Sun Microsystems 280R Server User Manual


 
Chapter 3 System Administration 69
Automated remote event notification of system problems is configurable through
RSC software. For more information about RSC software, see “Using the Sun Remote
System Control (RSC) Card” on page 74.
Control over the system’s ASR firmware functionality is provided by the OpenBoot
PROM commands. These are described in the current version of the document
OpenBoot Command Reference Manual.
Improved System Diagnostics Software
For enhanced serviceability and availability, the system provides different tools for
diagnostic testing and monitoring, namely:
Power-on self-test (POST)
OpenBoot Diagnostics
SunVTS diagnostics
Sun Management Center diagnostics
Remote System Control (RSC) software
POST and OpenBoot Diagnostics are firmware-resident diagnostics that can run even
if the server is unable to boot the operating system. Application-level diagnostics,
such as SunVTS and Sun Management Center, offer additional troubleshooting
capabilities once the operating environment is running. The RSC software offers
monitoring and remote notification while the operating environment software is
running, and in addition provides access to the ok firmware prompt if the operating
environment is not running.
POST diagnostics provide a quick but thorough check of the most basic hardware
functions of the system. For more information about POST, see “How to Isolate
Failures Using Power-On Self-Test (POST)” on page 179, “About Isolating Failed
Components” on page 165, and “Isolating Failed Components” on page 72.
OpenBoot Diagnostics provide a more comprehensive test of the system, including
external interfaces. OpenBoot Diagnostics is described in “About Using Diagnostic
Tools to Monitor, Diagnose, and Exercise the System” on page 162, in “How to
Isolate Failures Using OpenBoot Diagnostics” on page 181, and in “Isolating Failed
Components” on page 72.
At the operating environment level, you have access to SunVTS diagnostics. Like
OpenBoot Diagnostics, SunVTS provides a comprehensive test of the system,
including its external interfaces. SunVTS also allows you to run tests remotely over a
network connection, for example using RSC. You can only use SunVTS software if
the operating system is running. For more information about SunVTS, see “About
Exercising the System Using SunVTS Software” on page 173, and “How to Check
Whether SunVTS Software Is Installed” on page 198.