Hi All,
I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.
It has 2x GB NIC's, and what looks like a management port, but I can't figure out how to use it. SSH & HTTP connections to it was futile. OR, it was assigned a dedicated IP, on a different subnet than ours but it's not written down anywhere so I don't know what IP to connect to.
Does anyone know how to get Linux installed onto these devices? We have a PXE server in the office which I generally use for this setting up servers over the LAN, but they always have a VGA port.
On Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 6:59 PM, Rudi Ahlers Rudi@softdux.com wrote:
Hi All,
I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.
I believe we can use serial console to it. Use a null modem cable to connect to the serial console and use tool like Hyper terminal or minicom.
I hate it too when server doesn't provide such a simple graphic card and choose the "cool" serial console method.
2010/12/19 Fajar Priyanto fajarpri@arinet.org
On Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 6:59 PM, Rudi Ahlers Rudi@softdux.com wrote:
Hi All,
I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.
it may be possible to conenct it to a (special) kvm switch, and then connect the display to the kvm sw instead.
On Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 1:34 PM, Fajar Priyanto fajarpri@arinet.org wrote:
On Sun, Dec 19, 2010 at 6:59 PM, Rudi Ahlers Rudi@softdux.com wrote:
Hi All,
I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.
I believe we can use serial console to it. Use a null modem cable to connect to the serial console and use tool like Hyper terminal or minicom.
I hate it too when server doesn't provide such a simple graphic card and choose the "cool" serial console method. _______________________________________________
I already tried it, but the serial console doesn't output anything.
Rudi Ahlers wrote:
Hi All,
I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.
They do have a graphics card - the 'uplink' port is a KVM port that has VGA and PS/2 - this is certainly the case with the X335's we have.
If you can get hold of a C2T breakout cable, then you should be able to plug in a keyboard/mouse/screen.
Just google for 'IBM C2T X335 cable'
James Pearson
On Sun, 2010-12-19 at 12:10 +0000, James Pearson wrote:
Rudi Ahlers wrote:
Hi All, I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.
They do have a graphics card - the 'uplink' port is a KVM port that has VGA and PS/2 - this is certainly the case with the X335's we have. If you can get hold of a C2T breakout cable, then you should be able to plug in a keyboard/mouse/screen.
+1
I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.
That'd be the C2T (Cable Chaining) technology they were using back then. It's essentially a KVM switch system built into the server, the idea being that if you have a rack of 42 of them you can hookup up a single monitor/keyboard/mouse to the stack and with the press of a button switch between the servers.
All you need to get access to the console on these units is a C2T Breakout cable. It looks like a custom KVM cable with PS2/VGA ports on one end and a DVI port on the other.
On Sun, 19 Dec 2010, Drew wrote:
I recently got some IBM Xseries 335 servers 2nd hand, and noticed they don't have any graphics card. Some google searched indicate they only have an uplink port, which you could connect to another (other model) IBM server and use that as the head node. But, I don't have one available.
That'd be the C2T (Cable Chaining) technology they were using back then. It's essentially a KVM switch system built into the server, the idea being that if you have a rack of 42 of them you can hookup up a single monitor/keyboard/mouse to the stack and with the press of a button switch between the servers.
All you need to get access to the console on these units is a C2T Breakout cable. It looks like a custom KVM cable with PS2/VGA ports on one end and a DVI port on the other.
One of the more frustrating servers I've worked with. You can only use the serial port for the console after you set it up in the bios..which you can't do from the serial port if it isn't already setup.
Confirm that you need the C2T cable. Be aware that there are 2 types. One about 18" long with an identical connector on each end (for stacking the servers), one as described with the KVM break out on the end. Used to cost about $60 back in the day.
Out of curiosity, here is an example http://cgi.ebay.com/KVM-Breakout-C2T-Cable-IBM-x330-x335-06P6210-New-/320632...
Great little servers once they are installed. oh, the original bios would only allow you to set PXE boot on 1 of the interfaces at a time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Wildman, CISSP, RHCE jim@rossberry.com http://www.rossberry.com "Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." Thomas Paine
On Sun, 19 Dec 2010, Jim Wildman wrote:
One of the more frustrating servers I've worked with. You can only use the serial port for the console after you set it up in the bios..which you can't do from the serial port if it isn't already setup.
Confirm that you need the C2T cable. Be aware that there are 2 types. One about 18" long with an identical connector on each end (for stacking the servers), one as described with the KVM break out on the end. Used to cost about $60 back in the day.
Out of curiosity, here is an example http://cgi.ebay.com/KVM-Breakout-C2T-Cable-IBM-x330-x335-06P6210-New-/320632...
Great little servers once they are installed. oh, the original bios would only allow you to set PXE boot on 1 of the interfaces at a time.
Oh, and there are 2 ports on the back, one IN and one OUT. The KVM goes on the OUT port (right hand as I remember it)
Jim Wildman, CISSP, RHCE jim@rossberry.com http://www.rossberry.com "Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." Thomas Paine _______________________________________________ CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Wildman, CISSP, RHCE jim@rossberry.com http://www.rossberry.com "Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." Thomas Paine
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