The Sun SPARC T5xxx series servers have an integrated Service Processor that controls the server from outside of the Operating System. The SP (Service Processor) is a small secondary computer built into the server for Lights Out Management, it has a TCP/IP network interface that runs several services.

The SP runs an SSH server over the ILOM interface. Connecting to this interface will drop you into the ILOM Shell, which looks like this:

[root@lightsout ~]# ssh -l root zfs1.ilom
Password: 
Waiting for daemons to initialize...

Daemons ready

Sun(TM) Integrated Lights Out Manager

Version 3.0.6.1.d r48331

Copyright 2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms.

-> 

The T5220 servers have a port labeled Serial MGMT. The connection settings for this port are 9600 8N1 with *no* flow control. To configure minicom press ctrl-o and select Serial port setup and configure the settings like this:

    ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    │ A -    Serial Device      : /dev/modem                               |
    │                                                                      |
    │ C -   Callin Program      :                                          |
    │ D -  Callout Program      :                                          |
    │ E -    Bps/Par/Bits       : 9600 8N1                                 |
    │ F - Hardware Flow Control : No                                       |
    │ G - Software Flow Control : No                                       |
    │                                                                      |
    │    Change which setting?                                             |
    └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

We will cover common tasks using the ILOM Shell, please refer to the Oracle Documentation for extended information.

The most common reason to connect to the ILOM Shell is to open the Operating System Console. We can open this console by running:

-> start -f SP/console                                    <--- the -f flag will ensure you don't start a read-only session
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y

Serial console started.  To stop, type #.                 <--- typing #. exits the OS console

root@zfs1:~#                                              <--- Here we are now connected to Solaris

If you start the SP/console (OS console) and find that there is no response, this could mean that there is a console open on the Serial interface. However this could also mean that the OS is booting, the OS is hung or even something else. It's harmless to try stopping all SP/consoles so it might be worth trying:

-> start SP/console
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y
Console session already in use. [view mode]

Serial console started.  To stop, type #.
                                                                 <--- if we get no response, back out by pressing #.
Serial console stopped.

-> stop SP/console                                               <--- and then stop the console
Are you sure you want to stop /SP/console (y/n)? y

-> start SP/console                                              <--- then start one more time
Are you sure you want to start /SP/console (y/n)? y

Serial console started.  To stop, type #.

root@zfs1:~# 

To gracefully shut down a server

-> stop SYS

To force a shutdown

-> stop -force SYS

To reset/reboot

-> reset SYS

To force reset

-> reset -force SYS

To start a server that is powered off

-> start SYS

To see if the host is powered on

-> show HOST

 /HOST
    Targets:
	bootmode
	diag
	domain

    Properties:
	autorestart = reset
	autorunonerror = false
	bootfailrecovery = poweroff
	bootrestart = none
	boottimeout = 0
	hypervisor_version = Hypervisor 1.7.4.a 2009/09/21 08:25
	macaddress = 00:21:28:6c:e2:82
	maxbootfail = 3
	obp_version = OBP 4.30.4 2009/08/19 07:23
	post_version = POST 4.30.4 2009/08/19 07:49
	send_break_action = (none)
	status = Solaris running                                               <--- Solaris is running
	sysfw_version = Sun System Firmware 7.2.4.e 2009/09/21 09:50

    Commands:
	cd
	set
	show

To send a break to the running OS, this will bring you to the ok prompt if the server is powered on

set /HOST send_break_action=break

Type exit to disconnect

-> exit

The ILOM ports on the three T5220 ZFS server in 003 have been made accessible through the server lightsout.cs.virginia.edu. From lightsout we can access the ZFS servers via ssh.

10.1.2.2    lightsout.ilom
10.1.2.5    zfs3.ilom
10.1.2.9    zfs2.ilom
10.1.2.11   zfs1.ilom
[root@lightsout ~]# ssh -l root zfs1.ilom
Password: