Using the text-based remote console (textcons), Customizing the text-based remote console – HP Integrated Lights-Out 4 User Manual

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2.

Enable Secure Shell (SSH) Access and Virtual Serial Port Log on the Access Settings page.

For instructions, see

“Configuring iLO access settings” (page 55)

.

3.

Connect to the CLI through SSH.

4.

Use the vsp command to view iLO Virtual Serial Port activity.

5.

Enter ESC ( to exit.

6.

Enter vsp log to view the iLO Virtual Serial Port log.

Using the Text-based Remote Console (Textcons)

You can access the Text-based Remote Console (Textcons) using a licensed iLO system and SSH.
When you use SSH, the data stream, including authentication credentials, is protected by the
encryption method that the SSH client and iLO use.

NOTE:

For more information about iLO licensing, see the following website:

http://www.hp.com/

go/ilo/licensing

.

When you use the Text-based Remote Console, the presentation of colors, characters, and screen
controls depends on the client you are using, which can be any standard SSH client compatible
with iLO. Features and support include the following:

Display of text-mode screens that are 80x25 (standard color configurations), including:

System boot process (POST)

Standard option ROMs

Text boot loaders (LILO or GRUB)

Linux operating system in VGA 80x25 mode

DOS

Other text-based operating systems

International language keyboards (if the server and client systems have a similar configuration)

Line-drawing characters when the correct font and code page are selected in the client
application

Customizing the Text-based Remote Console

You can use the textcons command options and arguments to customize the Text-based Remote
Console display. In general, you do not need to change these options.

To control the sampling rate:

Use the textcons speed option to indicate, in ms, the time between each sampling period.
A sampling period is when the iLO firmware examines screen changes and updates the
Text-based Remote Console. Adjusting the speed can alleviate unnecessary traffic on long or
slow network links, reduce bandwidth use, and reduce iLO CPU time. HP recommends that
you specify a value between 1 and 5,000 (1 ms to 5 seconds). For example:

textcons speed 500

To control smoothing:

iLO attempts to transmit data only when it changes and becomes stable on the screen. If a
line of the text screen is changing faster than iLO can sample the change, the line is not
transmitted until it becomes stable.

When a Text-based Remote Console session is active, the data is displayed rapidly and is
essentially indecipherable. If the data is transmitted by iLO across the network, it consumes
bandwidth. The default behavior is smoothing (delay 0), which transmits data only when

Using the text-based Remote Console

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