Serial port access between servers

[ranjit]

I currently have 2 p630's in a HACMP cluster. Each server is configured such that:

* Serial port 1 (S1) is used to access the service processor with login set to enable
* Serial port 3 (S3) is used by HACMP for the non-IP heartbeat

Is it possible to get the 2 servers to talk to each other by running a serial cable between the S2 ports of each server?


The idea being, this scenario allows you to power up a failed (crashed) node using the running node's S2 port as a mean of access to the failed node.

 

[DonDavisFCB]

You need a DB9/Female to DB9/Female Null Modem Cable.
CompUSA sells a nice 10 footer.
It's basically the same cable used by HACMP.
Then you need terminal emulation.
I use "ate" (asynchronus terminal emulation), it comes with AIX, you just have to find it on the Installation CDs and install it. It is very rudimentary, but it works fine.
---
Are you attached to a SAN on both servers?
If yes, you could use the SAN for the heartbeat instead of the serial cable if you are using HACMP v5.
Don

 

[ranjit]

No, I'm not attached to a SAN on both servers. So will "ate" allow login to a running server via telnet and access to the service processor on a server at the ok prompt?

 

[ranjit]

Using the above methodology, are you able to access the service processor menu's using ate from another server.

 

[ggitlin]

I have p610s with the similar config, but using a terminal server (Cyclades) to access the service processor when a crash occurs. The console port, though, is tty0 and HA hartbeat is going via tty1.

 

[craigscherer]

An old but reliable utility that comes with base AIX that would fullfill your needs is 'cu'. Of course the dirt level would have to be connected as DonDavis FCB.

Run a getty on both system's tty2, smitty will do that for you, define the tty and then start a getty on it.

then the command is cu -l tty2
you should get the login prompt for the other system (you may have to enter a return (touch enter) to get the login to display)