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Dell Chassis Management Controller Version 3.0 for Dell EMC PowerEdge VRTX User's Guide

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Connecting to Servers or Input Output Module Using Connect Command

CMC can establish a connection to redirect the serial console of a server or I/O module.

For servers, serial console redirection can be accomplished using:
  • CMC command line interface (CLI) or the RACADM connect command. For more information about running the RACADM commands, see the Chassis Management Controller for PowerEdge VRTX RACADM Command Line Reference Guide.
  • iDRAC Web interface serial console redirection feature.
  • iDRAC Serial Over LAN (SOL) functionality.

In a serial, Telnet, SSH console, CMC supports the connect command to establish a serial connection to a server or I/O module. The server serial console contains both the BIOS boot and setup screens, and the operating system serial console. For the I/O module, the switch serial console is available. There is a single IOM on the chassis.

CAUTION When run from the CMC serial console, the connect -b option stays connected until the CMC resets. This connection is a potential security risk.
NOTE The connect command provides the –b (binary) option. The –b option passes raw binary data, and cfgSerialConsoleQuitKey is not used. Additionally, when connecting to a server using the CMC serial console, transitions in the DTR signal (for example, if the serial cable is removed to connect a debugger) will not result in you exiting the application.
NOTE If the IOM does not support console redirection, the connect command displays an empty console. In that case, to return to the CMC console, type the Escape sequence. The default console escape sequence is <Ctrl><\>.
To connect to an IOM: 
connect switch-n
where n is an IOM label A1.

When you reference the IOM in the connect command, the IOM is mapped to switch as shown in the following table.

Table 1. Mapping IO Module to SwitchesThe following table contains the mapping information about IO module to switches.
IO Module Label Switch
A1 switch-a1 or switch- 1
NOTE At a time, there can be only one IOM connection per chassis.
NOTE You cannot connect to pass-throughs from the serial console.

To connect to a managed-server serial console, run the command connect server-n, where n is 1–4. You can also use the racadm connect server-n command. When you connect to a server using the -b option, binary communication is assumed and the escape character is disabled. If the iDRAC is not available, the No route to host error message is displayed.

The connect server-n command enables the user to access the server's serial port. After this connection is established, the user can view the server's console redirection through CMC's serial port that includes both the BIOS serial console and the operating system serial console.

NOTE To view the BIOS boot screens, serial redirection has to be enabled in the servers’ BIOS setup. Also, you must set the terminal emulator window to 80×25. Otherwise, the characters on the page are not properly displayed.
NOTE All keys do not work on the BIOS setup pages. Therefore, provide appropriate keyboard shortcuts for <Ctrl> <Alt> <Delete> and others. The initial redirection screen displays the necessary keyboard shortcuts.

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