How to remotely recover from a Windows Bluescreen using Compaq's IRC functionality with Digi's PortServers.

The Compaq IRC Integrated Remote Console

Over the last years some Compaq ProLiant and Prosignia Servers are equipped with the Integrated Remote Console (IRC). A special chip integrated on the motherboard provides additional functionality to control vital server functions over the serial port.

The following servers support the IRC functionality:

ProLiant DL 360, DL 380 G1, ML 530

ProLiant 800, 1200, 1600, 2500, 3000, 5500R, 6500 Xeon, 8500

(There might be other servers beneath those listed that also support IRC. To find out if your specific server supports IRC, try to configure following step 1 of this short recipe)

The IRC provides multiple functions:

• Redirect any text based output of the video card to the Terminal and redirect input from the console
• View the saved boot up sequence
• Reset the server
• Power-cycle the server

All these features are handled independently of the OS it does not require any specific drivers to be installed. This functionality is present as long as the server is powered on. Even in the case the Operating System has stopped working due to an exception, like the Windows Bluescreen, this functionality is still present. As it is providing access to text based messages the administrator can analyze the Bluescreen before rebooting the Server from any place in the world with network access.

The administration of a Windows based server is normally done using Terminal Services or any other PC-Anywhere like program. All these programs require the Operating System to be up and running so the tools implemented as applications can use all services provided by the OS. In the moment the server is no longer handling requests from the network properly, all the remote handling tools fail. The only way to connect to the server in such cases is to use tools that are independent of the functionality of the operating systems like the IRC.

The IRC can provide access to the Server through the Console Port for:

• BIOS configuration
• Boot Menu selection
• Boot from CD-Rom etc...
• View Bluescreen

The IRC provides access to the server in those cases where Terminal Services and any other PC-Anywhere style application don't work any more.

Digi's PortServer Product Line offers the ideal functionality to connect the IRC of your Compaq Servers to your Network. Simply connect 8, 16 or 32 Compaq Servers to the Digi PortServer TS or CM product line and handle them from any workstation in or connected to your Network.

You will need:

• A Compaq ProLiant or Prosignia Server
• A Digi PortServer TS or CM
• A RS232 cross-over cable

How to set up IRC together with Digi's PortServers

1. Configure the IRC on your Compaq Server
2. Boot the server and run the Compaq System Configuration Utility. This utility can be run from floppies or by booting the Compaq SmartStart and Support Software CD included with your server. If you created a system partition during the initial setup of the server, you can invoke this utility by pressing the F10 key when prompted during the server's power-on-self-test sequence. (For more detailed information refer to Chapter 3 of Compaq's Integrated Remote Console Users Guide)

3. At the MAIN MENU select System Configuration.

4. At the System Configuration menu select Configure Hardware.

5. Select Review and modify hardware settings

6. The system configuration utility is started. Proceed to Step 3: View or edit details to display the system configuration.

7. Locate the “Embedded – Compaq Integrated Remote Console (IRC)” section. Under the “General IRC Information” subsection, select the “Remote console functions” option and change it to “Enabled”.

8. Further down the screen there is a “Communications Settings” subsection. Verify and change the options as indicated below. Even if you may choose different settings we recommend those indicated below.

    
   Communication Device      Direct Connect         
    
   Com Port                  COM 1 
    
   Sharing Options           Dedicated                
    
   Maximum baud rate         19200                     
    
   Data Bits                 8                           
    
   Parity                    None                      
    
   Stop Bits                 1                           
   

9. Now, authorized remote users need to be added. Arrow down to the “Configure users” section and press enter to start.
   • Select “User 1” to edit it.

   • Type a user name: __________ and password: __________. You will be prompted to verify the password.

   • Arrow down to the “Security access” option and verify that the following options are checked:

     · Supervisor rights
     · Remote console rights
     · Reboot server rights
     · Replay boot sequence rights
     

   These are the recommended options that can be customized as desired. Use the space bar to check/uncheck any selection. Press F10 when done.

10. Back at the “Edit User” screen, press F10 to exit the screen. Press F10 again to exit the “User Maintenance” screen.

11. Press F10 to finish the “system configuration edit session. Next, save the new configuration by selecting “Step 5” at the “Steps in configuring your computer” screen. Finally, confirm your selection to save and restart the computer.

    The next step depends on the Digi PortServer product you are using.

Configuring the Digi PortServer CM 32

1. Refer to the Installation and configuration manual for the initial configuration of the PortServer CM 32
   
2. Configure one port to connect to your Compaq Server
   
3. Open a web browser and connect to the PortServer CM 32 IP address
   
4. Login to the system (defaults: user root, password dbps)
   
5. Configure the Serial Port (click on Serial Ports in the left column)
   
6. Select the port you want to configure, and edit the parameters as indicated below, or to match the IRC settings done previously:

   · Baud rate: 19200
   · Flow control: hardware
   · Data bits: 8
   · Parity: None
   · Stop bits: 1
   · Terminal type: ansi

7. Click on submit to activate the changes

Configuring the Digi PortServer TS 2, 4, 8 or 16

1. For the initial configuration of the PortServer TS 8 or 16 refer to the configuration manual.
   
2. Configure one port to connect to the Compaq Server
   
3. Open a web browser and connect to the Digi PortServer TS IP address
   
4. Login to the system (defaults: user root, password dbps)
   
5. From the selections on the left click on Configure Ports
   
6. Select the port you want to configure, and edit the parameters as indicated below, or to match the IRC settings done previously:

   · Device Type: printer
   · Baud rate: 19200
   · Flow control: hardware
   · Data bits: 8
   · Parity: None
   · Stop bits: 1
   · Terminal type: ansi
   

7. Click on Submit

   Connect the PortServer and the Compaq Server

   Connect the port of the PortServer to the Compaq Server using a RJ 45 to DB9 cable. There are special cables available from Digi to connect to DB9 or DB25 ports.

   Connect to the IRC

   From your PC connect to the special port on the Portserver using a reverse telnet session. Use HyperTerminal instead of the command line version of telnet, as handling of the initial sequence is much easier.
   1. Start HyperTerminal
      
   2. Give a name to the session like _IRC
      
   3. In the Connect using line enter: TCP/IP (Winsock)
      
   4. Enter the IP as Host Address
      
   5. Enter the Port Number following the schema:

      2001+ port for PortServer TS

      7001+ port for PortServer CM

   6. Depending on the configuration of your PortServer you are now prompted for a username password.

   7. After you are logged in, hit the Enter Key three (3) times to access the IRC login. If you can’t reach the you login prompt of the IRC you might have to reconfigure your terminal emulation. The IRC is expecting 3 carriage return characters without line feed.

   8. Enter the IRC username and password.

      You are now connected to the IRC of your server and can use all functions from any PC that is connected to your network even over WAN links.

      The IRC main screen

      If your terminal emulation supports the ANSI Terminal emulation properly you are now able to use all control keys like the arrows and function keys.

      If you are having trouble using the control characters you can work around this.

      In the main menu the arrow keys are also represented by character keys. Up I Down M Left J Right K During the Remote Console session the control keys can be reached using the “attention key” together with a replacement. The “attention key” can be configured in the BIOS and is set to a (^a) by default. Table 1 contains a quick list of replacement sequences Original Key Replacement Key F1..F9, F10 ^a 1, .. ^a 9, ^a 0 Up ^a I Down ^a m Left ^a J Right ^a k ESC ^a ESC Table 1: usage of control characters For more details about control characters refer to Compaq’s document about the IRC: ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/supportinformation/techpubs/installation_guides/281862-002.pdf