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Monitoring x86 Systems Using x86 Config Reader

Pallavi Madhusudhan and Yogesh Patil, October 2007

This document explains the enhancements to the generic x86 Config Reader in the Sun Management Center 4.0 release. This release comprises an x86 Config Reader module that enables hardware instrumentation of x86/x64 platforms using the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) tool.

Introduction to the Config Reader

This article explains the enhancements to the generic x86 Config Reader in the Sun Management Center (Sun MC) 4.0 release. This information is intended for IT managers, system administrators, and architects in organizations using or planning to use this solution. The article assumes that readers are familiar with the installation, setup, and use of the Sun Management Center software.

Config readers provide the capability to monitor hardware by representing the hardware components and devices as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) managed objects. When the hardware is represented as an SNMP object, Sun MC monitors the hardware properties and performs alarm management.

The config reader module also displays the hardware configuration of the host system. This configuration includes information and status for power supplies, key switches, fans, remote consoles, and the system in general. Different config reader modules are for different hardware platforms. If the system is supported by a config reader module, that module is loaded automatically at start-up time.

Config readers also display the relationships between the hardware components. Logical and physical relationships between devices are displayed using standard Sun MC Physical View / Logical View (PV/LV) interfaces. The logical and physical views feature is available only if the config reader add-on for that system is installed on the server.

x86 Config Reader Module

The Sun MC 4.0 release contains a new standards-oriented configuration reader for monitoring Sun x86/x64 hardware. This x86 Config Reader provides detailed, platform-specific hardware instrumentation for the Solaris Operating System (OS) running on x86 platforms.

The x86 Config Reader is an independent Sun MC agent module running on x86/x64 hardware on either Solaris or Linux systems. This add-on enables monitoring and thresholding support for a large number of Sun x86/x64 servers. The new config reader monitors power, chassis status, sensor information such as temperature, voltage, fan rpm, and LED status.

The x86 Config Reader add-on must be installed on a Sun MC server. It contains the x86 Config Reader module. The x86 Config Reader module appears in the Hardware tab in the module browser of the Sun MC agent. It lists the hardware summary, logical view and physical view of the hardware under monitoring.

The x86 Config Reader module is loaded by default once the x86 Config Reader add-on is set up and the Sun MC agent is started. You can load and reload the module. This module depends on the availability of the IPMI tool with the required interfaces implemented. In the absence of the required IPMI tool, the x86 Config Reader add-on output will revert to the older output version in the Sun MC 3.6.1 release.

The x86 Config Reader provides a logical and a physical view of the system. The logical view displays the logical tree structure of all devices. On selection of a particular tree node, detailed information about that particular node is displayed in the Module Browser. The physical view provides generic images of the system interior. On selection of a particular component, the physical view properties page is displayed in the Module Browser.

The x86 Config Reader introduces a set of configurable and non-configurable alarms. Alarm conditions might be displayed immediately after starting the Sun MC agent.

x86 Config Reader Objects

The x86 Config Reader represents a system as a group of managed objects where each object represents a device or a family of devices with common attributes and properties. These managed objects are in turn represented as managed object groups or managed object tables.

Figure 1: x86 Config Reader Objects
(Click to Enlarge)

The x86 Config Reader module introduced in the Sun MC 3.6.1 release contains the following managed objects:

• System table

• CPU Units table

• Network Devices table

• Media Devices - This object is available only on the Solaris platform and not on Linux.

The x86 Config Reader in the Sun MC 4.0 release introduces the following managed objects:

• IPMI User - The IPMI user object provides the IPMI user information and summary. This object displays the number of active sessions on the system along with their details.

• BMC Inventory - The Base Management Controller (BMC) Inventory object provides information about the service controller, such as Device available, Device ID, Device Revision, Firmware Revision, IPMI Version, and so on.

• Chassis Status - The chassis status object provides information on the system chassis and the power status. Chassis Status also has three non-configurable alarms on Power Failure, Drive Fault, and Cooling/Fan Fault.

• Sensor Info - The sensor info object provides information on sensor status. This object monitors and displays the sensor summary, voltage, temperature, and fan status. Alarms can be set on value and status under sensor info. Sensor alarms are configurable.

• LED Info - The LED info object displays information about the LED status. Alarms can be set on value and status under LED info. LED alarms appear as warnings.

• System Event Log - The system event log object displays the system event list summary.

Note - Only machines with service controllers enabled can display these six new modules. In the absence of a service controller or when the service controller does not support the IPMI tool, the x86 Config Reader will revert to the older output version in the Sun MC 3.6.1 release.

References

For additional information, refer to the following documentation:

• For more information on installing, configuring, and uninstalling Sun MC, see Sun Management Center 4.0 Installation and Configuration Guide.

• For Sun MC 3.6.x documents, see http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/coll/810.8.

• For other Sun MC 4.0 documents, see http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/coll/1734.1.

Also, refer to the following resources:

• Support:

  • Sun Services and Solutions

  • SunSolve Online

• Developer Forums: Look under "Administration Tools - Sun Management Center"

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