Cabling the server and accessing Operations Console

You can use Operations Console to manage a server that is running the IBM® i operating system.

Before you begin

You can access the Operations Console via a LAN connection to IBM i by using IBM i Access Client Solutions .

To cable the server and to access the Operations Console, complete the following steps:
  1. Ensure that your server is powered off.
  2. Obtain a static IP address that is assigned to the LAN console adapter on the server so that the console can use it. Note the Internet Protocol (IP) address, subnet mask, and default gateway. Optionally, select a unique host name and register the host name and the IP address in your site's Domain Name System (DNS).
    Note: This IP address is used by the Operations Console stack on the IBM i interface and is different from the IP address that is used to connect a normal Telnet session. The IP address must not be in use by another server. Ping the IP address on a PC connected to a network to verify that no other device is using the IP address. You should not receive replies.
To set up the Operations Console, complete the following steps:
  1. Install on a network-connected personal computer.
    Note: To run IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS) on a workstation, you must install Java. ACS is a Java-based program and Java is required to run ACS. For information about ACS Java requirements, see IBM i Access - ACS Getting Started
    Note: It is recommended that you log onto the PC as the local administrator. This ensures that you have all the privileges that you need to modify the PC and to start a console session. Also, ensure that you are running the latest version of ACS. For more information, see IBM i Access - Client Solutions 5733XJ1
  2. Cable the PC to a server. Plug a Cat 5e or Cat 6 (recommended) Ethernet cable to the PC and into the T0 port, which is usually the top or far-right port on the first Ethernet adapter. To determine the server adapter port that you must use, refer to the following table:
    Table 1. Server Operations Console LAN slots
    Server Operations Console - LAN slot
    9105-41B C7, C8, C9, C10, C11
    9105-22A, 9105-42A, 9786-22H, or 9786-42H C0, C1, C2, C3, C4, C7, C8, C9, C10, C11
    9028-21B C0, C1, C2, C3
    Note: Make the initial connection with the PC that is directly cabled to the server. The PC and server can be re-cabled to the network after the initial connection is made and a static IP address has been assigned to the Operations Console port. A cross-over cable is not needed. For more information, see Adapter requirements
  3. Configure the PC network. To configure the PC network using a Windows-based PC, complete the following steps:
    1. Open Windows Control Panel and access the adapter settings. Select Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings.
    2. Ensure that only the Local Area Connection is enabled. If other adapters are enabled, disable them.
    3. Right-click the adapter that you previously connected to the server and select Properties.
    4. select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and select Properties.
      Note: If you are returning the device to the network after you set up the Operations Console, record the IP information that is displayed.
    5. Select Obtain an IP address automatically. This ensures that the PC receives an IP address in the 169.254.x.x range.
  4. Disable any PC firewalls.
    Note: All PC firewalls must be disabled for the initial connection.
  5. On the PC, open a supported web browser. In the address bar, enter the IP address of the eBMC system to which you want to connect. For example, you can use the format https://<eBMC IP> in the address bar of the web browser. From the ASMI logon window, select the language and enter the username and password.
    Note: The default user ID is admin and the password is the password that was created when you accessed the eBMC.
    Click Log in.
  6. Power on the server using the ASMI by completing the following steps:
    1. In the navigation area, select Operations > Server power operations. The power state of the system displays.
    2. Set the Server firmware start policy to Standby and save the settings.
    3. Power on the server with the current settings by clicking the Power on button under Operations.
  7. Use the eBMC to set the console type to LAN. To use the eBMC to set the console type to LAN, complete the following steps:
    1. Set the location of the Ethernet adapter port that the LAN console will use. In the eBMC interface, select Server Power Operations > Settings > IBMi console.
    2. Set the IBMi console to the target Ethernet adapter port.
    3. Save the settings and select Continue to OS Running.
    4. Once the system displays C60041F6, continue with the next step.
    Note: The system can take up to 30 minutes to complete this action. If A6005008 displays on the control panel, this means that the system was unable to identify an available Operations Console. This might indicate that the system is not preinstalled with IBM i and you must set the console type to LAN.
  8. Connect the Operations Console by completing the following steps:
    1. Open IBM i Access Client Solutions (ACS).
    2. Under Management, click System Configurations.
    3. Select Locate Console.
    4. Click Search. After a few seconds, a connection displays. Click the connection and then click Console.
    5. In the Pending Authorization window, sign in with user ID and default password QSECOFR / QSECOFR. Change the password.
    6. Accept the security certificate. Ensure that you accept it, otherwise your connection will not continue. A console window opens. If the window is blank at first but the cursor is in the upper left corner, it means that the screen is waiting for the media to provide the information to be displayed.
  9. To set a static IP address for the Operations Console, complete the following steps:
    1. Sign in using the QSECOFR user ID and the password that you created in the previous step.
      Note: The password is case-sensitive.
    2. At the DST Main Menu b, select Option 3- Use Dedicated Service Tools.
    3. Select Option 5- Work with DST environment.
    4. Select Option 2- System Devices.
    5. Select Option 7- Configure service tools LAN adapter.
    6. Type the IP settings that you want to use. Optional: For the host name for Service Tools, you can type a host name if it is also registered in your network DNS. It is recommended that you type the word Default and enter the IP address that you want to use.
    7. Press F7 to store the information.
    8. Press F17 to Deactivate the session and then press it again to Activate. This causes your session to close.
  10. To create a connection to the static IP, complete the following steps:
    1. Either move the PC and Operations Console port both to the network or re-configure the PC IP settings to be in the same subnet that you just configured for the service tools LAN adapter.
    2. Return to the ACS interface and select the window labeled System Configurations.
    3. Click New.
    4. If you will use this connection to connect to other functions, type the system name that you plan to use in the General tab.
    5. Click the Console tab.
    6. Under the LAN Console/Virtual Control panel, type the IP address of the service tools LAN adapter in the Service Host Name field.
    7. Click OK and close system configurations window.
    8. In the main ACS menu, click System and select the system that you created.
    9. Under Console, click 5250 Console. Sign in using your ID and password. Continue with your IPL.

Continue with Completing the server setup.