Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:37:52 -0700 From: Jeremy Chadwick <koitsu@freebsd.org> To: Johan =?iso-8859-1?Q?Str=F6m?= <johan@stromnet.se> Cc: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Subject: Re: HP ProLiant DL360 G5 success stories? Message-ID: <20080317113752.GA44336@eos.sc1.parodius.com> In-Reply-To: <7982C43A-4252-46EC-9FA1-5AE78CFD88B0@stromnet.se> References: <E1JZPFI-000Diz-Ml@dilbert.ticketswitch.com> <89A232E0-CB36-4EE0-B66D-DCA4AB6F20DD@stromnet.se> <47D85B27.1000006@osoft.us> <D30BD4BD-A697-4DF3-B520-526D7CAE20C8@stromnet.se> <47D86A01.8070500@osoft.us> <20080316073616.GQ87650@evil.alameda.net> <7FA8F29C-8D96-49E7-A927-8482F0ADBED1@stromnet.se> <20080317085240.GA40391@eos.sc1.parodius.com> <7982C43A-4252-46EC-9FA1-5AE78CFD88B0@stromnet.se>
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On Mon, Mar 17, 2008 at 12:16:10PM +0100, Johan Ström wrote: >> The advantage to iLO is that it's the equivalent of KVM-over-IP, >> supporting virtual media too (read: an ISO image on your laptop/local >> client machine being used as a CD on the server itself, thus you can >> install whatever OS you want, etc.). You get NATIVE VGA CONSOLE >> remotely on the machine -- there is no "serial console", and that's >> always best. I've seen it in action, and it's *awesome*. > > For advanced license yes. Thats another $400 or so (which might not be very > much money for big corps but for me and my one server installation its > more..) AFAIK, Advanced License will get you support for graphical/VESA/VGA modes, and provide virtual media. The standard iLO2 shipped with existing ProLiants should give you full VGA console (80x25) access, power-cycle capability, yadda yadda. Do you really need video support? The virtual media stuff is *really* cool, but it shouldn't be a problem to live without it. >> Said iLO capability usually works over a series of TCP or UDP ports, >> somtimes even supporting HTTP (on the iLO module itself!) which means if >> its on a private network, you can tunnel to it using SSH or similar >> utilities via another box in the co-lo. Then simply access >> 127.0.0.1:whatever in the ActiveX, Java, or native Win32/Linux client >> and voila -- you have the machines' native VGA console in front of you, >> with no issues relating to serial console. No more "ohhh, the bootup >> configuration uses 9600bps, but our serial console servers are >> configured to use 115200bps... but the disk isn't booting so it's still >> using 9600bps at that stage, now I HAVE to go to the datacenter" >> scenarios. > > Yep, there are some downsides with serial console. But if it works, i'd > rather use a normal ssh client in my terminal together with the virtual > serial port than sitting in a web browser. But i'll guess I'm going to > evaluate the serial port option when I get the box, and if it isnt working > to good i'll just have to throw up the money and get the advanced license > (even if i'd rather use that money on more "fun" things..) Okay, I understand. iLO2 provides serial-over-Ethernet, if I remember correctly. I forget how this works from a networking standpoint (if it's a TCP port you connect to, or if it's some custom protocol), but safe to say someone out there knows. :-) >> I do not trust IPMI based on stories I have heard from Yahoo! SAs, >> talking about how every implementation is different (so much for a >> "standard"), and how the number of bugs in Supermicro's IPMI >> implementation are absurd. Supposedly Intel and others have done a >> better job with it, but I lost all interest in it once I found that >> there was no real "standard". Besides, anything that "piggybacks" on >> top of an existing LAN port (even some iLO implementations do this!) is >> worth avoiding. I do not want to deal with a single NIC emitting two >> separate MAC addresses -- and that's what happens. It's sometimes >> referred to as "ASF" as well. > > I've got a supermicro ipmi card now and.. I'm afraid I cannot describe it > with better words than "crappy toy".. Constant IPMI card restarts/crashes, > the serial consol java browser applet stopping responding, firmware > upgrades that b0rks the card totally etc... I'm hearing you on FM! :-) You're the 4th or 5th person I've seen who has reported the exact same behaviour with Supermicro's IPMI cards. It makes me VERY glad that I did not shell out the extra cash for the IPMI add-on modules for our Supermicro boxes in our rack. IPMI is one of those things that's presented as a great idea (and it but the actual implementations done by vendors (or at least Supermicro) appears to be a complete mess. Very disappointing. Anyways, once you figure out the iLO2 stuff, be sure to send a mail describing how its working out for you. I've been very curious about it myself, since the last time I saw a ProLiant box, it was one which had an iLO add-on module (e.g. not integrated), and it was first-gen iLO. It was still VERY impressive, but I'm curious to know how things have matured. -- | Jeremy Chadwick jdc at parodius.com | | Parodius Networking http://www.parodius.com/ | | UNIX Systems Administrator Mountain View, CA, USA | | Making life hard for others since 1977. PGP: 4BD6C0CB |
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