Configure HP Integrated Lights Out (ILO) Step by Step

Easily one of the best features of HP servers is their Integrated Lights Out (ILO) remote management interface. Having the ability to remotely access HP servers from POST to OS is an invaluable tool. Standard ILO features include remote shutdown and startup, virtual media, text mode console redirect and access to hardware logs, status and diagnostic tools. Full graphical remote console redirection is available with the advanced license. This article will outline step by step how to configure and access ILO on a fresh out the box Proliant ML350 G5 server.

First, connect the ILO designated network port to your switch or management network

 

Most brand new HP servers come with an information tag attached. Printed on the tag is the server serial number and Integrated Lights Out access information including factory set username and password.

  

The easiest way to access the ILO configuration utility is during the POST by pressing F8 when prompted. 

The menu is straightforward and self explanatory. Use the arrow keys to navigate. Select Enter while the Set Defaults option is highlighted to revert back to factory settings.

First, access the Network menu, disable DHCP and change the DNS name

Then configure your static ip settings

Next, set the Administrator password or create new user.

 

Note that the username and password are both case sensitive. Select Exit to save and reset ILO with the new settings. Test access to the ILO web interface.

 

Robocopy and process how to use robocopy

Robocopy (Robust File Copy) is a command-line file copying tool included with the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit.

Why use Robocopy?

Robocopy is designed for reliable copy or mirroring of entire folders of any size ensuring all NTFS attributes and properties are copied (except security-related ones), particularly over network connections that are subject to disruption or outages. With this we can copy the open files(Files that are in use) also.
=> Ability to copy entire subdirectories (note: XCOPY can do this, COPY can't)

=> Ability to tolerate network outages and resume copying where it previously left off (incomplete files are noted with a date stamp of 1/1/1980)

=> Ability to correctly copy NTFS ACLs, attributes, owner information, alternate data streams, auditing information, and timestamps by default, without the need for numerous oft-forgotten command line switches
=> Ability to copy large quantities of files that would normally crash the built-in XCOPY utility.
=> A progress indicator on the command line that updates continuously

Robocopy Syntax
ROBOCOPY source destination [file [file]…] [options]
/S :: copy Subdirectories, but not empty ones.
/E :: copy subdirectories, including Empty ones.
/COPYALL :: COPY ALL file info (equivalent to /COPY:DATSOU).
/ZB :: use restartable mode; if access denied use Backup mode.
EX:-
ABC and BBC are two different severs.
\\ABC\home_O$\Newfolder is the source path.
\\DBC\home_O$\Newfolder is the Destination folder.

How to use Robocopy:-

1.      Log into any one of the server.

2.      Open command prompt.

3.      Give the robocopy command and click on enter.

C:\windows> robocopy “\\ABC\home_O$\Newfolder” "\\DBC\home_O$\Newfolder” /s /b /copyall /zb /log:c:\Newfolder.txt

How to Get and View Process Identifier (Process ID or PID) on Windows

Process identifier, or more commonly know as PID or process ID, is a unique number tagged with each processes running on a system, and used by some OS kernels, such as UNIX, Linux, Mac OS X and Windows) to identify a process

 

In Unix and Linux, ps command can be used to search for the PID for a particular running process, by grepping the output. In Windows operating system such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7, there is no such utility or command available though.  

 

In order to get to know, or view, retrieve and identify the process ID or PID of the processes running in Windows operating system, users or administrators can make use of Task Manager. However, Task Manager does not displayPID information by default. To display the PID value in Task Manager, go to Processes tab, click on View menu, and then click on Select Columns…. In the “Select Columns” or “Select Process Page Columns” dialog, tick and check the checkbox for PID (Process Identifier), and click OK. Find the screen shots for reference.

 

How to delete the VSP temp files WITHOUT a reboot..!

Server which are having VERITAS backup, some times will have the VSP temp files. Which you can’t delete by normal procedure. Here is the procedure how to delete the VSP temp files WITHOUT a reboot!!

Procexp is the tool to manually remove the temp files left over. You need to down load this tool from the below mentioned link.
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml

Process Explorer Usage to remove the cache files:-

1. Open the Procexp tool by double click.
2. Expand System Idle Process
3. Select and highlight System , you will notice in
the bottom half of the screen will populate with a
list of all the processes that are running under the
System account.
4. Click on show DLL, which is rounded in the below screen shot.

5. Sort the Name Field by name and scroll down till you see the entries that
start with \Device\VSPSnapshot0\_vxfiVspCacheFile_1.tmp (depending on the
number of drives, you may find more then one mapping in the list that use
the same naming convention).

6. Highlight the first \Device\VSPSnapshot0\_vxfiVspCacheFile_1.tmp, right click and select Close Handle.

Explain the lease process of the DHCP server.

The Process for leasing the ip address in DHCP is called DORA( D-Discover, O-Offer, R-Request, A- Acknowledge).

DHCP Server leases the IP addresses to the clients as follows:

DORA
D (Discover) : DHCP Client sends a broadcast packets to identify the dhcp server, this packet will contain the source MAC.
O (Offer) : Once the packet is received by the DHCP server, the server will send the packet containing Source IP and Source MAC.
R (Request) : Client will now contact the DHCP server directly and request for the IP address.
A (Acknowledge) : DHCP server will send an ack packet which contains the IP address.