Tom wrote:
> Hi,
>
> We have some new AIX rackmounts, and the one I am stuck on is a model
> 520. This this has this ASMI stuff, which so far seems useless to me.
> When the power is on you can't get the ASMI interface via the terminal
> port, and to get the web interface you have to boot your laptop to it's
> provate network via the HMC# ports, and the interface is pretty useless.

Yes, until you experince a critical problem that is solved by making a
change here (albeit rare), it will be useless for you to mess around in
the GUI ASMI menu. Think of it as a fancy Service Processor menu. Once
you boot the system it disappears.

> My problem is I have no idea how to get this thing to boot off the AIX
> 5.2 installation media and none of the AIX or Model 520 doc which I have
> tells me how to do it.
>
> Can someone either tell me how or point me to the correct documentation?
> I have never had this sort of problem breaking an AIX machine boot (F5
> or 5) but this one won't give me a raw console to do that.

I've never used a p5 system without an HMC, so I'm not really sure.
However it may take some time for it to realize there is no HMC attached
and adjust itself appropriately. Does it hang on an LED code?

> We currently have it connected to a Cisco console server and when the
> machine is off this gives me the ASMI interface which has no pathway
> into a raw console the way the HP pre boot IPL does - at least I can't
> see it. When the machine's power comes up this gets cut off and the
> console server port is frozen.

How long did you wait? Just like the old Service Processor days, the
ASMI menu cuts out once IPL begins. After that it's just a regular old
serial port just as you would expect. I don't know what happens next
though on an HMC-less machine though. How long did you wait? I wouldn't
be suprized if it took 15 minutes or longer for a slow boot before you
get to the SMS menu or OS initialization. Again, do you have any LED
messages or indications of a failure?

> So, to sum up, I need a raw console on this machine and have no idea how
> to get there. I tried the front Rj45 port, nothing, the rear HMC ports,
> nada, the rear terminal ports ---> zilcho......
>
> I've worked on all sorts of vedor UNIX hardware and have never been so
> dead in the water clueless as to how to make a piece of machinery simply
> boot or boot into OS install media.

Yes, you pretty much have to read some documentation, especially if you
are doing something unusual like not using an HMC.

> Any clues appreciated. Sorry to be so long winded.
>
>
> thanks,
>
> Tom