Acer RDM User manual

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Overview
Overview 1-1
Remote Diagnostic Management (RDM) is a server service program
that allows server management control via remote station. It utilizes
modems, pagers, and telephone lines to enable a remote station to
monitor and analyze the server condition, update system BIOS
settings and quickly return the system to normal operation. This “quick
response” feature of RDM minimizes the time wasted due to system
failure and therefore, offers the best solution for the distance barrier
issue.
1.1 Features
The following features prove that RDM offers the most efficient and
practical server diagnostic service.
•Maximizes the system operation time by minimizing the down
time
•Offers the most effective diagnostic service and solves the
distance barrier issue
•Enables the remote station to function just like the main console.
It can even monitor the server boot process until the operating
system completes booting.
•Allows automatic system reboot once failure is detected
•OS-independent server, hardware, BIOS and station software
•OS-dependent drivers that can automatically detect the system
OS status
•RDM drivers that support NetWare, NT/server, and SCO UNIX

1-2 User’s Guide
1.2 Block Diagram
Figure 1-1 shows the RDM block diagram:
SYSTEM
(server administrator)
RDM STATION
(service engineer)
Figure 1-1 RDM Block Diagram
MODEM
MODEM
COM2 SIO
RDM
RDM Daughterboard
Micro-controller
MC-firmware I/O port
Hard-
ware O.S.
(RDM
Drivers
)
BIOS with
RDM
Button
LED

Overview 1-3
1.3 Architecture
RDM is consist of three main components:
1.3.1 RDM Agent
The RDM agent refers to the system with an RDM module. An RDM
module contains the microprocessor that acts as the RDM controller.
See Chapter 2 for more details on RDM module.
To enable the RDM module, the RDM agent drivers must be installed
into the RDM agent and the system BIOS must include the RDM
BIOS. Chapter 3 tells how to install the RDM drivers and how to
configure the RDM BIOS.
For information on how to configure the system BIOS, see the user’s
guide that comes with the system.
1.3.2 RDM Station
The RDM station can be any standard PC system with RDM station
software installed and the necessary peripherals connected. For
details on how to install the necessary peripherals, refer to Chapter 2.
See Chapter 3 for information on how to install the RDM station
software.

1-4 User’s Guide
1.3.3 RDM Connectivity
This refers to the RDM connection. For the RDM agent to establish
connection, it must have the RDM module, button, and the RDM agent
software installed into the server. For the RDM station, it must have
the RDM station software. For detailed information on RDM software,
see Chapter 3.
Peripherals such as modem, telephone lines, and pagers are
necessary for RDM to function properly. The RDM agent and the
RDM station communicate via modem protocol. Chapter 2 tells how to
connect the necessary peripherals into the system.
Make sure that the modem and other
peripherals are turned on. Otherwise, the
RDM agent will not be able to establish
connection with the RDM station. For
information on how to install a modem, refer
to section 2.7.
For simplicity, the RDM agent and RDM
station will be referred to as server and
station, respectively, throughout this
manual.