Service Processor (MP or GSP) Features

The following list describes the primary features available through the service processor on cell-based HP servers.

Command Menu. The Command menu provides commands for system service, status, and access configuration tasks.
To enter the Command menu, enter CM at the service processor Main menu. To exit the service processor Command menu, enter MA or type ^b (Control-b) to return to the service processor Main menu.
See “Command Reference for Service Processor Commands” for details.
Service processor commands are restricted based on the three levels of access: Administrator, Operator, and Single Partition User. See “Service Processor Accounts and Access Levels” for details.
Consoles. Each nPartition in a server complex has its own console.
Enter CO at the service processor Main menu to access the nPartition consoles. To exit the console, type ^b (Control-b).
See “nPartition Console Features” for details.
Console output for each nPartition is reflected to all users currently accessing the nPartition console.
One console user can have interactive access to each nPartition console, and all other users of the console have read-only access. To gain write access for a console, type ^e cf (Control-e c f).
Each nPartition console provides access to:
- The nPartition system boot environment: either BCH or EFI.
  The BCH or EFI system boot environment is available when the nPartition is active but has not yet loaded or booted an operating system.
  The Boot Console Handler (BCH) environment is provided on HP 9000 servers only (PA-RISC servers).
  The Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) is provided on HP Integrity servers only (Intel® Itanium®-based servers).
- HP-UX console for the nPartition.
  The nPartition console provides console login access to HP-UX and serves as /dev/console for the nPartition.
Console Logs. Enter CL from the service processor Main menu to access the console logs menu. To exit the console log, type ^b (Control-b).
Each nPartition has its own console log, which stores a history of console output for the nPartition, including boot output, system boot environment (BCH or EFI) activity, and any HP-UX console login activity.
See “Viewing Console Logs” for details.
The console log provides a limited history; it is a circular log file that overwrites the oldest information with the most recent.
All console activity is recorded in the console log, regardless of whether any service processor users are connected to the console.
Chassis Logs and Event Logs. On both HP 9000 systems and HP Integrity systems, you can view real-time (live) system events and can view prior events that have been stored in a log history. Use the SL ("show logs") option from the service processor Main Menu to view events/chassis codes.
- On cell-based HP 9000 servers with HP PA-8700 processors, SL provides the Chassis Log Viewer. The chassis log viewer includes options for viewing: activity (level 1 and greater) logs, error (level 2 and greater) logs, and live logs (which optionally may be filtered by cell, nPartition, or alert level).
- On cell-based servers based on the HP sx1000 chipset or HP sx2000 chipset, SL provides the Event Log Viewer. The event log viewer includes options for viewing: forward progress (level 1 and greater) logs, system event (level 2 and greater) logs, and live logs (which optionally may be filtered by cell, nPartition, or alert level).
See “Viewing Chassis Codes or Event Logs” for details.
Virtual Front Panel (VFP) for an nPartition. The Virtual Front Panel (VFP) for each nPartition displays real-time boot activity and details about all cells assigned to the nPartition. The VFP display automatically updates as cell and nPartition status changes. A system-wide VFP also is provided.
Enter VFP at the Main menu to access the Virtual Front Panel menu. To exit a Virtual Front Panel, type ^b (Control-b).
See “Virtual Front Panel (VFP) nPartition Views” for details.

Service Processor Accounts and Access Levels

To access the service processor interface for a server complex, you must have a user account that enables you to login to the service processor.

Each server complex has its own set of service processor user accounts, which are defined for the server complex and may differ from accounts on other complexes.

Service processor user accounts have a specific login name, password, and access level.

The three user account access levels are:

Administrator Account. Provides access to all commands, and access to all nPartition consoles and Virtual Front Panels.
Can manage user accounts (using the Command menu SO command) and can reconfigure various service processor settings.
Operator Account. Provides access to a subset of commands, and access to all nPartition consoles and Virtual Front Panels.
Single Partition User Account. Provides access to a restricted subset of commands and provides access to the nPartition console for a single nPartition. However, allows the user to view the Virtual Front Panel for any nPartition.
Can only execute commands that affect the assigned nPartition.
Cannot execute commands that could potentially affect multiple nPartitions or affect the service processor configuration.

Each user account can either permit repeated login sessions (if it is a "multiple use" account), or restrict the account to only login once (for "single use" accounts).

Service Processor (MP or GSP) Features

Technical documentation

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Service Processor Accounts and Access Levels