Intelligent Management Subsystem
The Intelligent Management Subsystem (IMS) provides fault,
performance and configuration management for the PowerFrame Enterprise
Server through integrated hardware and software. The IMS is accessed
locally or remotely through a Windows-based management console.
Configurable notification services will dial out to pagers or use
SNMP-based network management packages for event notification. The IMS is
standard on the PowerFrame Enterprise Server.
Functions
- Remains on-line, regardless of the state of the server, providing
valuable information in troubleshooting situations.
- Gives alerts according to user-defined parameters including alert
level, alert method, person, time and day.
- Provides comprehensive information for one or more PowerFrame
Enterprise Servers at one or more local or remote management consoles.
- Monitors Power and Cooling Subsystems for the main cabinet and
all attached disk cabinets.
- Provides alert notification during a power outage with three-day
battery backup.
- Shows status, activity and firmware revision levels of installed
hardware modules.
- Displays subsystem LEDs, switch settings and code descriptions.
- Provides immediate notification of critical alerts, including
failed server, through pagers, remote management consoles and SNMP
management packages.*
- Allows local or remote firmware updates of the Intelligent
Management Processor (IMP), PBS/EBS and BIOS while the operating system
is running.
- Lets operators demote a mirrored disk drive having intermittent
errors off-line, forcing the hot spare to take over.
- Provides comprehensive performance statistics for the PowerFrame
Enterprise Server and its subsystems.
- Optionally automatically reboots and reconfigures the system if a
redundant CPU fails.
- Stores event log for on-line or off-line review.
- Provides comprehensive on-line help screens.
- Prints alerts to a serial printer.
- From the IMS Management Console, a network administrator can
access the system console remotely by capturing the keyboard inputs and
video outputs.
Integrated Hardware and Software
Integrated management features within the system hardware provide the
basis of Tricords total server management solution. IMS
contains a 386-based Intelligent Management Processor (IMP) that is fully
integrated into PowerFrame Enterprise Server hardware via the PowerBus.
Each intelligent subsystem contains Autonomous Built-In Self Test (ABIST)
firmware that independently tests its surrounding hardware and reports
results to the IMP. Additionally, the Power and Cooling Subsystem (PCS)
directly interfaces with the IMP for monitoring power and temperature in
the main system cabinet and up to eight additional PowerFile expansion
cabinets.
This design helps isolate problems to specific subsystems, and subsystem
diagnostic capabilities can be initiated, regardless of the state of
other subsystems.
System administrators do not have to be on-site to monitor a server.
IMS is monitored locally or remotely using the supplied null
modem cable or PCMCIA modem connected to the PC-based management console.
Administrators can also run IMP-based diagnostics and perform a server
reboot from a remote location. A remote console window displays the
PowerFrame Enterprise Server console through the IMS graphical interface.
Intelligent Management Processor
Components
- Processor
32-bit 80386DX microprocessor. The processor
accesses
the control and status registers of other system bus components, monitors
environmental status information, notifies a remote system console of
alarm conditions, and executes local and remote diagnostics.
- Static RAM
512 KBytes of RAM contains microprocessor
code and data.
- Non-Volatile SRAM
The IMP accommodates 8 KBytes of
battery
backed-up, nonvolatile SRAM. This memory contains configuration data and
error log entries.
- FLASH Memory
256 KBytes of flash memory contain initial
boot code, POST (power on self test) code and runtime firmware.
- Dual-Ported SRAM
Four KBytes of SRAM allow control and
status
information to be passed between the IMP and other system bus modules.
- Power and Cooling Interface
The IMP connects to the
Power and
Cooling Subsystem (PCS) through the PCS interface. The PCS monitors the
status of power supplies, fans and temperature in the main cabinet and up
to eight attached PowerFiles and reports this status to the IMP.
- Modem
The on-board modem (US and Canada only) is used to
communicate with a remote management console. The modem supports line
speeds up to 14.4 Kbps (V.32 bis), DTE data rates up to 57.6 Kbps, data
compression (V.42 bis, MNP 5), error correction (V.42, MNP 2-4) and
cellular-ready capability (MNP 10). Additionally, the IMP supports
external modems at DTE data rates up to 38.4 Kbps.
- Battery Pack
A set of five NiCad batteries powers the
IMP board
in the event of a power loss. This enables the IMP to continue reporting
information for up to 85 hours to the management console or to send
alerts to a remote administrator.
Management Console Application
The Management Console application is the software component of
IMS and is installed on a user-supplied PC. With a Windows
3.1 interface, it provides access to PowerFrame Enterprise Server fault,
performance and configuration information. The Management Console
application comes on a single 3.5 floppy diskette.
The Management Console application communicates locally with the IMP in
the PowerFrame Enterprise Server via an RS-232 serial link at data rates
up to 38.4 Kbps using a null modem cable, or remotely via the PCMCIA
modem supplied with the IMP and a user-supplied modem attached to the PC.
Fault Management
IMS offers fault management beyond that found in PC server
management packages. Multiple levels of fault management supported by the
IMS ensure the highest possible system uptime.
Fault Prevention
IMS, coupled with the PowerFrame Enterprise Servers other
high-availability features, helps prevent many faults before they occur.
The PowerFrame is designed to be highly available. For example, features
such as ECC memory offer unattended problem correction. The IMS takes
availability the next step by enabling fault prevention. It provides
pre-failure information about disk drives, memory or other components in
the system that are reporting abnormalities but have not failed. With
this information, the system administrator is able to take proactive
steps to prevent a fault from occurring.
For example, through the ISS detailed device display, an operator might
see a drive showing intermittent errors. If the drive is part of a RAID
configuration, the operator can demote it from the disk configuration,
let the hot spare take over and perform a hot replacement of the
questionable disk. The new disk will then be configured automatically as
the hot spare drive.
Fault Recovery
If a serious event occurs, IMS will attempt to isolate the
fault to the specific module, and if the fault is recoverable, the IMS
will execute recovery procedures. Because it contains a dedicated
microprocessor, the IMS will not leave the critical task of fault
recovery to a potentially faulty main CPU.
In the case of a failing CPU, special-purpose hardware on IMS
can be used to allow the IMS to disable the CPU. When this is done, it
disables a slot from the lowest possible level by placing the board in a
reset state. If the PowerFrame Enterprise Server is configured with
additional CPUs, the system is re-booted automatically with one less CPU.*
Performance Management
IMS provides performance management functions patterned after
the modelling and performance tuning tools found on sophisticated
mainframe systems. The information is graphed for interactive analysis by
the management console and can be used for capacity planning and
performance tuning. A baseline examination can be done and stored for
future comparisons.
Configuration Management
IMS maintains an inventory of the entire system. The
configuration manager reports configuration information including the
high-level system configuration and status, as well as CPU, memory
subsystem, disks, NICs and firmware information. Configuration
information is also written to a comma-delimited file that can be
integrated into an inventory database of other equipment for corporate or
departmental inventory management.
In addition, a special flash update feature allows users to update the
IMP and BIOS firmware without disabling the system. This ability helps
ensure the system stays at the latest revision level and is very valuable
when working with Tricords Technical Support Center.
Access and Notification
There are two primary ways to access IMS information:
- The Management Console
The Management Console runs as a Microsoft Windows-based application and
is accessed locally or remotely via a modem. From either location, the
Management Console allows complete control of the system, including the
ability to reboot the PowerFrame Enterprise Server.
The Management Console features on-line help for quick access to IMS
information and improved operator training and productivity.
Additionally, the Management Console displays IMS, CCS and ISS LEDs and
switch settings. Administrators can view LED code descriptions through
IMS Help. This eliminates the need to open the system to view
LEDs and switch settings and improves troubleshooting.
- Event Notification/Logging
IMS lets the user customize who should be notified of events,
when they should receive notifications and their preferred method of
notification. In addition to sending alerts to the IMS Management
Console, there are dial-out services to a remote console or a pager
service. For example, in the event of total power loss, the IMS will use
its internal battery to dial out and inform the specified administrator
of the problem.
IMS stores all event information for on-line or off-line
review. Users are notified of events through the Management Console and
alphanumeric pagers. Additionally, the IMS can call a remote PC running
the IMS Management Console or notify an SNMP-compliant network manager
such as Novells NetWare Management System or Hewlett Packards HP OpenView.
Hardware Monitor Functions
- Power and Cooling Monitoring
Monitors all power supplies
and
cooling fans in system chassis and up to eight attached disk cabinets.
- System Bus Profile
Monitors EBS/PBS, ISS and CCS
utilization of the system bus.
- ISS Load Balance
Monitors activity across selected SCSI
buses
and displays physical and logical SCSI devices, including PowerRAID
information.
- Server Reset
Reboots remote server.
- Alert Levels
Reports event, warning, serious and fatal
alerts.
- System Inventory
Compiles inventory of entire system and
maintains inventory in comma-delimited file.
- LED Display
Displays LEDs and switch settings for the
IMS, CCS and ISS.
- On-Line Help
Explains IMS functions through Windows.
Pager Access Agent
- Alert Notification
Supports a variety of monitor alerts to
pager.
- Protocol
Telocator Alphanumeric Protocol (TAP).
- Pager Support
Alphanumeric.
Alert Logging
- Alert Capture
Provides long-term storage of alerts in a log
file.
- Log File
Maintained by Management Console application.
- Log File Format
ASCII.
Prerequisites
- User-supplied PC-compatible 80386 or 80486 system.
- Null modem cable (for local connection).
- Modem (for remote connection).
- DOS 3.1 or higher.
- Microsoft Windows 3.1
PowerBus
