POWERMAN
"In each of us sleeps a genius...
and his sleep gets deeper everyday."

Translations

Latvian translation by Simona Auglis.

Version

I’ve used HP ProLiant DL140 G3 servers with LO100i, BIOS version 1.14 08/13/07, BMC version 02.12.

Bugs

  1. Critical

    • Virtual Media: doesn’t work (unable to boot from Virtual CDROM, ISO image or Floppy)

    • SSH: in BIOS & Grub <Enter> doesn’t work, in Linux console works ok

    • TELNET: send two <Enter> on single key press in Linux console, in BIOS & Grub send single <Enter> as expected

    • Virtual KVM: keyboard doesn’t work in Linux console (kernel 2.6.23), in BIOS, Grub & LiveCD (kernel 2.6.19) works ok

  2. Non-critical

    • HTTP: System Event Log is empty (is there should be reboot records?)

    • HTTP: Hardware Inventory is empty

    • Virtual KVM: incredible slow, nearly unusable

    • TELNET: hangs when entering BIOS→Advanced→Realtime Sensor Data

Advanced license is fake

Secure access: NOT SECURE

While HTTPS works, due to bug with SSH we still must use TELNET to configure BIOS & Grub. While using TELNET passwords transmitted without encryption and so compromised.

Virtual KVM/Media: UNUSABLE

KVM partially works, but mostly unusable because of it slowness and non-working keyboard in Linux console. Media doesn’t works and so it’s impossible to install OS on server remotely.

Actually only usage for LO100i Advanced license is: use Virtual KVM to enable serial console settings in BIOS. After this everything else can be done using TELNET, which is available without Advanced license.

Note I see no reason why serial console settings is disabled by default.

This can usually be done without buying Advanced license and using Virtual KVM: either use rented hardware KVMoIP (hosting company usually provide it) or ask hosting company’s support to change BIOS settings.