SEO

A Sun Enterprise 3500 server has been sitting in our server room for
some time where I work, and I'm starting to think that it may well
have the best solution for a problem that we're currently having
employing a few Sun packages. I won't get into that here, I already
posted on comp.sys.sun.misc about that. I'm thinking that installing
them on native Solaris instead of different Linux variants might be a
bit easier, though, especially with a machine custom configured just
to run the apps that I need.

What I need to find out is how this headless beast can be communicated
with. It has 4 ethernet ports and a serial port. I have no idea what
sort of system or configuration was previously on this machine, so I'm
thinking that it might be best to start with using the serial port as
a terminal interface, provided the machine has a working OS installed
on it right now.

I'm not sure of what kinds of settings I'll need to put on the comm
port to attempt this from a ubuntu linux workstation. Also not sure
if I should try doing this with a null modem cable or if straight
serial will give what I need.

Also, any information about what I can do if this machine does not
have a valid OS installed would be much appreciated; I'm at a loss due
to the headlessness of this machine. It does have a CD drive for
media, so it has that much at least. :P

Much thanks for helping me communicate with this beautiful piece of
hardware!

-Damon Getsman

Damon Getsman <dgetsman@gmail.com> wrote:
> A Sun Enterprise 3500 server has been sitting in our server room for
> some time where I work, and I'm starting to think that it may well
> have the best solution for a problem that we're currently having
> employing a few Sun packages. I won't get into that here, I already
> posted on comp.sys.sun.misc about that. I'm thinking that installing
> them on native Solaris instead of different Linux variants might be a
> bit easier, though, especially with a machine custom configured just
> to run the apps that I need.

Does that mean you're trying to install Solaris on it?

> What I need to find out is how this headless beast can be communicated
> with. It has 4 ethernet ports and a serial port. I have no idea what
> sort of system or configuration was previously on this machine, so I'm
> thinking that it might be best to start with using the serial port as
> a terminal interface, provided the machine has a working OS installed
> on it right now.
>
> I'm not sure of what kinds of settings I'll need to put on the comm
> port to attempt this from a ubuntu linux workstation. Also not sure
> if I should try doing this with a null modem cable or if straight
> serial will give what I need.

Serial port A is (by default) active with the console when no keyboard
is detected at boot time. The serial port is DTE, so you'll need a
null-modem to attach to a PC or other computer. Default settings are
9600, no parity.

> Also, any information about what I can do if this machine does not
> have a valid OS installed would be much appreciated; I'm at a loss due
> to the headlessness of this machine. It does have a CD drive for
> media, so it has that much at least. :P

If you get an OK prompt, insert boot media and type 'boot cdrom'.

It can hold a lot of processors and memory (especially for the time),
but the processors themselves will seem very slow by modern standards.

Good luck.
--
Darren Dunham ddunham@taos.com
Senior Technical Consultant TAOS http://www.taos.com/
Got some Dr Pepper? San Francisco, CA bay area
< This line left intentionally blank to confuse you. >

Damon Getsman wrote:
> A Sun Enterprise 3500 server has been sitting in our server room for
> some time where I work, and I'm starting to think that it may well
> have the best solution for a problem that we're currently having
> employing a few Sun packages. I won't get into that here, I already
> posted on comp.sys.sun.misc about that. I'm thinking that installing
> them on native Solaris instead of different Linux variants might be a
> bit easier, though, especially with a machine custom configured just
> to run the apps that I need.
>
> What I need to find out is how this headless beast can be communicated
> with. It has 4 ethernet ports and a serial port. I have no idea what
> sort of system or configuration was previously on this machine, so I'm
> thinking that it might be best to start with using the serial port as
> a terminal interface, provided the machine has a working OS installed
> on it right now.
>
> I'm not sure of what kinds of settings I'll need to put on the comm
> port to attempt this from a ubuntu linux workstation. Also not sure
> if I should try doing this with a null modem cable or if straight
> serial will give what I need.
>
> Also, any information about what I can do if this machine does not
> have a valid OS installed would be much appreciated; I'm at a loss due
> to the headlessness of this machine. It does have a CD drive for
> media, so it has that much at least. :P
>
> Much thanks for helping me communicate with this beautiful piece of
> hardware!
>
> -Damon Getsman


http://www.pimpworks.org/sun/serial.html

has info on serial cable. Basically 8N1 9600, with a null modem cable.

I would download Solaris 10 onto the CDs, put the first CD and switch
on. On a Sun at least, I would use 'tip' to connect to the serial port -
you will have to find the exact way to do that on linux.

Send a break from the terminal to get to the "ok" prompt. Then "boot
cdrom" should get you booting off the CD.

Trying to use any operating system the system may or may not have would
be a waste of time. Just install a fresh Solaris. You can use a serial
line whether or not the system has an operating system.

On 2008-04-02, Damon Getsman <dgetsman@gmail.com> wrote:
> A Sun Enterprise 3500 server has been sitting in our server room for
> some time where I work, and I'm starting to think that it may well
> have the best solution for a problem that we're currently having
> employing a few Sun packages. I won't get into that here, I already
> posted on comp.sys.sun.misc about that. I'm thinking that installing
> them on native Solaris instead of different Linux variants might be a
> bit easier, though, especially with a machine custom configured just
> to run the apps that I need.

Probably so.

> What I need to find out is how this headless beast can be communicated
> with. It has 4 ethernet ports and a serial port. I have no idea what
> sort of system or configuration was previously on this machine, so I'm
> thinking that it might be best to start with using the serial port as
> a terminal interface, provided the machine has a working OS installed
> on it right now.

No experience with the machine you mentioned, but that sounds
reasonable.

> I'm not sure of what kinds of settings I'll need to put on the comm
> port to attempt this from a ubuntu linux workstation.

Well ... the default for most Sun unix serial ports is
ttya-mode=9600,8,n,1,- (cut and pasted off the output from eeprom),
but there is typically a second serial port on most sun systems -- ttyb,
with both having the same settings by default, but ttya being the one
which is the console in the absence of a keyboard and monitor.

However, from readings here, apparently some enterprise servers
have the console on serial ports using RJ-45 connectors, which can
easily be mistaken for ethernet ports. You should not need four
ethernet ports unless the machine was working as a firewall or router
between subnets. If the connectors are marked with "< . . . >", they
are ethernet. Without that, they may be serial ports. A DB-25 which is
being used as a parallel port will typically be marked "//".

And is the connector (I presume a DB-25 or perhaps a DA-9) male
or female? Male is common on serial ports on Intel boxes, but Sun
tends to use female ones for serial ports -- and for parallel as well,
so your DB-25 may be a parallel and some of the RJ-45 connectors may be
serial ports. The necessary adaptor cable is supposed to be the same as
that used for the console port on a CISCO router.

> Also not sure
> if I should try doing this with a null modem cable or if straight
> serial will give what I need.

I would expect a null modem (or at least a subset of a full null
modem) would be the one to use. However, the easiest way to be sure
would be if you have a serial port breakout box which can have LEDs
indicating which pin each is trying to send on.

> Also, any information about what I can do if this machine does not
> have a valid OS installed would be much appreciated; I'm at a loss due
> to the headlessness of this machine. It does have a CD drive for
> media, so it has that much at least. :P

CD or DVD? Assuming that it is an Ultra-based machine, the
latest OS tends to come on either one DVD or four CDs, plus another DVD
containing the "Software Companion" set of net sourced software, which
might be up to two CD-ROMs by now or more.

> Much thanks for helping me communicate with this beautiful piece of
> hardware!

Hopefully you will get other answers from those who are more
familiar with this machine to correct anything which I may have gotten
wrong.

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
Email: <dnichols@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

DoN. Nichols <dnichols@d-and-d.com> wrote:
> However, from readings here, apparently some enterprise servers
> have the console on serial ports using RJ-45 connectors, which can
> easily be mistaken for ethernet ports. You should not need four
> ethernet ports unless the machine was working as a firewall or router
> between subnets.

I'm wondering about the config (where are the ports?). It could be just
a single QE/QFE card with four ethernet ports in it. That wouldn't be
uncommon. But there should also be an HME port on the I/O board(s) as
well. Most of the 3500s I ran into only had one or two I/O boards, but
more are possible (and one is required).

> If the connectors are marked with "< . . . >", they
> are ethernet. Without that, they may be serial ports. A DB-25 which is
> being used as a parallel port will typically be marked "//".

E3500 is pretty old. I don't think Sun had RJ-45 console interfaces on
anything when they were out. These should have a nice 'A' and 'B'
marking next to the ports.

Here's the resource I use for Sun serial ports:
http://www.sunhelp.org/unix-serial-p...erial-pinouts/


--
Darren Dunham ddunham@taos.com
Senior Technical Consultant TAOS http://www.taos.com/
Got some Dr Pepper? San Francisco, CA bay area
< This line left intentionally blank to confuse you. >

On Apr 2, 6:31 pm, ddun...@taos.com (Darren Dunham) wrote:

> E3500 is pretty old. I don't think Sun had RJ-45 console interfaces on
> anything when they were out. These should have a nice 'A' and 'B'
> marking next to the ports.

That definitely appears to be the case. I've got the machine
connected and on right now. I'm using a nullmodem cable connected to
a USB serial adapter and I'm talking to the Enterprise 3500 through
minicom on my ubuntu machine right now. Well, I shouldn't say talking
to it, more like listening to it. I have gotten a 'Hardware Power ON'
from it, about 10 minutes ago, and nothing else as of yet. The
Solaris 10 Sparc CDRom #1 is in the drive and awaiting some semblance
of a booting procedure or the 'OK' prompt for me to type 'boot cdrom'
at right now.

I've heard these machines take awhile to boot up. I didn't know it'd
be this long. Wonder if something is fried in the hardware.

-Damon Getsman

In <91345091-1146-462c-98f8-24713e720ca5@m71g2000hse.googlegroups.com> Damon Getsman <dgetsman@gmail.com> writes:

>I've heard these machines take awhile to boot up. I didn't know it'd
>be this long. Wonder if something is fried in the hardware.

10 minutes isn't long.

Try turning the key to diagnostic mode and see if you get more output.
--
\|/ ___ \|/ thevision@pobox.com +----- 2048R/38BD6CAB -----+
@~./'O o`\.~@ | 02BD EF81 91B3 1B33 64C2 |
/__( \___/ )__\ | 3247 6722 7006 38BD 6CAB |
`\__`U_/' +--------------------------+

On Apr 4, 10:52 am, Greg Mortensen <thevis...@pobox.com> wrote:
> In <91345091-1146-462c-98f8-24713e720...@m71g2000hse.googlegroups.com> Damon Getsman <dgets...@gmail.com> writes:

> 10 minutes isn't long.
>
> Try turning the key to diagnostic mode and see if you get more output.

*laugh*

I actually got through everything; the longest part was waiting for it
to attempt configuration of the network interfaces. It ran through
qfe0-3 and hme0, each one taking about 10-15 min apiece to determine
that it wasn't connected.

Now I'm in the Solaris installation CD working on network
configuration. I've hooked it up to the hub that I'm on, but there
are 5 ethernet ports to choose from. Four are in a straight line (on
the same board that has the serial ports A & B. And there is another
one labelled TP with the < . . . >. Once I figure out what interface
each of them are I should be able to get a little bit further with
configuration here.

Which key are you speaking of when you say turn it to diagnostic
mode? The only key that I've seen on this machine is the front panel
lock.

Thnx!

On Apr 4, 11:21 am, ddun...@taos.com (Darren Dunham) wrote:

> Could be. If the box is filled (8CPU and 8GB of RAM), then startup
> takes a long time (and there's a setting or two to modify how much
> checking is done during powerup). But for a smaller machine, it
> shouldn't take 10 minutes to see something on the console.
>
> If you never got anything, you can try powering off and then putting the
> keyswitch in the diag position (wavy line) and see if you get additional
> output.
>
> Most failures will spit something to the serial line though....

I don't think it has the 8 CPUs, but it does have 8gb of ram. As I
mentioned above in the thread, things seem to be running fine, it's
just taking me forever to figure out the network settings right now.
I've got 5 ethernet ports, one separate from the others in a block of
4; the single one is labelled 'TP' with the standard ethernet symbol
< . . . >. As soon as I figure out which one I should use for my
primary interface hooking up to my hub, I should be able to get this
to see DHCP and get a little bit further with installation. Right now
I'm trying to figure out if the 'tp' port is qfe0-3 or if it's the
hme0 port. Every time I make a selection it takes 5-7 minutes to
determine whether or not it's correct, so it's taking some time here.

This box is really heating up my office, too. Heh.

Thanks for the help!

-Damon Getsman

Damon Getsman <dgetsman@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've got 5 ethernet ports, one separate from the others in a block of
> 4; the single one is labelled 'TP' with the standard ethernet symbol
> < . . . >. As soon as I figure out which one I should use for my
> primary interface hooking up to my hub, I should be able to get this
> to see DHCP and get a little bit further with installation. Right now
> I'm trying to figure out if the 'tp' port is qfe0-3 or if it's the
> hme0 port. Every time I make a selection it takes 5-7 minutes to
> determine whether or not it's correct, so it's taking some time here.

Well, you could just try them all, but the ethernet port on an I/O board
will be an hme port, and the card you have is a qfe (q for quad).

(You might guess that the 0-3 ports are the four together on the same
card.) :-)

> This box is really heating up my office, too. Heh.

Yes, yes it will.

Completely filled with disks, you can use it as a paperweight as well.
Otherwise, it's probably too light. ;-)

I know some folks that would pull all but one CPU/mem board out to do
builds and configurations because it was much faster to boot. Now that
they're as old as they are (and not under support), I don't recommend
unplugging the boards without a good reason.

--
Darren Dunham ddunham@taos.com
Senior Technical Consultant TAOS http://www.taos.com/
Got some Dr Pepper? San Francisco, CA bay area
< This line left intentionally blank to confuse you. >