Configuring the management module

You configure the primary (active) management module. The standby management module, if present, automatically synchronizes its configuration to match that of the primary management module. This synchronization can take up to 45 minutes.

For advanced management modules, you can manually set the network configuration of the standby management module as part of advanced failover, making it accessible if there is a problem during automated failover. The configuration information in this documentation applies to the primary management module, which might be the only management module in the BladeCenter® unit.

If the management module that you installed is a replacement for the only management module in the BladeCenter unit and you saved the configuration file before you replaced the management module, you can apply the saved configuration file to the replacement management module by using the management-module web interface. See Restoring and modifying your management-module configuration for information about applying a saved configuration file.

The BladeCenter unit automatically detects the modules and blade servers that are installed and stores the vital product data (VPD). When the BladeCenter unit is started, the management module automatically configures the remote management port of the management module so that you can configure and manage BladeCenter components. You configure and manage BladeCenter components remotely by using the management-module web interface, the management-module CLI, or simple network management protocol (SNMP).

Note: There are two ways to configure the I/O modules: through the management-module web interface or through an external I/O-module port that is enabled through the management module through a Telnet interface or a web browser. For additional information, see the documentation that comes with each I/O module.

For the active management module to communicate with network resources and with the I/O modules in the BladeCenter unit, you must configure the IP addresses for the following internal and external ports:

The external Ethernet (remote management) port (Ethernet 0) of the management module (see Network Interfaces). The initial automatic management-module configuration enables the network-management station to connect to the management module to configure the port completely and to configure the rest of the BladeCenter unit.
The internal Ethernet port (Ethernet 1) on the management module for communication with the I/O modules (see Network Interfaces). Internal Ethernet ports for the advanced management module cannot be manually configured.
The management port on each I/O module that provides for communication with the management module. You configure this port by configuring the IP address for the I/O module (see Configuration).
Note: Some types of I/O modules, such as the pass-thru module, have no management port.

See the documentation that comes with each I/O module to determine what else you must configure in the I/O module.

Note: Do not configure the blade server and the AMM to be on the same IP subnet. The AMM should be on an IP subnet dedicated to management traffic.

To communicate with the blade servers for functions such as deploying an operating system or application program over a network, you must also configure at least one external (in-band) port on an Ethernet switch module in I/O-module bay 1 or 2.

Note: If a pass-thru module (instead of an Ethernet I/O module) is installed in I/O-module bay 1 or 2, you must configure the network switch that the pass-thru module is connected to. See the documentation that comes with the network switch for instructions.