Using the operations console service functions

Operations console service functions are the emergency operations console recovery functions. This section gives an overview of the functions and details on how the operations console service function works.

Note: This is a service function that requires familiarity of control panel functions. Improper use of this service function can cause the system to become unstable. Call your local support for assistance if you have concerns about making your system unstable.
The operations console service functions are accessed by operator panel function 65. The combination of panel operator functions 65 and 21 is not needed to sequence or progress through the service functions (options or commands), but an operator panel function 21 is still required to perform a function. The combination of panel operator functions 65 and 21 was needed in releases previous to IBM i 7.5. To summarize:
  • In IBM i 7.4, function 65 always means Ready to load next option in the panel function sequence, and requires function 21 to complete the load.
  • In IBM i 7.5, function 65 always means Load the next option in the panel function sequence.
  • Function 11, 12, and 13 are used to display the full result.
  • Function 21 always means Perform the operation.

The following operations console service functions are available:

  • Change the operations console type value (03-04)

    You can use the operations console service functions to change the operations console type from its current value to another. Two types of operations console are supported: LAN-attached and HMC-attached. For example, you were attached to an HMC (console type 04) and now need to detach to set back to LAN operations console. Use value 03 to change to LAN operations console.

  • Display current IP addresses that are used by LAN operations console (A1)

    This option requires selecting functions 12 and 13 to see the 8 SRC words that represent the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses. Multiple IP addresses might exist, so more operator panel functions (65+11+12+13) are required to see any additional addresses.

  • Clear the resource and configuration for the LAN adapter that is used by Operations Console (C3)

    With this option, you can disassociate the current LAN adapter that is used for Operations Console. You might use this option to overcome a mistake in the configuration. For example, assume that you made a typing error and entered another device's IP address. At connection time, the client configured the system's LAN adapter for use by the console, but the console fails to connect because the other device is active. This option clears the system's network data for the console and allows you to delete the client's configuration so that you can start over and make the BOOTP work again.

    Depending on your intent to clear the LAN adapter configuration you might also want to stop and restart the LAN adapter. The example here would benefit from following the clear function with a deactivate and activate (A3) function to save time from having to do an IPL.

  • Set the server configuration IP address to a known address (192.168.2.150) (C4)

    This option is used when DHCP or BOOTP fails to set the server IP address.

    This option requires the configuration to be cleared first with function C3. Option C3 must be performed with a function 21. Then immediately perform a function 65.

    Option C4 is displayed. Then use function 21 to perform the set function. The A3 option is required after the C4 option. Before using option A3, you might want to set other configuration options using these options (E1,E2,D1,D2).

  • Clear LIC service tool server DCM objects (C5)

    This option clears the user defined service tool server certificate and SSL control settings. Use this option if the user defined service tool service certificate is not working with the ACS client and the certificate cannot be removed by using the DCM interface. After the information is cleared, a new SSL environment is created and the old environment is closed. The new environment uses the system default certificate and control settings.

    After using this option the configuration in DCM will not match with what the service tool server is now using. Once the system is at the command line and the DCM interface is available, synchronize the configuration by removing all user-defined service tool server certificates that are configured for the IBM i System Service application definition.

    Using this option does not prevent the DCM objects from being put into effect the next time the DCM configuration is changed.

  • Deactivate followed by an activate of the LAN adapter that is used by Operations Console (A3)

    With this option, you can reset the LAN adapter that is used by Operations Console, when some network problem causes the system to get into a bad state and the console cannot become active. This forces the LAN adapter to deactivate, and then start back up again. This might clear up the problem, providing the original problem that caused the connection failure has been solved.

    This option may be used in place of an IPL for some circumstances, such as after a clear of the LAN adapter configuration.

  • Emergency Service Tool ID 11111111 (C6)

    This option is for rare cases when an operations console ID is needed to get to the operating system console because other service tool User ID passwords are not known.

  • Dump Operations Console flight recorders to vlogs (DD)
    Note: This option will not work if the system performs IPL in D-mode.

    This option allows you to capture valuable debug information regarding a console connection failure for support personnel. This method is less intrusive than performing a main storage dump which would force an IPL. When used, an attempt is made to gather all the flight recorder logs from the many parts of the code that is used by Operations Console. A set of vlogs is created for major code 4A00 and minor code 0500. These vlogs can then be sent to your service provider for analysis.

    Note: When possible, perform an IPL on the system to guarantee all vlogs get created even if the IPL fails. The intent is that LIC has started the vlog tasks prior to performing the dump of flight recorders.
The following functions are available when not managed by an HMC. The values that are displayed depend on the model and code level.
  • Enabling or disabling the embedded Ethernet port and add-on LAN adapters (E1, E2, D1, D2)
    Note: For a list of supported adapters, go to the Operations Console hardware requirements topic. All the adapters in the table are available for add-on LAN adapter. The HEA is controlled by embedded Ethernet port value and VLAN is controlled by the management console.
  • Selecting an individual LAN adapter location (B0, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, BA, BB, BC)

How operation console service functions work

The section is an overview of how console service functions work. Console service functions allow you to manually step through the console functions to configure the console and restart the adapter for the console. You will cycle through a series of commands or options. Access to the console service functions requires the operator panel be in manual mode. Set the manual mode by completing the following steps:
  1. Locate the server's control panel.
  2. Press the Up Arrow key until you see 02, and press Enter.
  3. Press Enter again. A < (less than symbol) appears next to N. N indicates Normal mode.
  4. Press the Up Arrow key. The N changes to an M. M indicates Manual mode.
  5. Press Enter.
  6. Press Enter twice. A 02 is displayed on the control panel.
Note: In the following steps, when selecting a function with Up or Down, use the arrow on the operator panel.
If you cycle through panel functions and do not see function 65, you must first enable the extended panel functions. Use the following steps to enable the extended panel functions:
  1. If not already in manual mode, use function 02 as described above.
  2. Using Up and Down, select function 25. Press Enter. The panel responds with 00.
  3. Use Up to select function 26. Press Enter. The panel should respond with 00. If FF is shown, repeat steps 2 and 3.
Perform the first function 65.
  1. Use Up to select function 65. Press Enter. The panel responds with 00.
  2. Use Up to select function 11. Press Enter. SRC A6nn500A will be displayed, which indicates the current console type.
Now that you have done your first function 65, subsequent entering of function 65 will result in SRCs being displayed in the format of SRC A6nn500x . Use Down to select function 11 for each function 65. The values for x in the SRC mean:
A6nn500A
You are displaying the current console type setting.
A6nn500B
You did a second function 65, so you are in edit mode. From here, additional function 65s will cycle through the available console service function options that are identified by the nn in the SRC. For more information on the various options, see Console service function options. When you reach the one you want, you will select function 21 to perform the displayed function.
A6nn500C
You had used function 65 to cycle through the available console service functions and found the function you wanted. You then selected function 21 again to perform the displayed service function nn. For example, you selected function 21 again when SRC A6C3500B was displayed, which caused service function C3 to be performed, which cleared the LAN configuration and then displayed A6C3500C to indicate the C3 service function had completed.
A6nn500D
More than 60 seconds have passed after the last function 65. This is the normal way to exit the console service functions. If you had intended to continue make changes, you need to enter edit mode again by selecting function 65.

Console service function options

When you are in edit mode (SRC A6nn500B), you will perform additional function 65, and the service function options will be displayed in the order shown in the list below, where the nn in the SRC is identifying the service function option. If you want to do a particular function, you select function 21 again to perform the operation. The options are:
  • 0y = Current console setting.
    Since the console cannot be changed back to 0 after it has been one of the other values, and it is not necessary to ever set the console type to 4 because a Hardware Management Console (HMC) would automatically connect and set the console type to 4, the only value to ever set would be 3 to configure a LAN Operations console. If the console type is 04, you must cycle thru all the options until A603500B. The y in the current console setting has these meanings:
    • 0 = No console configured (factory default setting that indicates the system has never had a console)
      • The next 65 will be setting the console to LAN.
    • 3 = LAN Operations Console
      • Select Function 21 again and press Enter if you need to change the console type to LAN.
      • Select Function 11 to confirm that the SRC A603500C is displayed.
    • 4 = Hardware Management Console (HMC)
      • Select Function 21 again and press Enter if you want to change the console type.
      • Select Function 11 to confirm that the SRC A604500C is displayed.
  • A1 = Display current IP addresses that are used by LAN console.
    If you want to see the IP addresses, you will need to select function 12 and press Enter and select function 13 and press Enter. Note that as you step function 65, A1 will appear once for each unique IP address. IBM® automatically generates IP addresses to simplify set-up. As an example, typically the system automatically generates 1 IPv4 and 2 IPv6 IP addresses, so it would look like the following:
    • Select function 11 and press Enter to display the SRC A6A1500B.
    • Select function 12 and press Enter to display the next words of the SRC. The display will show 0D200060 A9FE3E27, which is the auto generated IPv4 169.254.62.39; and FE800000 00000000, which is the first half of the auto generated IPv6.
    • Select function 13 and press Enter to view the remaining words. The display will show 34C06BFF FE6A3C08, which is the second half of the auto generated IPv6 address FE80::34C0:6BFF:FE6A:3C08.
    • Select function 65 and press Enter. It will display the next set of IP addresses.
    • Select function 11 and press Enter, SRC A6A1500B is displayed.
    • Select function 12 and press Enter, this will display the next SRC words. The display will show 0D200060 00000000, which indicates no additional IPv4 addresses, and 20020905 150E0501, which is the first half of the next auto generated IPv6 address.
    • Select function 13 to get the remaining words. The display will show 34C06BFF FE6A3C08, which is the second half of the next auto generated IPv6 2002:0905:150E:0501:34C0:6BFF:FE6A:3C08.
    • The next function 65 could be another A6A1500B or the next service function option (C3).
  • C3 = Clear LAN configuration.

    This option is most often used when cloning or moving a system, or changing hardware associated with the operations console.

  • C4 = Set the server configuration IP address to a known address (192.168.2.150).

    This option is skipped if C3 not performed first. The option is used in the rare cases when the system fails to find the console, and you want another address to try. The A3 option is required after the C4 option to activate the new IP address. Before using option A3, you might want to set other configuration parameters using options E1,E2,D1,D2, and Bn.

  • C5 = Clear LIC service tool server DCM (Digital Certificate Manager) objects.

    This option is used in the rare cases when you cannot connect the operations console due to certificate errors or expiration. The certificates are cleared, and a default imbedded certificate will be used.

  • A3 = Deactivate followed by an activate of the Operations Console.

    This option resets the console and should be done after all C4, E1, E2, D1, and D2 operations console configuration changes have been made.

  • Start of changeC6 = Create emergency Service Tool ID 11111111.

    This option is used for rare cases when an operations console (LAN console) ID is needed to connect the operating system console because other service tool user ID and passwords are not known. This option is restricted and will not create the emergency tool ID if multi-factor authentication is enabled (on) in service tools. and the result will be return code FFFF000C in word 13 of the src panel.

    End of change
  • DD = Dump all console-related flight recorder into a set of LIC logs.

    This option should only be used when directed by IBM support.

  • E1 = Enable Ethernet embedded port.

    This option is used to override automatic system configuration. Best practice is to use option E1 or E2, but not both.

  • E2 = Enable add-on LAN adapters.

    This option is used to override automatic system configuration. Best practice is to use option E1 or E2, but not both.

  • D1 = Disable Ethernet embedded port.

    This option is used to override automatic system configuration. Do not disable both the Ethernet embedded port and the add-on LAN adapters.

  • D2 = Disable add-on LAN adapters.

    This option is used to override automatic system configuration. Do not disable both the Ethernet embedded port and the add-on LAN adapters.

  • Bn = Enable LAN adapter in slot C0 (Power10 only), C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, CA, CB, or CC, where n is the number of the slot.

    Only the slots supported by your server’s machine type and model will be shown. Starting with Power10 systems, the slots appear in reverse order to put the most likely choices first.

An example of setting console would be if the console type is 00 (not set) and you want 03 (LAN): 


Function  Display   Comments
65        00        Load first option to start access for console service
                    functions. 00 is displayed to indicate success. 
11        A600500A  Displays result. In this case, SRC indicates you are 
                    in display mode, and the console type is 0 so no  
                    console type is set.
65        00        Load next option in the panel function sequence. 
11        A603500B  Displays result. In this case, A603500B was loaded and 
                    would allow setting of console to type 03 (LAN console).
21        00        Perform the operation. In this case, the console is set 
                    to 03. 
11        A603500C  Displays result. In this case, confirms console type is 
                    now 03. Repeat Function 11 until this SRC is displayed.
                    This may take several minutes.

You are done at this point, but you may want to see which IP addresses are being used by operations LAN console. The next 65 and a function 11 will display SRC A6A1500B, where function 12 and 13 can be used to see the IP addresses.