NEC NECCare Platinum Express5800/A1160 User manual

EXPRESS5800/A1160
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Service Processor
Troubleshooting Guide 

Proprietary Notice and Liability Disclaimer
The information disclosed in this document, including all designs and related materials, is the
valuable property of NEC Corporation of America, Inc. and/or its licensors. NEC Corporation
of America and/or its licensors, as appropriate, reserve all patent, copyright and other
proprietary rights to this document, including all design, manufacturing, reproduction, use,
and sales rights thereto, except to the extent said rights are expressly granted to others.
The NEC Corporation of America product(s) discussed in this document are warranted in
accordance with the terms of the Warranty Statement accompanying each product. However,
actual performance of each product is dependent upon factors such as system configuration,
customer data, and operator control. Since implementation by customers of each product
may vary, the suitability of specific product configurations and applications must be
determined by the customer and is not warranted by NEC Corporation of America.
To allow for design and specification improvements, the information in this document is
subject to change at any time, without notice. Reproduction of this document or portions
thereof without prior written approval of NEC Corporation of America is prohibited.
Trademarks
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Intel and Itanium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
All other product, brand, or trade names used in this publication are the trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.
PN: 456-01807-000 December, 2008
Copyright 2008
NEC Corporation of America
10850 Gold Center Drive, Suite 200,
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
All Rights Reserved

iii
Contents
Section 1 Introduction ....................................................................1-1
1.1. Documentation Updates..................................................................... 1-1
1.2. Preparing to Restore the Service Processor...................................... 1-1
1.2.1. Identifying the Boot Cell..................................................................... 1-1
1.2.2. Recording Partition Configuration...................................................... 1-3
1.2.3. Workstation Requirements................................................................. 1-3
1.3. Accessing the Service Processor....................................................... 1-3
1.3.1. Logging On to Partition Remote Console Interface............................ 1-3
1.3.2. Accessing EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor Interface.............................. 1-4
Section 2 Upgrading the Service Processor.................................2-1
2.1. Checking Management Firmware Level using Remote console
interface ............................................................................................. 2-1
2.2. Obtaining Releases from the Support Site......................................... 2-3
2.3. Updating Management Firmware using Remote console interface ...2-3
Section 3 Troubleshooting the Service Processor ......................3-1
3.1. Possible Problem Symptoms for the Service Processor.................... 3-1
3.2. Loss of Communication With Partition Remote console interface ..... 3-1
3.2.1. Pinging the Service Processor........................................................... 3-1
3.2.2. Verifying Network Access to Your System.......................................... 3-2
3.2.3. Verifying Partition Network Settings................................................... 3-3
3.2.4. Rebooting the Service Processor....................................................... 3-4
3.2.5. Restoring the Service Processor to Default Settings......................... 3-4
3.3. Cell Is Not Responding ...................................................................... 3-5
3.3.1. Rebooting the Service Processor....................................................... 3-5
3.3.2. Checking Cell Interconnect Cable Connections.................................3-6
3.3.3. Restoring the Service Processor to Default Settings......................... 3-6
3.4. Error Messages Displayed on EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor LCD...... 3-6
3.4.1. Message: “ID Indeterminate”.............................................................. 3-7
3.4.2. Message: “ID Conflict”........................................................................ 3-7

Contents
iv
3.4.3. Message: “Segment Conflict”............................................................. 3-8
3.4.4. Message: “Segment Down” ............................................................... 3-9
3.4.5. Message: “Switch Error” .................................................................. 3-10
Section 4 Restoring the Service Processor .................................4-1
4.1. Before Restoring to Default Settings.................................................. 4-1
4.2. Restoring Service Processor to Default Settings............................... 4-1
4.2.1. Default Settings.................................................................................. 4-1
4.2.2. Restoring the Default Settings........................................................... 4-3
4.2.3. Configuring After Restoring................................................................ 4-3
Section 5 Configuring the Service Processor After Restoring...5-4
5.1. Configuring After Updating Management Firmware........................... 5-4
5.2. Configuring After Restoring Default Settings ..................................... 5-4
5.2.1. Reconfiguring Service Processor on a Non-boot Cell........................ 5-4
5.2.2. Reconfiguring Service Processor on a Boot Cell............................... 5-5
5.2.3. Reconfiguring Service Processor on a Boot Cell in a Multiple Cell
Partition.............................................................................................. 5-5
5.3. Configuration Procedures.................................................................. 5-6
5.3.1. Configuring Network Settings ............................................................ 5-6
5.3.2. Resolving Partitioning Inconsistencies............................................. 5-10
5.3.3. Creating Partitions ........................................................................... 5-10
5.3.4. Moving Cells to Other Partitions .......................................................5-11
5.3.5. Specifying Partition Settings ............................................................ 5-12
5.3.6. Adding User Credentials using Remote console interface............... 5-13
5.3.7. Eliminating Browser Startup Warnings using Remote console
interface........................................................................................... 5-14
5.3.8. Configuring Alerts and the SMTP Server using Remote console
interface........................................................................................... 5-15
Appendix A Related Documents and Web Resources ........ A-1
A.1 Express5800/A1160 Documentation Library......................................A-1
A.2 Web Resources .................................................................................A-2

Figures
v
Figures
Figure 1-1 EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor LCD Main Screen Layout..............................1-2
Figure 1-2 Partition Setting Page..................................................................................1-2
Figure 2-1 Management Firmware Update Page..........................................................2-2
Figure 2-2 Management Firmware Revision Status......................................................2-2
Figure 2-3 Management Firmware Updates Page........................................................2-3
Figure 2-4 Management Firmware Revision Status......................................................2-4
Figure 3-1 Location of Maintenance LAN Port..............................................................3-2
Figure 3-2 Location of Boot Cell Indicator on Main Screen of EXPRESSSCOPE®
Monitor Interface....................................................................................................3-3
Figure 3-3 Location of Management Board Reset Button.............................................3-4
Figure 3-4 Location of Management Board Reset Button.............................................3-5
Figure 3-5 Location of Management Board Reset Button...........................................3-10
Figure 5-1 Settings Reserved.......................................................................................5-7
Figure 5-2 Expanded Network Menu............................................................................5-8
Figure 5-3 Setting IPAddress Value.............................................................................5-9
Figure 5-4 Applying IP Address Changes.....................................................................5-9
Figure 5-5 Partitioning Page.......................................................................................5-10
Figure 5-6 User Management Page............................................................................5-13
Figure 5-7 User Management Add New User Page....................................................5-14
Figure 5-8 SMTP Page...............................................................................................5-16
Figure 5-9 Alert Management Page............................................................................5-17
Figure 5-10 Alert Management - Modify Email............................................................5-18
Figure 5-11 Alert Management - Modify SNMP Trap ..................................................5-19

Using This Guide
vi
Using This Guide
This guide provides the information necessary for upgrading firmware on your Service
Processor or troubleshooting software problems with your Service Processor.
Who Should Use This Guide
This guide is intended for system administrators and facilities personnel who are
responsible for installing and administering Express5800/A1160 server.
Symbols and Conventions
This guide uses the following text conventions and graphic symbols.
Warnings, cautions, and notes have the following meanings:
WARNING
Warnings alert you to situations that could result in serious personal injury or loss
of life.
CAUTION
Cautions indicate situations that can damage the system hardware or software.
Note: Notes give important information about the material being described.
Names of keyboard keys are printed as they appear on the keyboard. For example,
Ctrl, Alt, or Enter.
Text or keystrokes that you enter appear as boldface type. For example, type
abc123 and press ENTER.
File names are printed in uppercase letters. For example, AUTOEXEC.BAT.
Related Documents
In addition to this guide, the following system documentation is useful.
NECCare™ Guide
The NECCare Guide contains information about NEC’s warranty and server registration.

Safety Notices
vii
Safety Notices
WARNING
To avoid a risk of injuries, maintenance procedures require trained technical
personnel.
In maintenance procedures with voltages of 42.4V peak or 60Vdc or more, take
safety measures, such as wearing insulated rubber gloves. Performing work
without these measures may cause electric shock.
In an emergency, such as a dangerous event that requires turning off the power
supply, turn off the breaker at the rear of the server. Turning off the breaker may
cause data destruction. Therefore, users should determine when to turn off the
breaker in accordance with specified operation criteria.
The server is equipped with a front stabilizer. Engage the front stabilizer during
installation. For stability and to distribute the weight, also attach side stabilizers.
Otherwise, the rack may topple over and cause injuries.
If you extend two or more devices from the rack at the same time, the rack may
topple over on you. Extend only one device from the rack at a time.
Exercise great care not to hurt your fingers on the rail when you mount/dismount
the equipment into/from the rack.
Lithium batteries can be dangerous. Improper handling of lithium batteries may
result in an explosion. Dispose of lithium batteries as required by local ordinance.
Replace only with the same or equivalent type battery.
A liquid crystal display is used in this server. When handling a damaged liquid
crystal display, take care to avoid exposure to the liquid inside the liquid crystal
display. The liquid can cause bodily harm. In the event the liquid is ingested,
gargle at once and consult a doctor immediately. If the liquid comes in contact
with skin or gets into the eyes, wash the skin with cool running water, or flush the
eye with cool running water for at least 15 minutes and consult a doctor.
The DVD-ROM drive uses a laser beam. Do not look or insert a mirror inside
while the system is on. A laser beam is invisible; if your eyes get exposed to it,
there is a risk of losing your eyesight.
Elevated Operating Ambient Temperature – If installed in a closed or multi-unit rack
assembly, the operating ambient temperature of the rack environment may be greater
than the room ambient environment. Therefore, consideration should be given to

Safety Notices
viii
installing the equipment in an environment compatible with the maximum rated ambient
temperature of 89.6°F.
Reduced air Flow – Installation of the equipment in a rack should be such that the
amount of air flow required for safe operation of the equipment is not compromised.
To prevent fires, and damage to rack equipment and supply wiring, make sure that the
rated load of the power branch circuit is not exceeded. Equipment nameplate ratings
should be used when addressing this concern. For more information on installation and
wiring of power-related facilities, contact your electrician or local power company.
To prevent electrical shock, connect all rack and rack support equipment to the same
electrical circuit of the building wiring. If you are unsure, check the building wiring to
avoid remote earth conditions.
For safe operation, only connect the equipment to a building supply that is in accordance
with current wiring regulations in your country. In the USA those wiring standards are
regulated by Underwriter Laboratories (UL); in the U.K. by the Institution of Electrical
Engineers, (IEE) and in Canada by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
WARNING
Some locations within the server have high voltage and therefore are very
dangerous. To avoid risk of electric shock, turn off all server power and
disconnect power cables before working inside the server unit.
The main power of your server is turned off by turning off the power source to the
server or removing the power cable.
Before touching the parts in the server, wait for at least 10 to 15 seconds until
residual voltage is discharged.
Online maintenance – During and after servicing, do not leave the server door open
unless necessary to perform servicing.

ix
WARNING
Take care not to short live components with conductive tools, such as an
adjustable wrench.
To prevent shock, take care not to drop or leave conductive parts, such as a
screw, in the server when servicing the system.
Be careful when accessing a fan or rotating parts to avoid cutting your hand or
fingers.
Safety inspections – When servicing the system, check equipment that can cause harm
due to deterioration, and if necessary, replace the part.
Safety Notices for Users Outside of the U.S.A. and Canada
PELV (Protected Extra-Low Voltage) Integrity: To ensure the extra-low voltage integrity
of the equipment, connect only equipment with mains-protected electrically-compatible
circuits to the external ports.
Remote Earths: To prevent electrical shock, connect all local (individual office)
computers and computer support equipment to the same electrical circuit of the building
wiring. If you are unsure, check the building wiring to avoid remote earth conditions.
Earth Bonding: For safe operation, only connect the equipment to a building supply that
is in accordance with current wiring regulations in your country. In the USA those wiring
standards are regulated by Underwriter Laboratories (UL); in the U.K., by the Institution
of Electrical Engineers, (IEE) and in Canada by the Canadian Standards Association
(CSA).

1-1
Section 1
Introduction
This guide provides the information necessary for upgrading firmware on your Service
Processor or troubleshooting software problems with your Service Processor. This guide
is intended for system administrators and service representatives who are responsible
for installing and administering servers.
You might need to load software onto your Service Processor in one of the following
situations:
yA management firmware upgrade becomes available.
yTroubleshooting procedures recommend restoring to default settings and then
upgrading to new software.
Note: You cannot load the same level of software on to your Service Processor.
1.1. Documentation Updates
This document contains all the information that was available at the time of publication.
The latest version of the document may be found in the Product Support Web Site:
http://support.necam.com/servers/Enterprise/
1.2. Preparing to Restore the Service Processor
Before you begin any upgrading or troubleshooting procedures, be sure to check the
Product Support Web Site for additional instructions or late-breaking information related
as it might provide additional information that could not be included in this guide. You
can also download any additional documentation or software updates you might need.
1.2.1. Identifying the Boot Cell
Depending on whether you are restoring a Service Processor in the boot cell, additional
reconfiguration tasks such as specifying partition settings or configuring alert
notifications might be required.
Preparing to Restore the Service Processor
You can determine if your Service Processor is in the boot cell by checking the

Preparing to Restore the Service Processor
1-2
EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor LCD on your cell or checking the remote console interface
partition settings page for the partition the cell is in.
Figure 1-1 EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor LCD Main Screen Layout
Figure 1-2 Partition Setting Page

Accessing the Service Processor
1-3
1.2.2. Recording Partition Configuration
You might lose your partition configuration while troubleshooting your Service Processor,
especially if you restore the Service Processor in a single-cell partition. If possible, log
on to the remote console interface for your partition (see 1.3.1 Logging On to Partition
Remote Console Interface) and use the save or print function of your browser to archive
a copy of the remote console page so that you have a record of your current partition
configuration and settings, such as power restore policy and fault behavior. Use this
information later to verify your partition configuration or reconfigure the partition.
1.2.3. Workstation Requirements
To access your Service Processor through the partition remote console interface,
ensure that your workstation is on the same LAN segment as your system or that your
partition IP address is routable. If a partition or cell in your system does not use a
routable IP address, it is not accessible to network entities beyond its LAN segment (that
is, network routers do not forward traffic to or from the partition or cell).
Note: IP addresses in the following ranges are not routable:
y10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255
y172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255
y192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255
1.3. Accessing the Service Processor
Procedures in this guide might require you to access your Service Processors. You can
access each Service Processor remotely through the partition remote console interface
or through the EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor interface on the front of each cell.
1.3.1. Logging On to Partition Remote Console Interface
To access the partition remote console interface
1. Type the maintenance LAN (MLAN) address of the partition in the browser address
box.
Note: The MLAN address is the IP address on the partition and cell menus on the
EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor interface.
A log-on dialog box appears.
2. Type a valid user name and password, and click Log On.
Management firmware authenticates the credentials before displaying the
requested remote console interface.

Accessing the Service Processor
1-4
1.3.2. Accessing EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor Interface
The EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor interface is on the front of each cell. You must be
physically present to operate the buttons and view the LCD and LEDs.

2-1
Section 2
Upgrading the Service Processor
This section provides information on how to upgrade your Service Processors to a new
level.
Note: You cannot reload the same level of software on to your Service Processor.
2.1. Checking Management Firmware Level using Remote
console interface
Check the management firmware level on the Service Processors for the partition, as
follows:
1. Log on to the partition remote console interface, as follows:
a. Open a browser on a management server or connected workstation.
b. Type the maintenance LAN (MLAN) address of the partition in the browser
address box.
Note: The MLAN address is the IP address of the partition.
A log-on dialog box appears.
c. Type a valid user name and password, and click Log On.
Management firmware authenticates the credentials and then displays the
summary page for the partition.
2. Click Firmware Update in the left column.
The firmware update page appears, as shown in Figure 2-1.

Checking Management Firmware Level using Remote console interface
2-2
Figure 2-1 Management Firmware Update Page
3. Click Display Current Firmware Status and Revision.
A dialog box appears containing the current management firmware revision level for
each cell in the partition, as shown in Figure 2-2. All cells in the partition should
have the same firmware level.
Note: If a cell is not listed in the dialog box, it is AC powered off or otherwise not
communicating properly.
Figure 2-2 Management Firmware Revision Status

Obtaining Releases from the Support Site
2-3
2.2. Obtaining Releases from the Support Site
If you need to install later release levels, such as management firmware or BIOS, you
can obtain the desired versions from the Product Support Web Site:
http://support.necam.com/servers/Enterprise/
2.3. Updating Management Firmware using Remote
console interface
You can determine the management firmware levels on the Service Processors and
update the firmware if necessary, provided you can access the partition remote console
interface, as follows:
1. Navigate to the firmware update page of the partition remote console interface, as
shown in Figure 2-3.
Figure 2-3 Management Firmware Updates Page
2. To update the management firmware on the partition, click Browse on the firmware
update page, navigate to the location of the saved firmware update file, and click
Load.
The firmware revision is loaded and distributed to the Service Processor of each

Updating Management Firmware using Remote console interface
2-4
member cell of the partition that is AC powered on. The update takes several
minutes to complete. Initially, a dialog box is displayed saying that the update is in
progress. When the update finishes, all cells should have the same firmware level.
Each Service Processor performs a reset action, and the connection to the remote
console interface is lost.
3. Refresh the page and log on to restore the partition remote console interface.
4. Navigate to the firmware update page and click Display Current Firmware Status
and Revision to check that the current management firmware level is correct.
A dialog box appears containing the current management firmware revision level for
each cell in the partition, as shown in Figure 2-4. All cells in the partition should
have the same firmware level.
Note: If a cell is not listed in the dialog box, it is AC powered off or otherwise not
communicating properly.
Figure 2-4 Management Firmware Revision Status

3-1
Section 3
Troubleshooting the Service Processor
This section provides information on how to troubleshoot problems with your Service
Processor.
3.1. Possible Problem Symptoms for the Service
Processor
If your Service Processor displays one of the following problems, you can try to
troubleshoot the problem. Or, you can contact your service representative for resolving
problems.
Symptom Refer to
Unable to remotely access the partition remote
console interface. 3-1 Loss of Communication With Partition Remote console interface
The partition summary page of the remote
console interface reports an unknown state for
one or more cells.
3.3 Cell Is Not Responding
The EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor interface on the
cell displays a truncated and sparse menu. 3.3 Cell Is Not Responding
The EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor interface on the
cell displays an error message (enclosed in
quotation marks).
3.4 Error Messages Displayed on
EXPRESSSCOPE® Monitor LCD
3.2. Loss of Communication With Partition Remote
console interface
Perform the following troubleshooting steps if you are no longer able to remotely access
the remote console interface for your partition.
3.2.1. Pinging the Service Processor
From a command prompt on your workstation, enter the following command

Loss of Communication With Partition Remote console interface
3-2
ping Partition MLAN IP address
If you can successfully ping your Service Processor, it is possible that your Service
Processor is temporarily busy; try remotely accessing the remote console interface for
your partition again later.
If you cannot successfully ping your Service Processor, continue with the following
troubleshooting procedures.
3.2.2. Verifying Network Access to Your System
Determine whether there are any LAN network changes that can affect communication
between your workstation and your system. Consult with your network administrator and
network topology support as necessary to make any adjustments for regaining your
connection to your system and Service Processor.
1. Check that your workstation is on the same LAN segment as your system or that
your partition IP address is routable. (See 1.2.3 Workstation Requirements)
2. If your partition IP address cannot be changed to a routable address, add one of the
non-routable IP addresses to your workstation.
Check that there are no firewalls preventing communication between your
workstation and system.
3. Check that there is a network cable attached to the maintenance LAN port, which is
used by the Service Processor for network traffic.
Figure 3-1 Location of Maintenance LAN Port
4. Check that the cell has AC power.
5. Check that all cell interconnect cables for your system are present and correctly
cabled, the A and B connectors are not reversed, and all cables are securely seated
and thumbscrews are snug.