Viewing event logs without restarting the blade server

If the blade server is not hung, methods are available for you to view one or more event logs without having to restart the blade server.

You can view the advanced management module event log through the Event Log link in the advanced management module web interface. For more information, see the IBM BladeCenter Advanced Management Module: User's Guide at http://www.ibm.com/supportportal/.

If you have installed Dynamic System Analysis (DSA) Portable Edition, you can use it to view the system-event log (as the IPMI event log), the advanced management module event log (as the ASM event log), the operating-system event logs, or the merged DSA log. You can also use DSA Preboot to view these logs, although you must restart the blade server to use DSA Preboot. To install Portable DSA or DSA Preboot or to download a DSA Preboot CD image, go to http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/supportsite.wss/docdisplay?lndocid=SERV-DSA&brandind=5000008. or go to http://www.ibm.com/supportportal/.

If IPMItool is installed in the blade server, you can use it to view the system-event log. Most recent versions of the Linux operating system come with a current version of IPMItool. For information about IPMItool, see http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/lnxinfo/v3r0m0/index.jsp?topic=/liaai/ipmi/liaaiipmiother.htm or complete the following steps.

Note: Changes are made periodically to the IBM website. The actual procedure might vary slightly from what is described in this document.

Go to http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/blueprints/.
Click Using Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) on IBM Linux platforms.

The following table describes the methods that you can use to view the event logs, depending on the condition of the blade server. The first two conditions generally do not require that you restart the blade server.

Table 1. Methods for viewing event logs
Condition	Action
The blade server is not hung and is connected to a network.	Use any of the following methods: In a web browser, type the IP address of the advanced management module and go to the Event Log page. Run Portable DSA to view the event logs or create an output file that you can send to IBM service and support. Use IPMItool to view the system-event log.
The blade server is not hung and is not connected to a network.	Use IPMItool locally to view the system-event log.
The blade server is hung.	If DSA Preboot is installed, restart the blade server and press F2 to start DSA Preboot and view the event logs. If DSA Preboot is not installed, insert the DSA Preboot CD and restart the blade server to start DSA Preboot and view the event logs. Alternatively, you can restart the blade server and press F1 to start the Setup utility and view the POST event log or system-event log. For more information, see Viewing event logs through the Setup utility.