Sun Microsystems RSC User Manual

Sun™Remote System Control
(RSC) User’s Guide

Sun™ Enterprise™ 250 Server

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

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Palo Alto, CA 94303-4900 USA
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Fax [phone]

Part No.: 805-7398-10
March 1999, Revision A

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Contents

Preface xi

1. Sun Remote System Control (RSC) Software 1

RSC Access 1
RSC Features 3
RSC Use 3
RSC Capabilities 6

Server Status and Control 6
View Logs 7
RSC Configuration 7

User Interfaces 7

RSC Security 8
RSC Client Requirements 8

2. Installing and Configuring RSC Software 9

Installing RSC Software 9
Configuring RSC Software 10
Configuring PPP 11

Configuring PPP on the Client 11

Redirecting the Console to RSC 11

Contents iii

Configuring Alerts 12
Backing Up RSC Configuration 13

3. Using the RSC Graphical Interface 15

Starting the RSC GUI 15
Accessing RSC Functions 16

RSC Permissions Required for Access to GUI Functions 17

Console Permission 17
User Permission 17
Admin. Permission 17
Reset Permission 17

4. Using the RSC Command Shell 19

Logging In to Your RSC Account 20
Server Status and Control Commands 22

environment 22
shownetwork 24
console 24
break 24
xir 24
bootmode [-u] [normal|forth|reset_nvram|diag|

skip_diag] 25
reset 26
poweroff 26
poweron 26

RSC View Log Commands 27

loghistory [index [+|-]n] [pause n] 27

index [+|-]n 27

pause n 28

iv Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

consolehistory [boot|run|oboot|orun]

[index [+|-]n] [pause n]28
pause n 29

consolerestart 29

RSC Configuration Commands 29

set variable value 30
show [variable]30
date [[mmdd]HHMM|mmddHHMM[cc]yy][.SS] 31
password 32
useradd username 32
userdel username 33
usershow [username]33
userpassword username 33
userperm username [c][u][a][r] 34
resetrsc 34

Other RSC Commands 35

help 35
version [-v] 35
logout 35

RSC Configuration Variables 35

Serial Port Variables 36

serial_baud 36
serial_parity 36
serial_stop 36
serial_data 37
serial_hw_handshake 37
ppp_local_ip_addr 37
ppp_remote_ip_addr 37

Contents v

ppp_enabled 38

Alert Variables 38

page_enabled 38

mail_enabled 38

page_info1 38

page_init1 38

page_password1 39

page_baud1 39

page_data1 39

page_parity1 39

page_stop1 39

page_info2 39

page_init2 40

page_password2 40

page_baud2 40

page_data2 40

page_parity2 40

page_stop2 41

customerinfo 41

hostname 41

mailuser 41

mailhost 41

Ethernet Port Variables 42

ip_mode 42

ip_addr 42

ip_netmask 42

ip_gateway 42

Console Session Variable 43

vi Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

escape_char 43

RSC Shell Error Messages 43

Usage Errors 43
General Errors 44

5. Using the rscadm Utility 47

rscadm Subcommands 48

help 48
date [-s]

date [[mmdd]HHMM|mmddHHMM[cc]yy]][.SS] 48
set variable value 48
show [variable]49
resetrsc [-s] 49
download [boot] file 49
send_event [-c] message 49
modem_setup 50

User Account Administration Subcommands 50

rscadm Error Messages 51

6. Using OpenBoot PROM Features That Support RSC 57

OBP Commands 57

rsc-hard-reset 57
rsc-soft-reset 57
diag-output-to rsc|ttya 57
rsc-mac-update 58
.rsc 58

OBP Environment Variable Properties 58

rsc 58
rsc! 58

Contents vii

7. Troubleshooting 59

Troubleshooting RSC Problems 59

Can’t log in to RSC 59
Can’t connect to RSC using telnet 60
Can’t connect to RSC through the Ethernet connection 60
Can’t connect to RSC through the serial port 61
No alerts received from RSC 61
RSC passwords are unknown 62
Times in RSC event log do not match times in server console logs 62
You can perform some RSC functions, but not others 62
RSC is not working after you replace the main logic board 62

Troubleshooting Server Problems Using RSC 63

Scenario: An unreliable SIMM in memory bank 2 is causing continuous

reboots 63

A. Installing and Configuring an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) 65

How to Install the UPS 65
How to Configure the UPS to Record Events and Send Alerts 66

B. Configuring the RSC Serial Port Modem 69

General Settings 70
Pager Variable Settings 70

Pager Phone Number 72
Storing Configuration Strings in the Modem’s NVRAM 72
Modem Initialization Strings 72
Pager Passwords 73

Setting Up the MultiTech Modem 73

Set Modem DIP Switches 73
Modify RSC Configuration Variables 74

viii Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

Modify Modem Settings 74

Setting Up the Courier V.Everything Modem 75

Set Modem DIP Switches 76
Modify RSC Configuration Variables 77
Modify Modem Settings 78

Modem Reconfiguration Required After Changing RSC Serial Port Settings 79
Troubleshooting Modem Problems 80

C. Creating a Script That Sends an Alert Message or RSC Event 81

Contents ix

x Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

Preface

Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide tells you how to configure and use
Sun™ Remote System Control software. These instructions are designed for an
experienced system administrator with networking knowledge.

Using UNIX Commands

This document does not contain information on basic UNIX® commands and
procedures such as shutting down the system, booting the system, and configuring
devices.

See one or more of the following for this information:

■ Solaris Handbook for Sun Peripherals

■ AnswerBook™ online documentation for the Solaris™ software environment

■ Other software documentation that you received with your system

xi

Typographic Conventions

TABLE P-1 Typographic Conventions

Typeface or
Symbol Meaning Examples

AaBbCc123 The names of commands, files,

and directories; on-screen
computer output.

AaBbCc123 What you type, when

contrasted with on-screen
computer output.

AaBbCc123 Book titles, new words or terms,

words to be emphasized.

Command-line variable; replace
with a real name or value.

Shell Prompts

TABLE P-2 Shell Prompts

Edit your .login file.
Use ls -a to list all files.

% You have mail.
% su

Password:

Read Chapter 6 in the
User ’s Guide
.
These are called class options.
You must be root to do this.

To delete a file, type rm filename.

Shell Prompt

C shell machine_name%
C shell superuser machine_name#
Bourne shell and Korn shell $
Bourne shell and Korn shell superuser #
Remote System Control shell rsc>
OpenBoot PROM shell ok

xii Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

Related Documentation

TABLE P-3 Related Documentation

Application Title

Installation Sun Remote System Control (RSC) Installation Guide
PPP configuration Configuring and Using Solstice PPP Clients
Performing diagnostic tests SunVTS User’s Guide

SunVTS Quick Reference Guide
SunVTS Test Reference Manual
Solstice SyMON User’s Guide

System and network administration Solaris System Administrator AnswerBook

SPARC: Installing Solaris Software

Using operating system software Solaris User’s Guide

Sun Documentation on the Web

The docs.sun.comSM web site enables you to access Sun technical documentation
on the Web. You can browse the docs.sun.com archive or search for a specific book
title or subject at:

http://docs.sun.com

Sun Welcomes Your Comments

We are interested in improving our documentation and welcome your comments
and suggestions. You can email your comments to us at:

[e-mail]

Please include the part number of your document in the subject line of your email.

xiii

xiv Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

CHAPTER

1

Sun Remote System Control (RSC)
Software

Sun Remote System Control (RSC) is a server management tool that allows you to
monitor and control your server over modem lines and over a network. RSC
provides remote system administration for geographically distributed or physically
inaccessible systems. The RSC software works with the System Service Processor
(SSP) on the Sun™ Enterprise™ 250 main logic board. RSC and the SSP support both
serial and Ethernet connections to a remote console.

RSC Access

You can access RSC from a workstation running the Solaris, Windows 95, Windows
98, or Windows NT operating environment and Sun’s RSC Java™ application, or
from an ASCII terminal or device running ASCII terminal emulation software.
FIGURE 1-1 shows remote access paths to RSC.

1

Solaris workstation
and modem

Solaris workstation
and modem

Windows PC
and modem

ASCII terminal

and modem

RSC modem

Windows PC
and modem

Secure serial bus Secure Ethernet

ASCII terminal

and modem

Company modem
pool

Solaris workstation

FIGURE 1-1 RSC Remote Access Paths

Once RSC software is installed and configured to manage your server, you can use it
to run diagnostic tests, view diagnostic and error messages, reboot your server, and
display environmental status information from a remote console.

2 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

Windows PC

The RSC firmware on the SSP runs independently, and uses standby power from the
server. Therefore, SSP hardware and RSC software continue to be effective when the
server operating system goes offline, and can send notification of hardware failures
or other events that may be occurring on your server.

The server can boot and operate normally when RSC software is not enabled, and
Sun console features continue to be available on standard RS232 ports.

RSC Features

RSC has the following features:

■ Remote system monitoring and error reporting, including output from power-on

self-test (POST) and OpenBoot™ Diagnostics (OBDiag)

■ Remote server reboot, power-on, and power-off on demand

■ Ability to monitor the CPU temperature and fan sensors without being near the

managed server, even when the server is offline

■ Ability to run diagnostic tests from a remote console

■ Remote event notification of server problems

■ A detailed log of RSC events

■ Remote console functions on both the serial and Ethernet ports

RSC complements existing Sun monitoring and diagnostics tools such as Solstice™
SyMON™, SunVTS™, the kadb kernel debugger, OpenBoot PROM (OBP), and
OpenBoot Diagnostics (OBDiag). Solstice SyMON operation remains unchanged,
and it continues to be the main tool for observing system operation behavior and
performance while the server operating system is up and running.

RSC Use

After installing and configuring Sun Remote System Control software on the server
and client systems, you use an OpenBoot command and set OpenBoot variables that
redirect the console output to RSC.

Part of RSC configuration defines and enables alert mechanisms. Alerts provide
remote notification of system problems, and can be sent to pagers or an email
address; RSC also sends alerts to any clients that are currently logged in to RSC.

RSC sends an alert message whenever any of the following occurs:

Chapter 1 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) Software 3

■ The server system resets.

■ Server temperature crosses the lower-fault (high-temperature warning) limit.

■ Server temperature crosses the upper-fault (high-temperature shutdown) limit.

■ A server redundant power supply fails.

■ A power outage occurs at the server site, if an uninterruptible power supply

(UPS) is in use and it is configured to send an alert to RSC (see Appendix A).

■ RSC receives a server-generated alert.

■ The server undergoes a hardware watchdog reset.

■ RSC detects five unsuccessful RSC login attempts within five minutes.

Each alert message includes the server name and other important details. RSC
configuration controls whether an alert is sent to an email address, to pagers, or to
both. In addition, an alert is always sent to any clients currently logged in to RSC
accounts for that server. FIGURE 1-2 shows RSC remote alert paths.

4 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

Solaris workstation
and modem

Alphanumeric pager 1

Solaris workstation
and modem

Windows PC
and modem

ASCII terminal

and modem

RSC modem

Alphanumeric pager 2

Secure serial bus Secure Ethernet

Windows PC
and modem

ASCII terminal

and modem

Company modem
pool

Solaris workstation

FIGURE 1-2 RSC Remote Alert Paths

Windows PC

Chapter 1 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) Software 5

After receiving an alert message, you can connect to your RSC account for the server
that caused the alert. Then you can check console messages to determine whether
the server has recovered and is running, or whether the server operating system is
down.

If the server is running, you can log in to it using a separate connection and debug
the system using UNIX system administration tools such as SunVTS and Solstice
SyMON. If the client is not running the Solaris operating system, these tools may be
available through X windows.

If the server is not running, or if UNIX system administration tools are not available,
you can use the RSC remote console feature to debug the server.

You can also debug the server by using RSC to:

■ Show environmental information

■ Put the server into debug mode

■ Control server firmware behavior

■ Turn server power off and then on, if the server is hung

After diagnosing a problem, you can schedule server downtime and service,
if necessary.

RSC Capabilities

Sun Remote System Control provides the following capabilities for remotely
monitoring and controlling Sun Enterprise 250 servers.

Server Status and Control

■ Show server environmental status.

■ Access a console that includes all UNIX console functions.

■ Send a break to put the server into debug mode.

■ Control the diagnostics level for a server reboot.

■ Reset the server on demand. When the system is not responding, you can issue a

cold reset to bring the server back online.

■ Turn server power off and on.

6 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

View Logs

■ Display a detailed log of RSC errors, events, and RSC command history.

■ Display and reset server console logs.

RSC Configuration

You can control RSC configuration settings for:

■ Alerts

■ Ethernet port

■ Serial port

■ RSC date and time

■ Your RSC password

■ RSC user accounts

After installation, you run a script file that guides you through basic configuration.
See the Sun Remote System Control (RSC) Installation Guide.

If you want to be able to use RSC in case of a complete power failure, you should
install and configure an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for the server. See
Appendix A.

If you plan to use a modem on the RSC serial port, you must configure the modem
properly. See Appendix B.

User Interfaces

RSC user interfaces include:

■ A graphical interface that runs using Sun’s RSC Java application

■ A command-line interface you can access using standard telnet to the RSC

Ethernet port, and to the RSC serial port using point-to-point protocol (PPP)

■ A command-line interface you can access by connecting an ASCII character

terminal directly to the RSC serial port

RSC supports a maximum of two concurrent telnet connections per server. These
connections can be command-line interface sessions or RSC GUI connections to the
server console (Open Console). In addition, RSC supports up to three concurrent
RSC GUI sessions.

Chapter 1 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) Software 7

RSC Security

The hardware and process required to log in to an RSC account on a managed server
depend on company security practices, and whether Ethernet or modem dial-in is
used. Further security is provided by RSC accounts, individual account access rights,
and passwords. In addition, RSC records all logins, and sends an alert if it detects
five login failures within five minutes.

Characteristics of the modem and phone line that are connected to the RSC serial
port also determine access security for remote serial port connections, for instance,
use of a dialback option or a phone line that supports dial-out only. You can set RSC
to disconnect a session connected to the serial port after ten minutes of inactivity;
see “serial_hw_handshake” on page 37.

Caution – As for any computer session, do not leave your session unattended.

Always use the RSC logout command before disconnecting your session. In
addition, before logging out of RSC, take care to log out of any server sessions
you initiate while using the RSC console.

RSC Client Requirements

To use the RSC graphical user interface, a client must have Sun’s RSC Java
application installed. To use the RSC command shell, a client must be an ASCII
character terminal or have ASCII character terminal emulation software installed.

Note – To run the RSC GUI Java application on a Solaris client machine, the client

machine must have the Java Development Kit for Solaris version 1.1.6 or a
subsequent compatible version installed. This software is included in the base
Solaris 7 operating environment and the Sun Enterprise 250 Supplement CD, and
can be installed along with the RSC software from the CD. The required version for
the Solaris 2.6 operating environment is available from the following location:

http://www.sun.com/solaris/java/

8 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

CHAPTER

2

Installing and Configuring RSC
Software

This chapter provides an overview of how to install and configure RSC software; for
installation instructions and help configuring RSC, see the Sun Remote System Control
(RSC) Installation Guide.

The RSC server software installation procedure allows you to set up RSC
configuration, and you can change RSC configuration after installation using RSC
commands or the rscadm utility.

Installing RSC Software

After operating system software is installed on the server to be managed, you can
install RSC software on the server.

Note – After RSC software is installed on the host, it resides in the directory

/usr/platform/sun4u.

Until RSC host software is installed and configured, the system console is available
as on any normal Sun computer. You can enable RSC as the system console device
by using the OpenBoot PROM command diag-output-to and defining the
OpenBoot PROM variables input-device and output-device as rsc. See
Chapter 6.

You must also install Sun’s RSC Java application on any client machine that will be
used to access the RSC graphical interface. The RSC Java application is available for
clients running the Solaris, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT operating
environments.

9

Note – To run the RSC GUI Java application on a Solaris client machine, the client

machine must have the Java Development Kit for Solaris version 1.1.6 or a
subsequent compatible version installed. This software is included in the base
Solaris 7 operating environment and the Sun Enterprise 250 Supplement CD, and
can be installed along with the RSC software from the CD. The required version for
the Solaris 2.6 operating environment is available from the following location:

http://www.sun.com/solaris/java/

A client machine must have ASCII terminal emulation software installed (or be an
ASCII terminal) to use the RSC shell and rscadm utility. See

Sun Remote System Control (RSC) Release Notes

for a list of supported hardware and software platforms.

Note – After the RSC Java application is installed on a Solaris client, it resides in the

directory /opt/rsc by default. On a Windows client, it resides in the directory
C:\Program Files\Sunw\Remote System Control by default.

Configuring RSC Software

After installing RSC software on the server, you run the following script to configure
RSC:

# /usr/platform/sun4u/sbin/rsc-config

After initial configuration, you can control configuration and add or modify user
accounts by using the GUI or RSC shell commands. You can also log in to the host as
root and use the rscadm utility to control RSC configuration and user accounts; see
Chapter 5.

If you are using an uninterruptible power supply for the host or a modem on the
RSC serial port, you must configure those devices properly. For configuration
examples, see Appendix A and Appendix B.

10 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

Configuring PPP

If point-to-point protocol (PPP) is enabled on the serial port, RSC supports multiple
sessions, either shell or GUI, through one modem connection. If PPP is not enabled,
only one session can be run over the modem, and it must be a shell session. RSC
supports multiple sessions over its Ethernet port.

To use PPP for dialing in to the RSC serial port, the RSC configuration variable
ppp_enabled must be set to true, or PPP must be enabled using the RSC GUI. In
addition, you must configure PPP on each client machine that will use PPP to dial in
to RSC accounts on the RSC serial port.

Configuring PPP on the Client

To allow connection to RSC from a remote client using PPP, you must configure PPP
on the client. For a Solaris client, see Configuring and Using Solstice PPP 3.0.1 Clients.
For a Windows client, see your Windows documentation.

The Solstice PPP 3.0.1 client configuration script /usr/bin/pppinit creates a
CHAT script in /etc/opt/SUNWconn/ppp/script that defines the dialog that
occurs between a client and server during the connection phase. The contents of this
CHAT script are not needed to establish a PPP connection to RSC. In order to
successfully establish connection to RSC from a Solstice PPP client, comment or
delete the contents of the CHAT script, but do not delete the file.

Redirecting the Console to RSC

Until RSC software is configured, the system console is available as on any normal
Sun machine. To enable RSC as the system console device instead, you must log in to
the server and enter the following commands at the ok prompt:

ok diag-output-to rsc

ok setenv input-device rsc

ok setenv output-device rsc

Chapter 2 Installing and Configuring RSC Software 11

These commands take effect after the next server reset. At any time, you can use the
following commands to remove RSC as the default console:

ok diag-output-to ttya

ok setenv input-device keyboard

ok setenv output-device screen

These commands take effect after the next server reset. See Chapter 6 for more
information about these OpenBoot PROM features.

Configuring Alerts

To configure alerts, choose Configure Alerts in the GUI, or set the following
configuration variables using the RSC shell or rscadm utility:

■ customerinfo

■ hostname

■ page_enabled

■ mail_enabled

■ page_info1

■ page_info2 (optional)

■ mailuser

■ mailhost

The GUI provides help for configuring RSC alerts. For help configuring RSC alert
variables in the shell, see “Alert Variables” on page 38. RSC generates alert messages
with the following format:

$HOSTID $EVENT $TIME $CUSTOMERINFO $HOSTNAME message

You can also use the rscadm subcommand send_event -c to send an alert. You
can do this directly at the superuser prompt, and you can also create a command file
that runs and sends the alert under special circumstances. See Appendix C.

12 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

Backing Up RSC Configuration

You should periodically use rscadm commands to create a backup file that records
RSC configuration settings on a remote system. For example:

# rscadm show > remote_filename

# rscadm usershow >> remote_filename

#

Use a meaningful file name that includes the name of the server that RSC controls.
Later, you can refer to this file to restore the settings if you need to reinstall RSC

software on the server or replace the server’s main logic board.

Chapter 2 Installing and Configuring RSC Software 13

14 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999

CHAPTER

3

Using the RSC Graphical Interface

The easiest way to use Sun Remote System Control is through the graphical user
interface (GUI). This chapter gives an overview of how to access the RSC GUI, and
use of RSC windows and dialog boxes.

If you need to use RSC commands and the GUI is not available, you can use RSC
shell commands. After you log in to your RSC account from a terminal window, the
RSC shell prompt appears (rsc>), and you can enter commands.

Starting the RSC GUI

If you are using a client running the Solaris operating environment, start the RSC
GUI by entering this command:

% /opt/rsc/bin/rsc

If you are using a client running the Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT
operating environment, follow these steps to start the RSC GUI:

1. Click on the Start menu.

2. Point to Programs in the Start menu.

3. Point to the Sun Remote System Control program group.

4. Click on Sun™ Remote System Control.

When the login screen appears, it prompts you to enter an RSC device name, your
RSC username, and your password.

15

Note – It is important that you enter the name or IP address of the RSC device, not

the name or IP address of the server.

To monitor or control more than one server, start a separate GUI session for each.

Accessing RSC Functions

The main screen of the Sun Remote System Control GUI lets you access the
following functions:

■ Server Status and Control

■ Show Environmental Status

■ Open Console

■ Send Break

■ Send XIR

■ Set Boot Mode

■ Reset Server

■ Power Off/On (depends on current setting)

■ View Logs

■ RSC Event Log

■ Console Boot Log

■ Console Run Log

■ Original Console Boot Log

■ Original Console Run Log

■ Reset Console Logs

■ RSC Configuration

■ Alert Settings

■ Ethernet Settings

■ Serial Port Settings

■ Set RSC Date and Time

■ Change Password

■ User Administration

■ Reset RSC

■ Help

■ Help Topics

■ About RSC

Online Help is available when you use the GUI. Additional detail about RSC
functions is provided in the sections of Chapter 4 that describe the corresponding
RSC shell commands.

16 Sun Remote System Control (RSC) User’s Guide • March 1999