console redirection working? I'd like to leave the
> 'real' console (actually a USB keyboard attached to a KVM) active so the
> machine is accessible to someone actually in the server room, but still be
> able to get to the console remotely when necessary. The Dell docs imply
> that you can just point a browser at the DRAC and fire up a new console,
> but I'd like to hear from someone who's done this with FreeBSD!
Works for me! It's really cool! You can access multiple servers through
additional browser windows. As long as there is another computer in the
server room with access to your server, they can control it through
the browser interface. No KBD or monitor are necessary.
I'd like to assume FreeBSD will "just work".
Ralph
Marian Hettwer
Scott Mitchell wrote:
> Hi all,
>
>
> I'm thinking about getting the machine with a DRAC4 remote management card.
> This looks to be OS-independent (you can configure through the BIOS) so I
> expect it will just work. I've seen various posts talking about how it
> tends to take over the keyboard and render the real console inaccessible,
> but there are workarounds for that.
I don't know about the DRAC with FreeBSD, but I assume that the BIOS of
this Dell still supports BIOS redirection to serial port. If so, you can
have Monitor and Keyboard connected locally and use the serial console
remote.
Just get a small console server (depending on the amount of servers you
have remote), for instance an old cyclades TS. Connect them and you can
get on your serial port through the console server via ssh.
There you go ;)
ssh username:yourserver@console-server
A pretty nice way to do remote management.
HTH,
Marian
PS.: If you need additional informations, ask me. At work we have approx
1000 servers (appr. 300 dell's) remote managed with console servers. And
it's working fine.
Scott Mitchell
> Scott Mitchell wrote:
> >Hi all,
> >
> >that the RAID card will work just fine...
> >
> >This looks to be OS-independent (you can configure through the BIOS) so I
> >expect it will just work. I've seen various posts talking about how it
> >tends to take over the keyboard and render the real console inaccessible,
> >but there are workarounds for that.
>
> all over Ontario, running Windows2003 Server.
I should have said that this was really a FreeBSD issue rather than a
problem with the DRAC - apparently it attaches as a second keyboard and
mouse, but FreeBSD has historically only allowed a single 'console'
keyboard to exist. 6.0 has the kbdmux(4) driver that might solve this
without and messing about with keyboard attachments.
> To make the thing as secure as possible, there is no keyboard or
> monitor on the server, I attach through the client's LAN.
>
> The DRAC gets a static IP on the local subnet, so using a laptop with
> a connection (hard or wireless), I can access and control the server
> from inside the server room, from an office or desk in the building,
> or from anywhere in the world there is an Internet connection.
>
> The last option means having VPN access to the local building network.
That sounds cool. The server room is right behind my desk so it's not a
big deal go in there, but being able to reboot a stuck machine from home is
nice!
> >Does anyone have the console redirection working? I'd like to leave the
> >'real' console (actually a USB keyboard attached to a KVM) active so the
> >machine is accessible to someone actually in the server room, but still be
> >able to get to the console remotely when necessary. The Dell docs imply
> >that you can just point a browser at the DRAC and fire up a new console,
> >but I'd like to hear from someone who's done this with FreeBSD!
>
> Works for me! It's really cool! You can access multiple servers through
> additional browser windows. As long as there is another computer in the
> server room with access to your server, they can control it through
> the browser interface. No KBD or monitor are necessary.
>
> I'd like to assume FreeBSD will "just work".
Me too. Sounds like it will mostly behave itself.
Scott
--
===========================================================================
Scott Mitchell | PGP Key ID | "Eagles may soar, but weasels
Cambridge, England | 0x54B171B9 | don't get sucked into jet engines"
scott at fishballoon.org | 0xAA775B8B | -- Anon
Vivek Khera
On Jan 6, 2006, at 9:47 AM, Marian Hettwer wrote:
> I don't know about the DRAC with FreeBSD, but I assume that the
> BIOS of
> this Dell still supports BIOS redirection to serial port. If so,
> you can
> have Monitor and Keyboard connected locally and use the serial console
> remote.
> Just get a small console server (depending on the amount of servers
> you
> have remote), for instance an old cyclades TS. Connect them and you
> can
> get on your serial port through the console server via ssh.
This is precisely what I do. The cyclades work extremely well,
except for one flaw: if you power cycle them they send a BREAK signal
down every serial port. So just make sure you don't have
BREAK_TO_DEBUGGER enabled on your kernels and you're safe. Otherwise
expect every server to break to debugger on a power cycle of your
cyclade. Not that you need to ever reboot those little boxes, but
you never know....
I've never enabled the DRAC card on any dell I have that came with
them...
Marian Hettwer
Vivek Khera wrote:
>
> On Jan 6, 2006, at 9:47 AM, Marian Hettwer wrote:
>
>> I don't know about the DRAC with FreeBSD, but I assume that the BIOS of
>> this Dell still supports BIOS redirection to serial port. If so, you can
>> have Monitor and Keyboard connected locally and use the serial console
>> remote.
>> Just get a small console server (depending on the amount of servers you
>> have remote), for instance an old cyclades TS. Connect them and you can
>> get on your serial port through the console server via ssh.
>
>
> This is precisely what I do. The cyclades work extremely well, except
> for one flaw: if you power cycle them they send a BREAK signal down
> every serial port. So just make sure you don't have BREAK_TO_DEBUGGER
> enabled on your kernels and you're safe. Otherwise expect every server
> to break to debugger on a power cycle of your cyclade. Not that you
> need to ever reboot those little boxes, but you never know....
>
How old is your Cyclades box? Since mid 2002 these boxes don't send a
break when power cycled. And I know what I say, being an ex-employee of
cyclades (o' course, technician). We had customers with quite a large
amount of sun servers and these are usually pretty sensitive regarding
breaks.
Never had an issue due to power cycles...
hm... consider a replacement :)
The old boxes had 5 years of warranty. So, go for it ;))
> I've never enabled the DRAC card on any dell I have that came with them...
>
I'd rather stick with a good old console which I can access remotely via
ssh, too.
So Long,
Marian
Ralph Hempel
> I've never enabled the DRAC card on any dell I have that came with them...
Hmmm. The DRAC card can save you a long drive sometimes. You actually
get to look at the hardware boot process and can even adjust
BIOS settings if needed. To get to a FreeBSD console, I think that
the OS actually needs to boot.
The DRAC lets you control the server BEFORE the OS is even loaded,
all through a browser interface.
Ralph
Vivek Khera
On Jan 6, 2006, at 11:22 AM, Marian Hettwer wrote:
> How old is your Cyclades box? Since mid 2002 these boxes don't send a
> break when power cycled. And I know what I say, being an ex-
> employee of
> cyclades (o' course, technician). We had customers with quite a large
> amount of sun servers and these are usually pretty sensitive regarding
> breaks.
> Never had an issue due to power cycles...
> hm... consider a replacement :)
> The old boxes had 5 years of warranty. So, go for it ;))
thanks for the note. it was an original ts1000 i bought new in
spring 2001. it recently died so I got a replacement for the $100
repair fee. i haven't tried a power cycle on this one: i unplugged
everything before I powered it on :-)
Marian Hettwer
Ralph Hempel wrote:
>
>> I've never enabled the DRAC card on any dell I have that came with
>> them...
>
>
> Hmmm. The DRAC card can save you a long drive sometimes. You actually
> get to look at the hardware boot process and can even adjust
> BIOS settings if needed. To get to a FreeBSD console, I think that
> the OS actually needs to boot.
>
> The DRAC lets you control the server BEFORE the OS is even loaded,
> all through a browser interface.
>
Well, you can do that too, if you enable Console Redirection to Serial
Port in the BIOS. The old DELL 1550 and 1650 were definetly capable of
doing so. I don't know about the 1850, but I assume they can redirect
the console too.
Usually the BIOS accepts VT100 or ANSI input. Of course you want to go
with VT100. And from your workstation:
export TERM=vt100
ssh user:server@console-server
and of you go.
The only thing missing would be hardware power down. if that can be done
via DRAC, that'll be an advantage :)
- Marian
Ralph Hempel
> via DRAC, that'll be an advantage :)
Yes, you get that too. Full hardware power down. Wait as long as
you want, then power the machine up. It's not the same as a remote
reboot where you HOPE the server comes up far enough to get
a console session.
Plus you don't need anything mote than an Ethernet connection to
your existing infrastructure to make it all work.
If you are paranoid and/or have a lot of servers, you can
put all the DRAC ports on a separate subnet and their own
VPN...
Ralph
Marian Hettwer
Ralph Hempel wrote:
> Yes, you get that too. Full hardware power down. Wait as long as
> you want, then power the machine up. It's not the same as a remote
> reboot where you HOPE the server comes up far enough to get
> a console session.
>
Well, if the BIOS can do console redirection, the server will come up
far enough ;)
If I don't see a BIOS screen, although console redirection is enabled,
there's something really really wrong...
> Plus you don't need anything mote than an Ethernet connection to
> your existing infrastructure to make it all work.
>
same counts for a console server (say 48 ports, 1 U) and all servers
connected to it.
One IP adress, ethernet...
> If you are paranoid and/or have a lot of servers, you can
> put all the DRAC ports on a separate subnet and their own
> VPN...
>
I would do that anyway... IMO an out-of-band network belongs into its
own subnet (vlan) and you want to secure it in some way for remote
access (ssh only, VPN, whatever)
Marian
David Sze
>
> The only thing missing would be hardware power down. if that can be done
> via DRAC, that'll be an advantage :)
One big advantage of the DRAC is virtual media (floppy, CD) support.
Good for BIOS/firmware upgrades, booting a rescue/repair CD, or even
reinstalling the OS.
Scott Mitchell
>
> Vivek Khera wrote:
> >
> > On Jan 6, 2006, at 9:47 AM, Marian Hettwer wrote:
> >
> >> I don't know about the DRAC with FreeBSD, but I assume that the BIOS of
> >> this Dell still supports BIOS redirection to serial port. If so, you can
> >> have Monitor and Keyboard connected locally and use the serial console
> >> remote.
> >> Just get a small console server (depending on the amount of servers you
> >> have remote), for instance an old cyclades TS. Connect them and you can
> >> get on your serial port through the console server via ssh.
Thanks all for the replies - this is good stuff.
I have been thinking about something like that - we have a bunch of old Sun
boxes with their serial ports chained together for console access, would be
nice to have that done properly. On the other hand the Windows guys seem
to really like the DRAC cards on the Dells they look after.
> > I've never enabled the DRAC card on any dell I have that came with them...
> >
> I'd rather stick with a good old console which I can access remotely via
> ssh, too.
I agree that is the best way. Sun have got this right on their Opteron
servers: Ethernet port for the management board, ssh access into that then
just start a console session.
Cheers,
Scott
--
===========================================================================
Scott Mitchell | PGP Key ID | "Eagles may soar, but weasels
Cambridge, England | 0x54B171B9 | don't get sucked into jet engines"
scott at fishballoon.org | 0xAA775B8B | -- Anon
Vivek Khera
On Jan 6, 2006, at 11:21 AM, Ralph Hempel wrote:
> Hmmm. The DRAC card can save you a long drive sometimes. You actually
> get to look at the hardware boot process and can even adjust
> BIOS settings if needed. To get to a FreeBSD console, I think that
> the OS actually needs to boot.
Dell's BIOS allows you to control and watch it via the serial port.