Re: Serial Connection

On Thu, 2002-07-18 at 14:15, Scott Henry wrote:
> 
> IF the motherboards of the machines you are using are Intel server
> MBs, then they probably support EMP (External Management Protocol,
> or something like that). It can be enabled from the BIOS (and takes
> over one of the serial ports). You then connect crossed (or circular
> for more than 2 nodes) serial cables between the serial ports. There
> is support in Failsafe for using VACM as interface to the EMP
> protocol for reset. You can get VACM from (I think)
> <http://vacm.sourceforge.net/>. You only really need the emp.loose
> module (it's been a while since I've played with it...)

About VACM...it uses some older version of the IPMI protocol("EMP" is
IPMI using a serial interface).  I don't know the exact version of what
IPMI protocol they are using, but indeed the messages(authentication and
power-control messages comes to mind) are quite different from the newer
IPMI 1.5 spec(available on Intel's developer website).

If you have a newer Intel IPMI-capable mainboard(we have Intel SDS2s),
VACM will _not_ work.  But I think you could give it a spin on older
mainboards(T440x? L440x?).

Your other option would be to simply write your own little program to
communicate with the Intel via IPMI serial or LAN interface; the IPMI
specs give all the details to do so.  You would think Intel providing
linux source for such things...

--Kashif


> 
> The advantage is that you only need serial cables to support reset
> (fencing), the disadvantage is that you have no serial ports left
> for console... It is a little nicer on the system, as it does a
> controled power down, unlike the brute-force of (effectively)
> "pulling the cord".
> 
> But STONITH with an external remote-controlled power switch is much
> more likely to be supported on your systems...
> 
> -- 
>  Scott Henry <[email protected]> /  Help! My disclaimer is missing!
>  IRIX/Linux MTS,             /  http://reality.sgiweb.org/scotth/
>  Silicon Graphics, Inc      /  SGI-One step ahead
> 
> [Note: [email protected] and [email protected] aren't for humans ]  
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