HP ProLiant DL360 G5 success stories?

[Johan Ström]

On Mar 12, 2008, at 11:37 PM, Joe Koberg wrote:

> The iLO is a completely separate management processor with its own  
> network port. It runs its own OS and has its own IP address. It runs  
> an SSL webserver for access.  The iLO is accessible over the network  
> any time the machine is plugged into power.  I am not sure about  
> IPMI access to it.

Okay, kind of what I "expected" (havent read up very much on it yet).

>
>
> The "normal" iLO option will give you exact textual console screen  
> output and keyboard control from the moment of power-on.  It will  
> also let you toggle power and hit the reset button. I believe it  
> uses a java applet in the browser.
>
> The "advanced" iLO option, which is license-key-unlocked, also  
> provides graphical remote console, and virtual media. You can upload  
> a CD or floppy image and then boot the server from it.  I suspect  
> the compatibility issue appears here - the virtual media probably  
> emulates USB mass storage, and the OS must be able to boot from it.

I see... So for a box that is going to run fbsd in console mode, and  
hopefully never need to boot from CD after install, it sounds like the  
normal mode will work splendid.

But.. http://bizsupport.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00553302/c00553302.pdf 
  seems to tell me that in basic mode I can only access BIOS (pre-OS)  
using the Remote Console feature, and that after POST I have to have  
the advanced licensed option?

"iLO 2 displays this information through the remote console applet  
while in the server pre-operating system
state, enabling a non-licensed iLO 2 to observe and interact with the  
server during POST activities. A non-
licensed iLO 2 cannot use remote console access after the server  
completes POST and begins to load the
operating system. The iLO 2 Advanced License enables access to the  
remote console at all times."

So.. Then what? I have to configure FreeBSD to use a serial console  
and continue with using serial console instead? Later in the same doc:

• iLO 2 Standard (unlicensed:)
NOTE:  The features annotated with an asterisk (*) are not supported  
on all systems.

o Virtual Power and Reset control
o Remote serial console through POST only
...
o Serial access*


Am i missing something here or will I only be able to access the  
console during post, unless i configure the box to use a serial  
console? Hope you can shed some light here :)

>
>
> It has full reporting of hardware state and management log details,  
> and the "home page" is a big summary with any faults outlined in red.

Yes, that was what I expected. But can i retreive the data some other  
way? IPMI, SNMP or something? Would like to gather the stats to a  
central management site. Further investigation in the manual seems to  
indicate that no SNMP access is available, but there is some XML  
"RIBCL" interface I can use (yes this is in standard mode too :))

Thank you!

--
Johan