IBM Advanced System Management Driver for Linux version 3.0 CONTENTS -------- 1.0 Overview 2.0 Change History 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions 4.0 Configuration Information 5.0 Web Sites and Support Phone Number 6.0 Trademarks and Notices 7.0 Disclaimer 1.0 Overview ------------- This README.TXT file is associated with the following RPM file: - ibmasm-3.0.x-suse.src.rpm (where x indicates the revision number of the package.) This RPM file will build Linux device drivers for the following IBM hardware: - Remote Supervisor Adapter, which is an option on specific models of xSeries servers (Remote Mouse / Keyboard available if the Adapter firmware supports those functions) The RPM only supports SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, version 9 (SLES9). The Linux kernel version used with this driver must 2.6.5 or greater. 2.0 Change History ------------------- 2.1 Driver version 3.0 The driver code has been redesigned for the 2.6 Linux kernel. 2.2 Update 3.0.1 Fixed incorrect file permissions (Defect #254653) 2.3 Update 3.0.2 The DeregisterForEvents function now works correctly (Defect #254897) 2.4 Update 3.0.3 The API shared library now also works correctly when the primary service processor is not on PCI bus 0 (Defect #258791) 2.5 Update 3.0.4 IBM Director can now open the driver (Defect 260776f_1) 2.6 Update 3.0.5 Redesigned remote control support in the driver. The ibmasm driver now directly forwards remote mouse and keyboard events to the kernel's input subsystem. They are then picked up by an X input driver. 3.0 Installation and Setup Instructions -------------------------------------------------------------- 3.1 Installing the driver The driver is installed with the following commands: (1) rpm -ivh ibmasm-3.0.x-suse.src.rpm (2) rpmbuild -bb /usr/src/packages/SPECS/ibmasm.spec (3) cd /usr/src/packages/RPMS/i586 rpm -ivh --replacefiles ibmasm-3.0.x-suse.i586.rpm Note that the driver must not installed in run level 5 when X is running. You may have to use: init 3 rpm -ivh --replacefiles ibmasm-3.0.x-suse.i586.rpm init 5 (1) installs the sources under the /usr/src/packages directory tree. (2) builds a binary RPM from the sources. Building the binary ibmasm RPM requires the kernel-source RPM corresponding to the currently running kernel version to be installed. Note: if there is no kernel-source RPM for the kernel currently running the binary RPM can still be built if /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build is a symbolic link to a configured kernel source tree. The kenel (3) installs the binary RPM. Note that the ibmasm RPM creates the ibmasm.ko module binary in /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/misc/ibmasm/ibmasm.ko Since the standard kernel and hence the SLES9 distribution also contains a version of this module installation of the RPM will fail unless the --replacefiles option is used. Alternatively the original ibmasm.ko can be renamed and saved under a different name. 3.2 Removing the driver The command rpm -e ibmasm will remove the ibmasm driver and the associated user space utilities from the system. 3.3 Utilities provided the ibmasm package Upon installation the command rpm -ql ibmasm will list the installed components of the ibmasm package. These are: (1) the ibmasm driver /lib/modules//kernel/drivers/misc/ibmasm/ibmasm.ko (2) the service processor API shared object /lib/libsysSp.so (3) the ibmsphalt executable that allows a clean OS shutdown intiated by the service processor. It executes /sbin/halt when it receives a poweroff event from the service processor. /sbin/ibmsphalt (4) X input driver that facilitates the remote video redirection. /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/input/ibmasm_drv.o (5) start and stop utilities /etc/init.d/ibmasm /sbin/ibmspdown /sbin/ibmspup /usr/sbin/rcibmasm (6) this README file /usr/share/doc/packages/ibmasm/README (7) the mount point for the ibmasmfs file system /var/lib/ibmasm 4.0 Configuration Information ------------------------------ 4.1 Manually starting and stopping the ibmasm utilities The command /etc/init.d/ibmasm/start will start the ibmasm utilities. This command cannot be executed when X is running (run level 5). /etc/init.d/ibmasm/stop will stop them. When started - the ibmasm module is loaded - the ibmasmfs filesytem is mounted on /var/lib/ibmasm - the ibmsphalt and ibmspremote commands are running Note: After loading the driver you may notice a message: "ibmasm: unsupported module, tainting kernel" in the /var/log/messages file. This message can be ignored. Note: the ibmasmfs filesystem is for internal use with the Service Processor API shared library and ibmspremote command. It is not necessary to access it directly nor need its details be known. 4.2 Automatically starting and stopping the ibmasm utilities Upon installation the ibmasm utilities are started and configured to be started in run levels 3 and 5, and stopped in all other run levels. To change this configuration standard Linux commands such as chkconfig(8) or insserv(8) can be used (insserv is a SUSE specific commmand). 4.3 Configuring the serial line support The ibmasm module contains support for the UART on the service processor board, i.e. it allows the Linux OS to make use of the UART as a serial line. This feature requires the UART on the service processor board to be dedicated to the OS before the ibmasm driver is loaded. If the driver is loaded when the UART is not dedicated to the OS it will not be able to detect a possible later change in UART ownership and will not be able to make use of the UART. The ibmasm driver dynamically registers a serial line in the kernel's tty subsystem. The serial line number can be read from the /var/log/messages log or from the dmesg(8) command. You will see a set of messages like: ibmasm 0000:01:07.0: IBM SP UART not registered, owned by service proc. ibmasm: IBM ASM Service Processor Driver version 1.0 loaded or: ttyS14 at MMIO 0x0 (irq = 18) is a 16550A ibmasm: IBM ASM Service Processor Driver version 1.0 loaded The numbers appearing are examples and will vary. In the former case the UART is not dedicated to the OS and no serial support is registered. In the latter case the ibmasm registers ttyS14 which can be accessed as /dev/ttyS14 from user programs (such as getty). The specific number depends in the sytem, but it will be same every time the driver is loaded as long as the system configuration doesn't change. Note: The service processor may retake ownership of the UART under certain circumstances, e.g. for dialout. In that case the OS using the UART may interfere with the service processor's use of the UART. 4.4 Notes on Remote Control This driver supports remote server screen redirection via VNC window in service processor's web interface. A few limitations apply: - 24 bit color depth is not supported. Note that this may be the default on some installations, therefore care needs to be taken to set this value to 8, 16 or 32 bits if remote control is to be used. - The VNC client may not always be able to handle screen resolution changes. In these cases closing the remote control window and restarting it will remedy the situation. - You may experience repeated characters when none are desired. These are caused by a lag in transmission of key events from the VNC client to the server. A workaround is to disable key repeat in the KDE: * use the KDE Control Center * open Peripherals * select Keyboard * uncheck "Keyboard repeat" 5.0 WEB Sites and Support Phone Number --------------------------------------- 5.1 IBM Support Web Site: http://www.pc.ibm.com/support 5.2 IBM Marketing eServer xSeries Web Site: http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/eserver/xseries 5.3 If you have any questions about this update, or problems applying the update go to the following Help Center World Telephone Numbers URL: http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/YAST-3P2QYL.html 6.0 Trademarks and Notices --------------------------- The following terms are trademarks of Novell, Inc. in the United States or other countries or both: SUSE The following terms are trademarks of Linus Torvalds in the United States or other countries or both: Linux 7.0 Disclaimer --------------- 7.1 THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. IBM DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND MERCHANTABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT. BY FURNISHING THIS DOCUMENT, IBM GRANTS NO LICENSES TO ANY PATENTS OR COPYRIGHTS. 7.2 Note to Government Users Documentation related to restricted rights -- Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions set forth in GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corporation.