Re: [Xen-API] XCP 1.6 Serial console with IPMI SOL

[James Bulpin <James.Bulpin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Alexandre,

>    append /boot/xen.gz mem=1024G dom0_mem=752M,max:752M
> watchdog_timeout=300 cpuid_mask_xsave_eax=0 lowmem_emergency_pool=1M
> crashkernel=64M@32M com2=115200,8n1 console=com2,vga dom0_max_vcpus=1-4
> --- /boot/vmlinuz-2.6-xen root=LABEL=root-vskolivp ro xencons=hvc
> console=hvc0 console=tty0 --- /boot/initrd-2.6-xen.img

Try reversing the order of the two console= args in the kernel command line. 
Linux uses the rightmost of these for /dev/console, i.e. you want the hvc0 one 
last.

My box (it's XS 6.0.2 so other args will differ - ignore these) has:

label xe-serial
  # XenServer (Serial)
  kernel mboot.c32
  append /boot/xen.gz com1=115200,8n1 console=com1,vga mem=1024G 
dom0_max_vcpus=4 dom0_mem=752M lowmem_emergency_pool=1M crashkernel=64M@32M --- 
/boot/vmlinuz-2.6-xen root=LABEL=root-lpnwoiab ro console=tty0 xencons=hvc 
console=hvc0 --- /boot/initrd-2.6-xen.img

Regards,
James

> -----Original Message-----
> From: xen-api-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:xen-api-
> bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Alexandre Kouznetsov
> Sent: 16 January 2013 20:15
> To: xen-api@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Xen-API] XCP 1.6 Serial console with IPMI SOL
> 
> Hello.
> 
> I'm setting up some Dell PowerEdge R320 servers, to have access to
> serial console. The serial port itself is a internal port, visible as
> COM2 or ttyS1 to the OS, mapped to a integrated BMC card and accessible
> via IPMI SOL. My general guide has been Xen Serial Console wiki article
> [1]. I use no iDRAC card, only the basic BMC.
> 
> I have successfully configured IPMI interface, and SOL works as
> expected. The problem I have is to configure properly the XCP: it
> displays output on serial console, but misses all startup messages of
> the services. Since the serial console is intended to be used for
> debugging a possible boot failure, those startup messages are critical.
> 
> 
> I have configured:
> - Edited /boot/extlinux.conf to send output the serial console,
> - Made inttab to use serial as console (Wiki suggests using agetty
> instead of getty, don't know how relevant this might be):
>    T0:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS1 115200 vt100
> - Added 'ttyS1' to /etc/securetty (not sure if really needed).
> 
> After I connect to SOL and power on the server, I can see Syslinux's
> boot prompt, then Xen's boot messages and the kernels's boot messages,
> except the end of them. Then, after some notable delay, I see the login
> prompt. This is the very end of my serial console's output:
> 
> [    9.459950] usb 1-1.6: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and
> address 3
> [    9.570903] usb 1-1.6: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
> [    9.571265] hub 1-1.6:1.0: USB hub found
> [    9.571562] hub 1-1.6:1.0: 6 ports detected
> [    9.870053] usb 1-1.6.1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd
> and
> address 4
> [    9.990896] u[   20.637067] kjournald starting.  Commit interval 15
> seconds
> [   20.637083] EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
> 
> Xen.org XCP Host 1.6.10-61809c
> [...Your XCP Host has now finished booting, IP, SSL fingerpint, etc...]
> xcp-node23 login:
> 
> (Note the incomplete line at 9.990896, that's also an issue)
> 
> Watching the boot process on a monitor, I have noticed that around
> message at 20.637083 the VGA console's resolution changes to something
> like 135x43, and immediately changes back to 80x25. Can't say if it
> switches to FB mode, probably not. After the switching, I see service
> startup messages, and finally it displays XCP's curses interface.
> 
> When I shutdown the server, I see Xen's messages but not the usual
> "Broadcast message [...] The system is going down".
> 
> 
> This is my /boot/extlinux.conf, I added serial console and cut splash
> screen, framebuffer modes and "quiet" options:
> 
> # location mbr
> serial 1 115200
> default xe
> prompt 1
> timeout 50
> 
> label xe
>    # append /boot/xen.gz mem=1024G dom0_mem=752M,max:752M
> watchdog_timeout=300 cpuid_mask_xsave_eax=0 lowmem_emergency_pool=1M
> crashkernel=64M@32M com2=115200,8n1 console=com2,vga dom0_max_vcpus=1-4
> --- /boot/vmlinuz-2.6-xen root=LABEL=root-vskolivp ro xencons=hvc
> console=hvc0 console=tty0 console=ttyS1,115200n8 ---
> /boot/initrd-2.6-xen.img
>    kernel mboot.c32
>    append /boot/xen.gz mem=1024G dom0_mem=752M,max:752M
> watchdog_timeout=300 cpuid_mask_xsave_eax=0 lowmem_emergency_pool=1M
> crashkernel=64M@32M com2=115200,8n1 console=com2,vga dom0_max_vcpus=1-4
> --- /boot/vmlinuz-2.6-xen root=LABEL=root-vskolivp ro xencons=hvc
> console=hvc0 console=tty0 --- /boot/initrd-2.6-xen.img
> 
> 
> A Citrix KB article [2] (applies to XenServer 5.5-6.1.0) suggests to
> set
> up serial console only in the boot loader, and only to for the
> hypervisor itself. No kernel parameters alteration. Does not mentions
> inittab or securetty.
> 
> Another KB article [3], which applies up to XenServer 6.0, suggests to
> configure serial console to hypervisor itself AND the kernel. I have
> tested that, with no noticeable changes. The kernel's parameters seems
> to be unnecessary, since Xen splits pretty well the console output,
> sending a copy to tty and ttyS1.
> 
> I have also learned [4], that Dell's "Redirection [console to serial]
> After Boot" BIOS option might interfere with that, so I left it
> disabled
> expecting a more "standard" behavior.
> 
> Reference:
> [1] http://wiki.xen.org/wiki/Xen_Serial_Console
> [2] http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX121442
> [3] http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX131909
> [4] http://wiki.nikhef.nl/grid/Serial_Consoles
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> --
> Alexandre Kouznetsov
> 
> 
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