Learn how to cable your server with a console or interface that
is available for your server. This might include the Advanced System Management
Interface (ASMI), Hardware Management Console (HMC), Integrated Virtualization Manager,
Operations Console, twinaxial console, or the Thin Console for System i5®.
If you are installing a new server and have not created a customized setup
checklist, see Creating a customized initial server setup checklist. The initial
server setup checklist provides an end-to-end setup checklist for you to use
throughout the entire initial server setup of your server. The checklist ensures
that the system is capable of starting and that it is functional before you
perform more complex and custom configurations. For more information, see
Initial server setup.
To learn more about the cabling options that are available for your server,
see the following console and interface descriptions. Then, for more information,
see Planning for consoles, interfaces, and terminals.
- Advanced System Management Interface
- The Advanced System Management Interface (ASMI) is the interface to the
service processor that allows you to perform general and administrator-level
service tasks, such as reading service processor error logs, reading vital
product data, setting up the service processor, and controlling the system
power. The ASMI might also be referred to as the service processor menus.
Set up access to the ASMI if you plan to manage the IBM® AIX®, Linux®,
or i5/OS® operating
systems without an HMC.
- Hardware Management Console
- The Hardware Management Console (HMC) is a dedicated workstation
that runs integrated system management software. The HMC manages
hardware tasks and configures logical partitions on managed systems. It also
acts as a focal point for hardware detection and reporting.
- Integrated Virtualization Manager
- The Integrated Virtualization Manager provides
a Web-based system management interface and a command-line interface that
you can use to manage and configure IBM System p5® and eServer™ p5 servers that use the IBM Virtual I/O Server. On the managed system,
you can create logical partitions, manage the virtual storage and virtual
Ethernet, and view service information related to the server. The Integrated Virtualization Manager is packaged with the Virtual I/O Server, but it is enabled
only on certain platforms and where no Hardware Management Console (HMC) is present.
- Operations Console (for IBM System i5 and eServer i5 models
only)
- Operations Console allows you to use one or more PCs to access and control,
either remotely or locally, the server console and control panel functions.
Set up Operations Console if you plan to manage the i5/OS operating
system in a partitioned environment or if you plan to manage a server with
the i5/OS operating system
in a nonpartitioned environment. If you plan to manage a server with i5/OS in a nonpartitioned environment,
you must also set up access to the ASMI to communicate with the service processor.
- Twinaxial Console (for IBM System i5 and eServer i5 models
only)
- The twinaxial console uses a basic command-line interface to access and
manage the server, and it does not require the use of a PC to act as a console.
Set up the twinaxial console if you plan to manage the i5/OS operating
system in a partitioned environment or if you plan to manage a server with
the i5/OS operating system
in a nonpartitioned environment. If you plan to manage a server with i5/OS in a nonpartitioned environment,
you must also set up access to the ASMI to communicate with the service processor.
- Thin Console for System i5 (for IBM System i5 and eServer i5 models only)
- The Thin Console provides
a 5250 system console for the IBM i5/OS environment
on select systems that are not managed by an HMC.
Additional hardware support is not required because the Thin Console connects
to the server directly by using one of the HMC ports
and is configured in i5/OS as
the HMC using all virtual
resources. This console device is not supported on an Ethernet network even
if the server is already connected. A cable must connect this device directly
to the HMC port (either HMC1 or HMC2)
on the server, and no other console device can be attached to the remaining HMC port.
To start cabling your server, first see Select by model,
and then use the other links listed below for additional information.
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