C H A P T E R 5 - Setting Up Server Blades

C H A P T E R 5

Setting Up Server Blades

This chapter tells you how to power on a server blade and access its console. The chapter contains the following sections:

Section 5.1, Configuring the Server Blade to Boot From the Network

Section 5.2, Powering On and Booting the Server Blade

Note - Before you set up the server blade, you must build a PXE boot install environment. See Section 4.2.2, Configuring the PXE Boot Servers.

5.1 Configuring the Server Blade to Boot From the Network

Before you can use a Linux blade, you need to configure it temporarily to boot from the network. This is to enable it to perform the PXE boot process by which it first receives its operating system.

Type the following command at the System Controller's sc> prompt to cause the blade to boot from the network

sc> bootmode bootscript="boot net" sn

where n is the number of the slot containing the blade.

Note - This command is effective for 10 minutes. After that the BIOS reverts to its previous booting behavior. Therefore, to cause the blade to boot from the network you must power it on within 10 minutes of running the bootmode command. If the blade was already powered on when you ran the bootmode command, then to cause it to boot from the network you must reset the blade within 10 minutes by typing:
sc> reset sn

5.2 Powering On and Booting the Server Blade

When you are ready, power on a server blade and boot it by following the instructions below:

1. Power on the server blade.

Type:

sc> poweron sn

where n is the number of the slot containing the server blade.

2. Log into the console of the server blade to view (and/or participate in) the booting process.

Type the following at the sc> prompt to access the blade's console:

sc> console sn

where n is the number of the slot containing the blade.

Note - Whenever you are at a blade console, type #. to return to the active System Controller.