Re: Remote management capailities of V20z?

From: Dan Foster (usenet_at_evilphb.org)
Date: 06/27/05 

Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2005 23:24:06 +0000 (UTC)

In article <d9nb7r$4nk$1@canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca>, Gary Mills <mills@mira.cc.umanitoba.ca> wrote:
> In <Pine.SOL.4.58.0506261524070.15926@zen.rite-group.com> Rich Teer <rich.teer@rite-group.com> writes:
>
>>I'm thinking of getting a new server, and one I'm considering
>>is the V20z. Given the x86's braindead approach to remote
>>consoles (i.e., they think that all machines have a keyboard
>>and monitor!), I'm concerned about remote management.
>
>>So the question arises, how does the V20z's remote management
>>capabilities compare to say ALOM on the V240 and co.? Is it
>>possible to watch one boot by using the equivalent of "console -f"?
>
> It's quite good actually, although ALOM is better. We have a V20z
> running nicely with only an ethernet console. It requires an ssh
> connection. The service processor runs embedded Linux. You can

Aye. It runs a PowerPC CPU with Linux. ('cat /proc/cpuinfo')

So Sun bloggers may not want to slag Linux just yet... ;)

> power it on and off remotely, as well as boot it. The serial console
> emulation uses that silly technique of mapping a DOS screen into a
> curses terminal, but it's tolerable.

We have a pile (~20) of V20Zs and I'd have to agree with the comments above.

I haven't found any situation that I couldn't solve with the SP's remote
management capabilities. Kind of a non-negotiable requirement for us
because I'm about 3300 km away from the actual machines!

My only problems with the V20Z was when we once had a failed SP firmware
flash session, and when a Sun tech accidentally fried the board from
electrostatic discharge damage. To Sun's credit, they promptly replaced
both units without hassles.

Other than that, they have been ok for us so far, despite the x86
architectural warts (e.g. BIOS). Performance has been eye-popping. :-)

I've repeatedly joked to my boss (half jokingly) that I wouldn't mind or
object at all if they ever had "extra machines they didn't know what to
do with" :-) [implication: great for home workstation use, and then some.]

-Dan

P.S. Things are a lot more tolerable for the serial console when it's
set to 115200 bps + hardware flow control. :-) I have it working great
with the SP, BIOS, and the OS.

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