This is part two covering the POWERPOWER8-basedware Management Console

The first part was covering the installation on the new POWER8-based Hardware Management Console. You can find it here:

• AIXpert Blog on HMC 7063 CR1 hardware install POWER8-based HMC

First a small recap on what we covered at the end of Part 1 about the network ports. In the following picture, we can see the lower HMC has three network ports in use.

The low HMC has

• VGA screen, USB keyboard, and USB mouse.
• Two power supply cables from the HMC to two different Power Distribution Units (PDU)
• Three Ethernet cables
  1. BMC (service processor)
     • This will allow remote HMC power-on/off via IPMI
     • Remote low-level diagnostics and statistics 
     • Even remote Graphics access to the BMC
     • We connect this to our systems admin network.
     • In the picture, it is the Ethernet cable with three green stripes near the middle
  2. Regular HMC remote GUI access 
     • We connect this to our systems admin network
     • In the picture, this any one of the four Ethernet ports to the left
  3. The Private POWER Service Processor (FSP) network 
  • This is exactly the same as for the older Intel-based HMC
  • This is used to control and monitor the POWER servers
  • In the picture, this any one of the four Ethernet ports to the left

Zooming in on the network port of the picture:

Update: I had a comment from "IBM POWER Hardware Remote Support" that added the following details that I have not yet had time to check but looked useful:
Port 0 (bottom left) in the "general purpose" network is a shared network port that can be used both for IMPI/BMC access and the HMC software at the same time.  If enabled, it has 2 MAC addresses and can have two IPs addresses at once over the same cable.  This is useful for environments where the customer only has a single public network cable and wants to access both the HMC GUI and the BMC at the same time.  In the HMC GUI, you select which port you want to use by setting the "Interface Mode" in the "Change BMC/IMPI Network Settings" dialog.

For the Install of the HMC software for the POWER8 CPU, we are going to keep it simple. There are multiple ways to do this, for example:

1. Use the default IP address to connect to the BMC console
   • Connect the BMC network port to a small private network and use the default BMC IP address to access the BMC using IPMI text commands from a machine on that same private network.
   • Boot the HMC and from the Petitboot text menu select "Exit to console" and use IPMI commands to change the IP address etc to the details you want to use on the System Admin network.
   • Then plug the BMC network port into your regular System Admin network and use the new IP Address to access the BMC using the Browser-based GUI console.
   • Install from there from your preferred media USB memory key, USB DVD drive or remotely from a .iso image on your workstation/PC.
2. Use a Keyboard, Video and Mouse (KVM) to access the BMC console
   • Then as in 1) Boot then HMC and change the IP address etc.
   • Then continue installing from a remote BMC Browser GUI console and favourite install media.
3. Use a Keyboard, Video and Mouse (KVM) to access the BMC console then install the HMC from a USB memory Key
   • Inserts a USB memory key with the HMC install software.
   • Then boot  the HMC and select USB memory key from the Petitboot menu list.  Install at the physical GUI console. 
   • Take the Guided Setup configure options to add all the HMC details, IP addresses, users, call home details etc. - - or - -  add these same configs after the basic install has been completed from the HMC menu options. 
   • Once installing is finished take the HMC Enhanced+ interface option to program the BMC IP address etc. because that is very useful like remotely starting the HMC when it's powered off.
4. Use a Keyboard, Video and Mouse (KVM) to access the BMC console and then USB DVD device
   • Connect a USB-based CD/DVD drive with the HMC install software media within it. 
   • Then follow 3).  Note this is much slower than 3)
5. Do something clever with DNS to assign an IP Address then follow 1)

To keep it simple I strongly recommend method 3 - this is the only method we are covering here. 

• You will need a good quality USB memory key (also has many other names like a flash drive or thumb drive). 
• I have had success with Kingston and ScanDisk. 
• Given these devices are cheap (6 Euro/Dollar/Pounds) purchase new ones of at least 16 GB - you don't need all that size but smaller ones can be old, incompatible, broken or flaky.

The IBM Knowledge documentation can be found starting here:

• Configuring the HMC by using the HMC Enhanced+ interface

Using a local a Keyboard, Video and Mouse (KVM) to access the BMC console then install the HMC from a USB memory Key

To prepare the USB memory key:

1. Fetch down the the HMC installation media from IBM FixCentral - make sure its the current version (no point installing older ones.
2. Make absolutely sure you have the POWER8 HMC software and not the Intel version - the file will include "ppc64le" - short for PowerPC Instruction Set, 64 bit ,Little Endian.
3. For example, (the software level and date change each time) this one:  HMC-9.1.910.0-1711221524-ppc64le.iso   and not this one:   HMC-9.1.910.0-1711221524-x86_64.iso [NOT THIS ONE]
4. Please check the .iso download integrity with the md5 checksum files.
5. To "burn" that to the USB memory key we used Linux and the dd command straight from the .iso file to the USB memory key.
   You can also do that from Microsoft Windows but do NOT simply copy the .iso fie the the USB memory key as a file in a FAT32 or NTFS file system.
   If you are unfamiliar on how to do that then perhaps you are not qualified to be installing a HMC :-)  - so ask a friend.
   For completeness, we have also done this from AIX but it is more unusual to have a USB device directly attached to AIX.

Put the USB memory key into either of the UBS sockets at the front of the HMC as seen in the following picture - the rear ones probably work too but I have not tried that but note you might want those sockets for a USB keyboard and USB mouse.

Connect the VGA screen, and USB keyboard and mouse.  We use a purpose build 1U unit to house the screen, keyboard and mouse but you could just as easily put them on a table behind the HMC and directly connect them in. Once we have the HMC installed and the BMC on the network - we can do everything remotely including the BMC text and GUI console access.   See the following picture for the cabling:

Next make sure the Screen is powered up (doh!) and power-on the HMC by pushing in the two Power supply cables at the back of the machine on the left.

From memory I had to push the small white Power button on the front of the HMC, just once to get the HMC to start - by default is starts up the BMC (service processor and waits to be told to boot up).  You can change the default startup procedure later at the Petitboot console.

Sorry about the quality of the following pictures as it all happens in a rush and using the camera flash washes out all the colour LEDs and without a camera flash, it is pretty dark.

In the following picture, the HMC lights up as a Christmas tree as the fans and disk all startup and the fans are initially noisy, then the red lights go off:

The HMC will then go to the self-check with many lines of output showing your progress.

In the following picture, the initial VGA screen looks like this (ignore the line 1 warning - it is normal):

Then a few seconds later it has hundreds of lines of output like this appear:

Then more still . . .

If you are very quick at reading, you might pick up some hints of what is happening and starting up

1. HOMER is an adapter or controller
2. CENTAUR is the intelligent Level 4 (L4) memory cards
3. 48 CPUs found that is six POWER8 CPU cores running SMT=8,  the maths is 6 x 8 = 48 CPU Core Threads
4. FLASH is probably the USB memory key

Then you get to the Petitboot menu:

It will start with the highlighted line on the bottom of the menu = "Exit to Shell" - this can be used to get to a tiny Linux shell and you can run the IPMI commands to set the  BMC service processor on the network but for simplicity we will postpone that until later.  It can be done from the HMC Enhanced+ GUI.

I have Up-Arrowed seven times to highlight the line stating "Install Hardware Management Console"

This is seen in the following picture, the line that documents the device that found this image on = "USB: sdb "- This is a nice confirmation that it 1) found the USB memory key and 2) it has already worked out what is on the USB memory key.

Note the Lines above state that the disk sda2 has "Hardware Management Console" on it.  I assume this might be a pre-installed HMC image. I prefer to install my own HMC software and at the known current level too to avoid having to upgrade the HMC - which can take longer than an install :-)  You might decide to boot straight of the disk and skip the below install.  Your call.

I next hit RETURN to boot from the USB memory key. and after a little while, I get the first recognisable HMC Install screen:

From now on its a standard HMC Install (or upgrade) - I will include the steps and take the option not to go through the Install Guided Setup Wizard (I am assuming you know that identical process from HMC on Intel days) as that has dozens and dozens of steps.

I select the Install option, as I do not want any older HMC software on this new HMC for the new secret POWER? machines that we are testing.

So we have started the install and it reached 4% and the File systems are created:

Now it has reached 11% and the disk logical volumes are initialized (in American!):

We get to 21% Base OS installing (it is Linux based but that is pretty obvious - its not a regular Linux Distro but a special cut down appliance from IBM):

Now we get to 63% with the HMC software installing:

And on to 73% with HMC CSM component installing:

85% with HMC component SFP installing:

89% with HMC component RSCT installing:

91% with HMC Enhanced+ Graphical User Interface installing:  Note: from HMC 870 and above, there is no Classic GUI

PHEW!!  It is all installed - if upgrading you have the option to Restore the previously saved data.

I want a completely fresh install so take the second option to Finish the installation without restoring data.

The HMC reboots and we see classic Linux shutdown details.

Then the HMC bounces back up and we see classic Linux startup details.

Note the HMC/Linux switched to high-resolution X Windows graphics under Linux now.

We have the first of three, what I call self-destruct options.

If you don't get this right,  the next time the HMC boots it will hang here forever unless someone gets to the keyboard.

• First, you will assume the HMC has crashed or hung then you might recall that is stuck!
• If you are 200 miles or 300 KM from the HMC that is a lot of travelling to hit Down Arrow and Return!!

The BMC GUI console might let us now fix this remotely.

In the following picture, it first asks for Display settings.  If OK,  YOU MUST take the "Exit and do not run this program again" option to avoid getting stuck

Then the Self destruct option - this time for Language configuration

If the Language is OK, take the "Exit and do not run this program again" option

Third Self destruct option - this time for Keyboard Layout

If the Keyboard layout is OK, take the "Exit and do not run this program again" option

In the following picture we have the first legal agreement, get your lawyer to read it and agree that you can continue!   It should not talk more than a month.

Followed by the second legal agreement. Why are there two?

Answer: I don't know and it is best not to ask legal people questions, because they might start telling you!

Wow! The HMC is now running and doing some sort of house keeping and initial setup - from memory it takes about a minute.

You are then asked, do you want to take the Guided Setup guides to set up (hanging that s two guide's and two setup's!).

If you are new to the HMC, it is strongly recommended - you are asked loads of questions to step you though the process.

It will take perhaps 20 to 40 minutes but every thing gets done. One downside is you can't stop and restart the process half way through if you change your mind.

If you are a HMC  "old hand" then we skip this and the you can chose which order and when to do the detailed setup from the HMC menu options.

I leave "Show me this again" unselected and click "No".

The HMC reminds me I have not setup the Call Home function, which is a rather vital HMC function to increase RAS of our POWER servers.

Again I will do that later.

Hurray!   We have the HMC install - iI have to do the detailed setup steps like putting the HMC on the network, users, Calling home etc. 

Also, need to set up the BMC network too - after that, I can do everything remotely from the comfort of my desk chair and a hot cup of tea.

I login and look at all my POWER servers - oh dear!

Oh yes! I have to check the private network cabled up already and the HMC private network to the flexible service processors setup before it will find the POWER servers

In the following picture - this is new - it is the option to put the BMC on the network from the HMC Enhanced+ GUI, it reads: "Change BMC/IPMI Network Settings"

ALL DONE ASSUMING I DID THE SETUP - BUT THAT IS JUST LIKE THE OLD INTEL HMC'S!

Well, I hope that helped and shows how easy the new HMC running the POWER8 processors are to set-up.

From what I have seen the POWER8 HMC are:

• Roughly 100 Euro/Dollar/Pounds less money list price
• Has twice the memory which good for
  • Enhanced+ GUI
  • HMC connected to loads of Servers
  • those using the HMC REST API or PowerVC a lot.
• It also has larger disks
• The POWER8 processors are significantly higher speed. 
• The boot up is faster too - the Intel ones seem to take for ages with no feedback to the user and then suddenly boot from disk before you can stop them to boot install media.  Perhaps, that me!
• The BMC with a graphic user interface is also VERY nice and so is the remote IPMI console to halt or reboot a stuck HMC.