Operations Console with System i Navigator

Both Operations Console and System i® Navigator, which is the graphical nterface for managing and administering your server from your Windows® desktop, can run on a single PC. Depending on how Operations Console is connected to your server, two network configuration options are available.

Operations Console allows you to use a local or remote PC to access and control a console, a control panel, or both. Operations Console enables connections or console activities across a local area network (LAN), and enables directly cabled connections. A single PC can have multiple connections to multiple servers and can be the console for multiple servers. An example is having a logically partitioned server using the same PC as the console for all logical partitions. Because each logical partition is considered a separate server, you need a separate connection to the logical partition for which you want to use the console. Operations Console allows multiple connections to a single server, but only one PC can have control of a server at a time. Based on the Operation Console connectivity, you can have either of the following methods of configuration.

The PC using Operation Console as a local console that is directly attached requires a network connection for System i Navigator. To complete the System i Navigator connection, the server needs to have a network adapter and configured IBM® i line description (LIND).
When Operations Console is connected over a serial cable attached to an asynchronous adapter on the server, System i Navigator is connected through a LAN adapter on the server. The PC communicates to Operations Console through its communication port while communicating with System i Navigator through the LAN connectivity.

Figure 1. System i Navigator and Operations Console configuration over separate connections
System i Navigator requires a network connection to the network adapter and configured IBM i LIND. Operations Console uses the service network adapter as defined by the service host name (interface name). For some System i Navigator functions, the PC is expected to be on the same network as the IBM i LIND.
Figure 2. System i Navigator and Operations Console configuration on the same network