Powering the system on and off

View and customize various initial program load (IPL) parameters.

You can start and shut down the system in addition to setting IPL options.

To perform these operations, your authority level must be one of the following:

Administrator
Authorized service provider

Several IPL options that you can set pertain to the server firmware. Firmware is an integral part of the server that is stored in flash memory, whose contents are preserved when the system is powered off. The firmware is code that automatically starts when the server is turned on. Its main purpose is to bring the server to a state where it is ready to operate, which means the server is ready to install or boot an operating system. Firmware also enables the handling of exception conditions in the hardware and provides extensions to the functions of the server hardware platform. You can view the server's current firmware level on the Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI) Welcome pane.

This server has a permanent firmware boot side, or P side, and a temporary firmware boot side, or T side. When updating the firmware, install new levels of firmware on the temporary side first to test the compatibility with your applications. When the new level of firmware has been approved, copy it to the permanent side.

To view and change IPL settings, perform the following steps:

On the ASMI Welcome pane, specify your user ID and password, and click Log In.
In the navigation area, expand Power/Restart Control and select Power On/Off System.
Set the following desired boot settings.
System boot speed

Select the speed for the next boot: Fast or Slow. Fast boot results in some diagnostic tests being skipped, and shorter memory tests being run during the boot.

Firmware boot side for next boot

Select the side from which the firmware boots the next time: Permanent or Temporary. Test firmware updates by booting from the temporary side before being copied into the permanent side.

System operating mode

Select the operating mode: Manual or Normal. Manual mode overrides various automatic power-on functions, such as auto-power restart, and enables the power button.

AIX/Linux partition mode boot

Select the stopping point during the boot process. This option is applicable only to IBM® System p5® and eServer™ p5 servers, and is available only if the system is not managed by the HMC. Service mode boot from saved list is the preferred way to run online AIX® diagnostics. Service mode boot from default list is the preferred way to run stand-alone AIX diagnostics.
This option is applicable only when the managed system is using the manufacturing default configuration, which is the initial partition setup as received from service and support. When the system is not using the manufacturing default configuration, any changes to this option do not take effect. However, when the system is using the manufacturing default configuration, you can change the setting for the next restart by changing this option.

Boot to system server firmware

Select the state for the server firmware: Standby or Running. When the server is in the server firmware standby state, partitions can be set up and activated.

System power off policy

Select the system power off policy. The system power off policy is a system parameter that controls the system's behavior when the last partition (or the only partition in the case of a system that is not managed by an HMC) is powered off.

Current hyperboot mode state:

This setting is displayed if the hyperboot feature is activated for the system. The hyperboot mode states are: Capable and Enabled. When the hyperboot feature is activated by entering the activation code, the mode state initializes in the ASMI and displays Capable until the system is restarted. After the system has restarted the state changes to Enabled. Any time you restart the system in the enabled state, it starts in hyperboot mode.
Note: This setting cannot be changed by using this task. See Using on-demand utilities for information about entering a feature activation code to enable this feature.
Perform one of the following steps:
- Click Save settings to save the selected options. The power state does not change.
- Click Save settings and power on/off. All selected options are saved and the system turns on or off. The power-on option is available only if the system is powered off. The power-off option is available only if the system is powered on.
- Click Save settings and continue server firmware boot to save the selected options, and turn the server firmware on or off. This option is available only if the server firmware is in standby mode.