nPartition Console Features

The service processor Console menu provides access to all nPartition consoles within the server complex.

Enter CO from the service processor Main menu to access an nPartition console. To exit the nPartition console, type ^b (Control-b) to return to the Main menu.

Each nPartition in a complex has a single console. However, multiple connections to the console are supported, allowing multiple users to simultaneously view the console output. Only one connection per console permits write-access.

To force (gain) console write access for an nPartition console, type ^ecf (Control-e c f).

Each nPartition console can display a variety of information about the nPartition, including:

Partition startup, shutdown, and reset output.
The system boot environment: either Boot Console Handler (BCH, on HP 9000 servers) or Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI, on HP Integrity servers).
The system boot environment is available when the nPartition has not yet booted an operating system and has completed Power-On Self Tests (POST) and completed nPartition rendezvous to become active.
The HP-UX login prompt and "console shell access".




	CAUTION: When you use an nPartition console connection to login to an operating system running on the nPartition, logout from the operating system when you have finished using it before you type ^B (Control-b) to disconnect from the nPartition console. If you fail to logout from the operating system console session, then any other service processor user who has permission to access the nPartition could connect to the nPartition console and use the open login session. Disconnecting from an nPartition console does not close any open operating system login sessions.

nPartition Console Access versus Direct OS Login

You may need to consider the following factors when deciding whether to interact with an nPartition through the service processor console interface or a direct operating system (OS) login session.

Whether you want to log your activity to the console log for the nPartition (all console activity is stored at least temporarily).
Whether the OS is installed, booted, and properly configured on the nPartition.
If the OS is not installed on an nPartition, you should access the nPartition console (through the service processor) in order to install and configure the OS.

You should use the network to login to the OS running on an nPartition when you do not need to use service processor features and do not want to record a log of your activity.

Before an OS has booted, the service processor nPartition consoles are the primary method of interacting with an nPartition.

After an nPartition has booted the OS, you should be able to connect to and login to the nPartition by using telnet or rlogin or ssh to remotely login to HP-UX or Linux, or by using remote desktop for a remote Windows session.

nPartition Console Features

Technical documentation

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nPartition Console Access versus Direct OS Login