IBM Advanced System Management Driver for Linux version 3.0
CONTENTS
--------
1.0 Overview
2.0 Change History
3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions
4.0 Configuration Information
5.0 Web Sites and Support Phone Number
6.0 Trademarks and Notices
7.0 Disclaimer
1.0 Overview
-------------
This README.TXT file is associated with the following RPM file:
- ibmasm-3.0.-x.src.rpm
- ibmasm-3.0.-x.i386.rpm
(where x indicates the revision number of the package.)
This RPM file will build Linux device drivers for the following
IBM hardware:
- Remote Supervisor Adapter, which is an option on specific models
of xSeries servers (Remote Mouse / Keyboard available if the
Adapter firmware supports those functions)
The RPM only supports Redhat Enterprise Linux, version 4 (RHEL4).
2.0 Change History
-------------------
2.1 Driver version 3.0
The driver code has been redesigned for the 2.6 Linux kernel.
2.2 Fixed incorrect file permissions (Defect #254653)
2.3 The DeregisterForEvents function now works correctly (Defect #254897)
2.4 The API shared library now also works correctly when the
primary service processor is not on PCI bus 0 (Defect #258791)
2.5 IBM Director can now open the driver (Defect 260776f_1)
2.6 Redesigned remote control support in the driver. The ibmasm
driver now directly forwards remote mouse and keyboard events
to the kernel's input subsystem. They are then picked up by an
X input driver.
2.7 Don't fail ibmspup when X is running. This was preventing
the driver from loading if rhgb was enabled.
3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions
--------------------------------------------------------------
3.1 Installing the driver
The driver is installed with the following command:
rpm -ivh ibmasm-3.0-x.i386.rpm
Note: for the remote control feature to function in the addition
to the ibmasm rpm the ibmasm_drv xinput driver is required.
3.2 Removing the driver
The command
rpm -e ibmasm
will remove the ibmasm driver and the associated user space utilities
from the system.
3.3 Utilities provided the ibmasm package
Upon installation the command rpm -ql ibmasm will list the installed
components of the ibmasm package.
These are:
(1) the ibmasm driver
/lib/modules/<kernel-version>/kernel/drivers/misc/ibmasm/ibmasm.ko
(2) the service processor API shared object
/lib/libsysSp.so
(3) the ibmsphalt executable that allows a clean OS shutdown intiated
by the service processor. It executes /sbin/halt when it receives
a poweroff event from the service processor.
/sbin/ibmsphalt
(4) start and stop utilities
/etc/init.d/ibmasm
/sbin/ibmspup
/usr/sbin/rcibmasm
(5) this README file
/usr/share/doc/packages/ibmasm/README
(6) the mount point for the ibmasmfs file system
/var/lib/ibmasm
4.0 Configuration Information
------------------------------
4.1 Manually starting and stopping the ibmasm utilities
The command
/etc/init.d/ibmasm/start
will start the ibmasm utilities.
/etc/init.d/ibmasm/stop
will stop them.
When started
- the ibmasm module is loaded
- the ibmasmfs filesytem is mounted on /var/lib/ibmasm
- the ibmsphalt and ibmspremote commands are running
Note: the ibmasmfs filesystem is for internal use with the
Service Processor API shared library and ibmspremote command.
It is not necessary to access it directly nor need its details
be known.
4.2 Automatically starting and stopping the ibmasm utilities
Upon installation the ibmasm utilities are started and
configured to be started in run levels 3 and 5, and stopped
in all other run levels.
To change this configuration standard Linux commands such as
chkconfig(8) can be used.
4.3 Configuring the serial line support
The ibmasm module contains support for the UART on the service
processor board, i.e. it allows the Linux OS to make use of the
UART as a serial line.
This feature requires the UART on the service processor board
to be dedicated to the OS before the ibmasm driver is loaded.
If the driver is loaded when the UART is not dedicated to the
OS it will not be able to detect a possible later change in UART
ownership and will not be able to make use of the UART.
The ibmasm driver dynamically registers a serial line
in the kernel's tty subsystem. The serial line number can
be read from the /var/log/messages log or from the dmesg(8)
command. You will see a set of messages like:
ibmasm 0000:01:07.0: IBM SP UART not registered, owned by service proc.
ibmasm: IBM ASM Service Processor Driver version 1.0 loaded
or:
ttyS14 at MMIO 0x0 (irq = 18) is a 16550A
ibmasm: IBM ASM Service Processor Driver version 1.0 loaded
The numbers appearing are examples and will vary.
In the former case the UART is not dedicated to the OS and
no serial support is registered. In the latter case the
ibmasm registers ttyS14 which can be accessed as /dev/ttyS14
from user programs (such as getty). The specific number depends
in the sytem, but it will be same every time the driver is
loaded as long as the system configuration doesn't change.
Note: The service processor may retake ownership of the UART
under certain circumstances, e.g. for dialout. In that case the
OS using the UART may interfere with the service processor's
use of the UART.
4.4 Notes on Remote Control
This driver supports remote server screen redirection via VNC window in
service processor's web interface. A few limitations apply:
- 24 bit color depth is not supported. Note that this may be the default
on some installations, therefore care needs to be taken to set this value
to 8, 16 or 32 bits if remote control is to be used.
- Only framebuffer mode is supported for the text console. To turn on
framebuffer mode specify
vga=<code>, e.g. vga=791
as a kernel boot parameter.
<code> can be one of the following:
Color depth | 640x480 800x600 1024x768 1280x1024
256 (8bit)| 769 771 773 775
32000 (15bit)| 784 787 790 793
65000 (16bit)| 785 788 791 794
The codes below are not supported since they have 24 bit color depth.
16.7 Mill.(24bit)| 786 789 792 795
- The VNC client may not always be able to handle screen resolution changes.
In these cases closing the remote control window and restarting it will
remedy the situation.
- You may experience repeated characters when none are desired. These are
caused by a lag in transmission of key events from the VNC client to the
server. A workaround is to disable key repeat in the KDE:
* use the KDE Control Center
* open Peripherals
* select Keyboard
* uncheck "Keyboard repeat"
The procedure for Gnome is:
* click on Applications
* select Preferences
* select Keyboard
* uncheck "Repeat Keys"
5.0 WEB Sites and Support Phone Number
---------------------------------------
5.1 IBM Support Web Site:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/support
5.2 IBM Marketing eServer xSeries Web Site:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/eserver/xseries
5.3 If you have any questions about this update, or problems
applying the update go to the following Help Center World
Telephone Numbers URL:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/YAST-3P2QYL.html
6.0 Trademarks and Notices
---------------------------
The following terms are trademarks of Redhat, Inc. in the United States
or other countries or both:
Redhat
The following terms are trademarks of Linus Torvalds in the United
States or other countries or both:
Linux
7.0 Disclaimer
---------------
7.1 THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY
KIND. IBM DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
MERCHANTABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS
DOCUMENT. BY FURNISHING THIS DOCUMENT, IBM GRANTS NO
LICENSES TO ANY PATENTS OR COPYRIGHTS.
7.2 Note to Government Users
Documentation related to restricted rights -- Use, duplication
or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in GSA ADP
Schedule Contract with IBM Corporation.
