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How to Replace an Avocent KVM switch in an Engineered Systems rack

In this Document

Goal

Solution

Oracle Confidential PARTNER - Available to partners (SUN).
Reason: Service procedures for Oracle and authorized partner engineers only.

Applies to:

Goal

 How to Replace an Avocent KVM switch in an Engineered Systems rack

Solution

DISPATCH INSTRUCTIONS WHAT SKILLS DOES THE FIELD ENGINEER/ADMINISTRATOR NEED?: Exadata trained
TIME ESTIMATE: 240 Minutes
TASK COMPLEXITY: 3

FIELD ENGINEER/ADMINISTRATOR INSTRUCTIONS:

PROBLEM OVERVIEW:
WHAT STATE SHOULD THE SYSTEM BE IN TO BE READY TO PERFORM THE RESOLUTION ACTIVITY?:

Configuration databases should already be backed up if possible. If not, and the switch is still functional enough they can be backed up before replacement. If the switch is not functional enough the customer should have the configuration information available for reconfiguring.

WHAT ACTION DOES THE FIELD ENGINEER/ADMINISTRATOR NEED TO TAKE?:

1. Backup the configuration using one of the following 3 methods, in order of preference:

   1. If the configuration has not been backed up already, then do so as follows:

      1. Open the local keyboard/monitor/mouse tray and access the local interface to determine the network IPv4 settings under the “Unit View” → “Appliance” → “Appliance Settings” → “Network” path. Note these values.

      2. Access the KVM switch over the network using the IP address from a laptop or workstation on the same network. The default user account is username “Admin” and password “welcome1”.

      3. Access the “Unit View” → “Appliance” → “Overview” tab.

      4. Click on “Save Appliance Configuration” and save to a local file on the laptop or workstation or an FTP site. Repeat for “Save Appliance User Database”.

   2. If the configuration cannot be saved due to the switch’ network not responding, then use the local keyboard/monitor/mouse tray to access the various configuration views and write down the information. Minimum setup information gathered under “Unit View” → “Appliance” should be:

      1. “Overview” → “Name”. This is the hostname.

      2. “Properties” → “Location”. Any populated information

      3. “Appliance Settings” → “Network” → “IPv4”. Network address, subnet mask, network gateway

      4. “Appliance Settings” → “DNS”. DNS server IP addresses

      5. “Appliance Settings” → “SNMP”. Any populated information

      6. “Appliance Settings” → “Auditing” → “Events”. Any populated information

      7. “Appliance Settings” → “User Accounts” → “Local”. Note any user names and Access Level other than the default Admin. The customer will need to add these back.

      8. Appliance Settings” → “User Accounts” → “LDAP ” → “Overview”. If disabled, that is the default. If it is enabled, review any populated information in this screen and the “Search” and “Query” screens.

   3. If the configuration cannot be saved due to the Switch not responding to local keyboard or network, then the following information is required to manually restore the minimum configuration:

      1. “Overview” → “Name”. This is the hostname.

      2. “Appliance Settings” → “Network” → “IPv4”. Network address, subnet mask, network gateway

      3. “Appliance Settings” → “DNS”. DNS server IP addresses

      4. The default Admin user account password should be set to ‘welcome1’
         
         

2. Unplug the AC power cord from each side of the switch and push the loose cord to the side out of the way.

3. Unplug the VGA Video and USB cable from the Keyboard/Monitor/Mouse tray and put out of the way

4. Unplug the customer’s network cable from LAN1 and put out of the way. Ensure it is clearly identifiable if not labeled.

5. Unplug the orange RJ45 network cables from the switch ports and pull as a bundle either up, down or to the right as far out of the way as possible.

6. Either of the following methods can be used for removal, and the method chosen will depend on what rack size, and IB cabling may be in the way:

   1. Carefully maneuver the switch out of the rear of the rack.
      
      OR

   2. Remove the switch out of the front of the rack as follows:

      1. Carefully maneuver the switch toward the rear of the rack and angle it to the left or right.

      2. With a short shaft Phillips #1 screwdriver, undo the 2 screws that hold the left or right rack mounting ear. Only 1 ear is necessary, choose whichever side is easier to angle to where a screwdriver can be used.

      3. Remove the front vented filler panel. The adjacent filler panels may be removed for improved hand access.

      4. Maneuver and pull the switch out from the front of the rack.

7. Install the new switch using the same method as used in step 6, either installing the rack mounting ears outside the rack if installing from the rear, or installing 1 ear outside the rack and installing the other on the inside rear of the rack. Replace any front vented filler panels that were removed.

8. Re-connect the orange RJ45 network cables to the switch ports, following the labeling on the cable for the correct port numbers

9. Re-connect the customer’s network cable to LAN1 port.

10. Re-connect the Keyboard/Mouse/Monitor USB and VGA Video cables to the appropriate ports.

11. Re-connect the AC power cords to the left and right side AC inlets

12. Open the local Keyboard/Mouse/Monitor and restore the following minimum configuration:

    1. Network properties:

       1. “Overview” → “Name”. This is the hostname.

       2. “Appliance Settings” → “Network” → “IPv4”. Network address, subnet mask, network gateway

    2. “Appliance Settings” → “User Accounts” → “Local”. Set the Admin password to the default “welcome1” and save.

13. Look for any missing sessions that may indicate a badly seated port cable or connection under “Appliance Settings” → “Ports” → “IQ Adaptors”. This displays a list of adapters found. Click on port (in the table heading) to sort by port number and thus locate any potentially missing items. Resolve any numbers that are missing or offline.

14. Access the KVM switch over the network using a web browser with the IP address from a laptop or workstation on the same network. The default user account is username “Admin” and password “welcome1”. Upgrade the firmware from the laptop or workstation using the latest files available on the EIS DVD in directory “.../sun2/patch/MISC”. Note EIS DVD Oct 2017 contains firmware v1.34, and future versions will no longer carry the firmware.  This and prior versions of the EIS DVD may be used for v1.34.  For latest Java and browser support, the latest v2.x can be obtained from Avocent:

    - US site https://www.vertivco.com/en-us/support/software-download/it-management/avocent-mergepoint-unity-switches-software-downloads/ 
    - EMEA site https://www.vertivco.com/en-emea/support/software-download/it-management/avocent-mergepoint-unity-switches-software-downloads/

    Click on “Appliance” → “Overview” then click on “Upgrade Firmware” under the Tools list. The screen prompts for 1 of 4 methods for loading the firmware file and changes for the appropriate settings needed for each local filesystem (relative to the system running the browser), tftp, ftp or http (relative to an IP address on the network that the KVM can address or route to). Use the appropriate method suitable for the laptop you are using, how its connected to the network the KVM is on and where the firmware file is located. Once the method, settings (if applicable) and filename are given, click on the Upgrade button.
    
    Once the upgrade is initiated, the Avocent KVM will then download the file to the KVM and flash it and reboot itself (at which time the browser will show session expired). The whole flashing process until the reboot is complete, takes 5 to 10 minutes.

15. Restore the configuration settings:

    1. If the backup was done in 1 (a) using the network Access the “Unit View” → “Appliance” → “Overview” tab, the re-access this tab and use the “Restore Appliance Configuration” and “Restore User Database” with the local files that were saved.

    2. If the backup was done in 1 (b) using the local keyboard/monitor/mouse to write down as much of the configuration as possible, then manually restore the values written down for each configuration value

    3. If the backup was done in 1 (c) using the minimum configuration, then restore the remaining DNS values not already set, and refer the customer to restore manually any other values or user accounts they may have set that were not saved

OBTAIN CUSTOMER ACCEPTANCE WHAT ACTION DOES THE FIELD ENGINEER/ADMINISTRATOR NEED TO TAKE TO
RETURN THE SYSTEM TO AN OPERATIONAL STATE:

1. Verify with the customer that they are able to access the switch via the local keyboard/monitor/mouse tray. Verify that all host target devices are visible to the switch and that the console of each host target device can be accessed locally.

2. Verify with the customer that they are able to access the switch over the network using a web browser from a laptop or workstation. Verify that the console of a host target device can be accessed remotely.

3. Update Install Base records, to ensure that the replacement-part serial# will be properly entitled. Within Oracle, the Avocent KVM Switch is termed a "SuperFRU" which simply means that it is a whole chassis replacement including both chassis and internal main-board. Therefore, follow the relevant SuperFRU procedure:
   a. If the Avocent KVM Switch has been replaced by Oracle field engineer, then the Oracle FE should use the process in the internal Oracle Global Desk Manual repository, "Field Delivery & Logistics Desk Manual" section, "Field Service Engineer / Procedures" here:
   https://ptp.oraclecorp.com/pls/apex/f?p=151:106:11216637699057::::DL,DV,DP,DJ:161,2065,2,0
   and click on the relevant WFS or FSTP procedure for "Performing Material Debrief on SPARC board or SuperFRU".
   b. Partners will use the process they already use.

PARTS NOTE:

371-4779 Avocent MergePoint Unity MPU4032DAC 32-port KVM switch, 4 users, Dual AC input

REFERENCE INFORMATION:

EIS Checklist for Exadata V2/X2-2 - http://eis.us.oracle.com/checklists/pdf/Exadata-X2.pdf
EIS Checklist for Big Data Appliance - http://eis.us.oracle.com/checklists/pdf/BDA.pdf

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