The BladeCenter management module

This Management Module User's Guide contains information about configuring the management module and managing components that are installed in an IBM® BladeCenter® unit. Information about configuring management modules other than the advanced management module is in a separate document.

Although all types of management modules have similar functions, their physical attributes might vary. See the Installation Guide for your management module for information about management-module controls and indicators, installation, cabling, and configuration.

All IBM BladeCenter units are referred to throughout this document as the BladeCenter unit. All management modules are referred to throughout this document as the management module. Unless otherwise noted, all commands can be run on all management-module and BladeCenter unit types.

When a command is labeled "(BladeCenter H only)," it can run on all types of BladeCenter H units (BladeCenter H and BladeCenter HT).
When a command is labeled "(BladeCenter T only)," it can run on all types of BladeCenter T units (BladeCenter T and BladeCenter HT).

The management module provides systems-management functions and keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) multiplexing for all of the blade servers in the BladeCenter unit that support KVM. It controls the external keyboard, mouse, and video connections, for use by a local console, and a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet remote management connection.

Each BladeCenter unit comes with at least one management module. Some BladeCenter units support installation of a second, standby management module. Only one of the management modules in a BladeCenter unit can control the BladeCenter unit at any one time, and this management module functions as the primary management module. If a standby management module is installed, it does not control the BladeCenter unit until it is switched to act as primary, either manually or automatically, if the primary management module fails.

If two management modules are installed in a BladeCenter unit, they must be of the same type. The advanced management module is not compatible for installation in the same BladeCenter unit with other management-module types. Before control can switch between the primary and standby management modules, both management modules must have the same level of firmware and, in some cases, the same IP address. The firmware level must support redundant management-module function, to enable changeover of control from the primary (active) management module to the standby management module. The latest level of management-module firmware is available at http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/.

Note: After failover, you might not be able to establish a network connection to the management module for 5 minutes.

The service processor in the management module communicates with the service processor in each blade server to support features such as blade server power-on requests, error and event reporting, KVM requests, and requests to use the BladeCenter shared media tray (removable-media drives and USB ports).

Note: The advanced management module has two USB ports. If you install a USB storage device in one of the ports, blade servers in the BladeCenter unit also can use this storage device. The rules that determine which blade server detects the USB storage device are as follows:

For the BladeCenter unit and BladeCenter T unit, the USB storage device mounts to the blade server that has ownership of the KVM.
For the BladeCenter H or HT unit, the USB storage device mounts to the blade server that has ownership of the media tray.

You configure BladeCenter components by using the management module, setting parameters or values such as IP addresses. The management module communicates with all components in the BladeCenter unit, detecting their presence or absence, reporting their status, and sending alerts for error conditions when required.

Note: The sample screens and pages in this document might differ slightly from the screens and pages that your system displays. Content varies according to the type of BladeCenter unit that you are using and the firmware versions and optional devices that are installed.