Xserve User Guide
Includes software configuration and problem solving information for the Xserve
KKApple Inc.
© 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Apple.Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement.
The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Use of the“keyboard” Apple logo (Option-Shift-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple is not responsible for printing or clerical errors.
Apple
1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014-2084 408-996-1010 www.apple.com
Apple, the Apple logo, FireWire, Mac, Macintosh, Mac OS, and Xserve are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Apple Remote Desktop, Finder, and the FireWire logo are trademarks of Apple Inc.
Intel, Intel Core, and Xeon are trademarks of Intel Corp. in the U.S. and other countries.
This product includes software developed by the University of California, Berkeley, FreeBSD, Inc., The NetBSD Foundation, Inc., and their respective contributors.
Other company and product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products.
Simultaneously published in the United States and
Canada.
019-1445/2009-02
5 Preface: About This Guide
5Working with Mac OS X Server
5If You Have a Solid-State Drive
6If You Have an Xserve RAID Card
6For More Information
7Chapter 1 Xserve at a Glance
8Xserve at a Glance—Front Panel
10 Xserve at a Glance—Back Panel
12 Chapter 2 Starting Up the Xserve
12Turning On the Xserve for the First Time
12Configuring the Server Software
13Configuring the Lights-Out Management Port
13Local and Remote Software Setup
14Serial Number for Remote Setup
14Setting Up More Than One Xserve
14Starting Up the Xserve
14Remote Startup
14Choosing a Startup Method from the Front Panel
15Shutting Down the Xserve
15 Before You Shut Down the Xserve
15Shutting Down the Xserve with a Keyboard and Display
15Shutting Down the Xserve Remotely
16Forcing Shutdown from the Front Panel
17Chapter 3 Monitoring the Xserve
17Checking the Status of Mac OS X Server Services
17Checking the Status of the RAID Card Battery
17Local and Remote Monitoring
18Identifying the Xserve in a Rack
19Interpreting the Xserve Status Lights
19 Overall Xserve Status
19 System Identifier
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20Processor Activity
20Drive Module Status
21Ethernet Link Status
21Power Supply Status
22Getting Detailed Hardware Information
22Using the Serial Port
22About Terminal Emulation Software
23Connecting to the Serial Port
23 About the Command-Line Tools
23Controlling Physical Access to the Xserve
23Controlling a Keyboard and Mouse
23Monitoring the Xserve Remotely
23Using Server Monitor
24Connecting to the Xserve
24Using the Command Line
25Chapter 4 Updating or Installing Software on the Xserve
25Before You Begin
26Software Update and Installation Overview
26 Choosing the Best Method
26Getting the Latest Software Updates
27Reinstalling Server Software
27Using a Keyboard, a Display, and the Mac OS X Server Install DVD
28Using a NetBoot Server to Install over the Network
28Using Apple Remote Desktop or Other VNC Software
28Using Screen Sharing
29Using Another Xserve to Install on a Swapped Drive Module
30Using Commands over the Serial Port to Install from the Optical Drive
31Appendix: Troubleshooting
31 If You Don’t Find a Solution
31 Problems and Solutions
33Using Apple Xserve Diagnostics Software
34Regulatory Compliance Information
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Contents |
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About This Guide
Preface
This user guide shows you how to start up and shut down the Xserve, install and configure server software, monitor the status of the Xserve, and solve problems.
This guide contains information you might find useful after you install the Xserve: ÂÂ An overview of Xserve features, controls, and components, in Chapter 1
ÂÂ Tips for configuring the Xserve when you start it up for the first time and instructions for routine startup and shutdown, in Chapter 2
ÂÂ How to check the status of the Xserve, in Chapter 3
ÂÂ How to update or install the server software, in Chapter 4
ÂÂ Solutions to some common problems you might encounter while working with the Xserve and information about diagnostic software, in the Appendix
As soon as you finish installing the Xserve, it’s ready to host all of the services provided by Mac OS X Server. For information about configuring and using Mac OS X Server, see
Mac OS X Server: Getting Started on the Admin Tools disc.To learn more about the server software, see the full set of documentation at www.apple.com/server/resources.
If you purchased your Xserve with a solid-state drive, Mac OS X Server is already installed on the drive and it is set up as the startup disk.
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If you purchased your Xserve with an Xserve RAID Card installed but no solid-state drive, your startup disk is the volume on the enhanced JBOD RAID set on the drive module in bay 1. If you also have a solid-state drive, the solid-state drive is set up as the startup disk and all three drive modules are available for creating RAID volumes. For information about creating RAID volumes or changing your RAID configuration, and for important information about the battery on your RAID card, see the RAID Utility User Guide (available at www.apple.com/xserve/resources.html).
For information about opening the Xserve and replacing components, see the printed Xserve Setup Guide that comes with the Xserve. A PDF version of the guide is also available at www.apple.com/xserve/resources.html.
For more information about lights-out and remote server management, see the Server Monitor onscreen help.
The Apple Xserve Support website offers in-depth product information and technical resources, including articles, discussions, and downloadable software updates.Visit the site at www.apple.com/support/xserve.
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Preface About This Guide |
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Xserve at a Glance |
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Use the illustrations in this chapter to become familiar with the basic controls, features, and components of the Xserve.
The illustrations on the following pages identify the Xserve controls, indicators, connectors, and other features.
Note: Some components of the Xserve may look slightly different from the illustrations shown here, depending on the configuration you purchased.
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On/standby button |
Enclosure lock |
System identifier |
Ethernet link light |
Optical drive |
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and light |
and status light |
button/light |
(Port 2) |
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Drive module |
Drive module |
USB 2.0 |
Ethernet link light |
System activity |
Drive module |
status light |
activity light |
port |
(Port 1) |
lights |
bays (3) |
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Chapter 1 Xserve at a Glance |
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On/standby button and light
Press to turn on the Xserve. Press for approximately five seconds to force the Xserve to shut down if all other shutdown methods fail.The light is bright white when the Xserve is on, and pulses when the Xserve is in sleep mode.
Enclosure lock and status light
The lock secures the Xserve cover and drive modules. It can be locked and unlocked with the enclosure key supplied with the Xserve.
An option in the Security pane of System Preferences lets you disable a connected keyboard and mouse when the enclosure is locked.When this option is enabled and the enclosure is locked (the light is on), the Xserve doesn’t recognize a keyboard, mouse, or hot-pluggable storage device. Unlock the lock to use those devices.
System identifier button and light
The yellow system identifier light flashes if a problem is detected.You can also turn it on or off manually by pressing the button, or turn it on remotely using Server Monitor.This indicator is useful for locating a particular unit in a rack with more than one Xserve. A second system identifier button and light are on the back of the Xserve.
You also use the system identifier button to select an alternative method for starting the Xserve using the front panel startup options; see“Choosing a Startup Method from the Front Panel”on page 14.
Ethernet link lights
Two lights indicate whether the Xserve is connected to an Ethernet network. Each light represents one of the two built-in Ethernet ports:the bottom light for port 1 and the top light for port 2.
Optical drive
You can use the slot-loading optical drive to install software on the Xserve.
Drive modules and lights
You can install up to three Serial ATA (SATA) or Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) drive modules in the Xserve.These modules can be removed and installed while the Xserve is running. Each drive module has lights showing operating status and disk activity.
System activity lights
These lights indicate the activity level of the processors.
You also use these lights to select an alternative method for starting the Xserve using the front panel startup options; see“Choosing a Startup Method from the Front Panel”on page 14.
USB 2.0 port
Provides a USB 2.0 connection on the front of the Xserve.There are also two USB 2.0 ports on the back panel.The enclosure lock must be unlocked for the Xserve to recognize some devices connected to these ports.
Chapter 1 Xserve at a Glance |
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Serial console |
Mini DisplayPort |
Expansion |
Ethernet |
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Ethernet |
Expansion |
USB 2.0 ports (2) |
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slot 2 |
port 2 |
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port 1 |
slot 1 |
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System identifier |
System information tag |
FireWire 800 |
Power supply |
Power supply |
button/light |
(pullout tab) |
ports (2) |
bay 1 |
bay 2 |
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Chapter 1 Xserve at a Glance |
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Serial console port
Connect a serial device or a computer with a serial port.This port supports RS-232 connections. See“Using the Serial Port”on page 22.
Mini DisplayPort
You can connect a display to the Xserve using this port. If you have a DVI or VGA display, adapter cables are available separately.
Expansion slots
You can install two PCI Express (PCI-E) expansion cards in the Xserve. Slot 1 accepts 6.6 inch cards. Slot 2 accepts 9-inch cards. For information about installing cards, see the printed Xserve Setup Guide that comes with the Xserve.
Gigabit Ethernet ports
Connect the Xserve to a high-speed Ethernet network using the two built-in Ethernet ports. Ethernet ports adjust automatically to the transmission speed supported by the network. A green light in the upper left corner of each port indicates whether that port is connected to a live Ethernet network; a blue light on the right indicates activity.
Always connect an Ethernet cable to the right port (port 1) first.
USB 2.0 ports
Connect USB devices, such as a keyboard or mouse. A USB 2.0 port is also located on the front panel.The enclosure lock must be unlocked for the Xserve to recognize some devices connected to these ports.
Power supply and power supply bays
A removable power supply for the Xserve.The power cord connects here.You can install two 750watt power supplies for redundancy; either supply can take over the full load for the Xserve if the other supply fails or is removed.
FireWire 800 ports
Connect FireWire devices to the Xserve.The enclosure lock must be unlocked for the Xserve to recognize devices connected to these ports.
System information tag
The Xserve serial number and the hardware (MAC) addresses of its built-in Ethernet ports are printed on this pullout tab.You’ll need the serial number when you install and set up the server software remotely.
System identifier button and light
The yellow system identifier light flashes if a problem is detected.You can also turn it on manually by pressing the button, or remotely using Server Monitor.This indicator is useful for locating a particular unit in a rack with more than one Xserve. A second system identifier button and light are on the front panel.
Chapter 1 Xserve at a Glance |
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