Apple XSERVE User Manual

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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

Contents

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

3

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

4

Contents

 

 

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

Working with Mac OS X Server

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 Have a Solid-State Drive

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.

5

If You Have an Xserve RAID Card

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 More Information

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.

6

Preface    About This Guide

 

 

Xserve at a Glance

1

 

 

 

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.

7

Xserve at a Glance—Front Panel

On/standby button

Enclosure lock

System identifier

Ethernet link light

Optical drive

and light

and status light

button/light

(Port 2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drive module

Drive module

USB 2.0

Ethernet link light

System activity

Drive module

status light

activity light

port

(Port 1)

lights

bays (3)

8

Chapter 1    Xserve at a Glance

 

 

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

9

 

 

Apple XSERVE User Manual

Xserve at a Glance—Back Panel

Serial console

Mini DisplayPort

Expansion

Ethernet

 

Ethernet

Expansion

USB 2.0 ports (2)

port

 

slot 2

port 2

 

 

port 1

slot 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

System identifier

System information tag

FireWire 800

Power supply

Power supply

button/light

(pullout tab)

ports (2)

bay 1

bay 2

10

Chapter 1    Xserve at a Glance

 

 

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

11

 

 

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