Exalytics OVM Server: ILOM Console Does Not Display After Running "start /SP/console" Command

Asset ID:	1-72-2031267.1
Update Date:	2017-01-06
Keywords:

Solution Type Problem Resolution Sure

Solution 2031267.1 : Exalytics OVM Server: ILOM Console Does Not Display After Running "start /SP/console" Command

Applies to:

Exalytics In-Memory Machine X3-4 - Version All Versions and later
Linux OS - Version Oracle Linux 5.5 with Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel [2.6.32] and later
Information in this document applies to any platform.

Symptoms

After following steps in How to Enable ILOM Serial Console Login on Oracle Linux 5 <Document 1662106.1> on an Exalytics X series server, the console still does not work.
When using SSH, the SP commands can be run, but after entering commands, the console is never displayed.
For example:

-> start /SP/console
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y

Serial console started. To stop, type ESC (

Console does not display.

NOTE: This machine is running Oracle Linux 5, but is using Oracle Virtual Machine (OVM) instead of bare metal Exalytics.

Cause

Incomplete/incorrect configuration changes. The terminal settings in How to Enable ILOM Serial Console Login on Oracle Linux 5 <Document 1662106.1> need to be slightly different for an Exalytics OVM server. If the server is configured exactly as indicated in the note, it will fail.

Solution

Re-review steps in How to Enable ILOM Serial Console Login on Oracle Linux 5 <Document 1662106.1>. If using an Exalytics OVM server, the terminal type is different in the /etc/inittab file and you should run the "init q" command.
The complete solution steps are as follows:

1. Find the serial console speed set in the ILOM:

> show /SP/serial/host

/SP/serial/host
Targets:

Properties:
commitpending = (Cannot show property)
flowcontrol = none
pendingflowcontrol = none
pendingspeed = 9600
speed = 9600

Commands:
cd
set
show

-> show /SP/serial/external

/SP/serial/external
Targets:

Properties:
commitpending = (Cannot show property)
flowcontrol = none
pendingspeed = 9600
speed = 9600

Commands:
cd
set
show

From the output above, the serical console speed is 9600.

2. On the Linux host, edit /etc/grub.conf

a) Add the following options:

serial --unit=0 --speed=9600
terminal --timeout=5 serial console

b) Add the following parameter to the kernel line (use the speed found in step 1)

console=ttyS0,9600n8 console=tty1

A sample is below:

default=1
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
serial --unit=0 --speed=9600
terminal --timeout=5 serial console
hiddenmenu

title Oracle Linux Server (2.6.39-400.214.3.el5uek)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.39-400.214.3.el5uek ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 numa=off console=ttyS0,9600n8 console=tty1
initrd /initrd-2.6.39-400.214.3.el5uek.img

c) Add the following line in /etc/inittab:

co:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty ttyS0 9600 vt100-nav

d) Allow root login via ttyS0:

# echo ttyS0 >> /etc/securetty

3. Run command:

# init q

4. Reboot the Linux host, and the ILOM serial console should be accessible from ILOM using:

-> start /HOST/console

NOTE: The modified steps under 2 c and 3 above have been tested successfully in Exalytics OVM servers running OVM image 2.0.1.4.0 and 2.0.1.3.0.

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