Using a web browser
If you need occasional monitoring and control of managed objects connected to a single local HMC, use a web browser. An example of using the web browser might be an off-hours monitor from home by an operator or system programmer.
Each HMC contains a web server that can be configured to allow remote access for a specified set of users. If a customer firewall exists between the web browser and the local HMC, the ports must be accessible and the firewall setup to allow incoming requests on these ports. Table 1 shows the ports that a web browser needs for communicating with an HMC.
| Port | Use |
|---|---|
| TCP 443 | Secure (HTTPS) remote interface communication |
| TCP 8443 | Secure browser access to web server communication |
| TCP 9960 | Browser applet communication |
| 1This port is opened in the HMC firewall when remote access is enabled in HMC Version 7.8.0 and later. This port must also be opened in any firewall that is between the remote client and the HMC. | |
After an HMC has been configured to allow web browser access, a web browser gives an enabled user access to all the configured functions of a local HMC, except those functions that require physical access to the HMC, such as those that use the local diskette or USB Mass Storage devices. The user interface presented to the remote web browser user is the same as that of the local HMC and is subject to the same constraints as the local HMC.
The web browser can be connected to the local HMC using a LAN TCP/IP connection and using only encrypted (HTTPS) protocols. Logon security for a web browser is provided by the HMC user-login procedures. Certificates for secure communications are provided, and can be changed by the user (see Manage Certificates).
Performance and the availability of the status information and access to the control functions of the managed objects depends on the reliability, availability, and responsiveness of the network that interconnects the web browser with the local HMC. Because there is no direct connection between the web browser and the individual managed objects, the web browser does not monitor the connection to each service processor, does not do any recovery, and does not report any lost connections. These functions are handled by the local HMC
The web browser system does not require connectivity to IBM® for service or support. Maintenance of the browser and system level is the responsibility of the customer.
If the URL of the HMC is specified using the format https://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx (where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address) and Microsoft Internet Explorer is used as the browser, a hostname mismatch message is displayed. To avoid this message, a Firefox browser is used or a hostname is configured for the HMC, using the Change Network Settings task (see Change Network Settings), and this hostname is specified in the URL instead of an IP address. For example, you can use the format https://hostname.domain_name or https://hostname (for example, using https://hmc1.ibm.com or https://hmc1).
