Sun Microsystems 220R Server User Manual


 
118 Sun Enterprise 220R Server Owner’s Guide October 1999
About Diagnostic Tools
The system provides both firmware-based and software-based diagnostic tools to
help you identify and isolate hardware problems. These tools are:
Power-on self-test (POST) diagnostics
OpenBoot Diagnostics (OBDiag)
SunVTS software
Sun Enterprise SyMON software
POST diagnostics verify the core functionality of the system, including the main
logic board, system memory, and any on-board I/O devices. You can run POST even
if the system is unable to boot. For more information about POST, see “About
Power-On Self-Test (POST) Diagnostics” on page 120 and “How to Use POST
Diagnostics” on page 121.
OBDiag tests focus on system I/O and peripheral devices. Like POST, you can run
OBDiag even if the system is unable to boot. For more information about OBDiag,
see “About OpenBoot Diagnostics (OBDiag)” on page 126 and “How to Use
OpenBoot Diagnostics (OBDiag)” on page 129.
The SunVTS system exerciser is a graphics-oriented UNIX application that permits
the continuous exercising of system resources and internal and external peripheral
equipment. For more information about SunVTS software, see “About SunVTS
Software” on page 132.
UNIX-based Sun Enterprise SyMON software allows you to monitor the system
hardware status and operating system performance of your server. For information
about Sun Enterprise SyMON software, see “About Sun Enterprise SyMON
Software” on page 137.
Which method or tool you use to diagnose system problems depends on the nature
of those problems:
If your machine isn’t able to boot its operating system software, you need to run
POST and OBDiag tests.
If your machine is “healthy” enough to start up and load its operating system
software, you can use Sun Enterprise SyMON software and SunVTS software to
diagnose system problems.