Hardware Management Console Installation and Operations Guide


User Environment

This chapter discusses the user environment and Hardware Management Console (HMC) applications.


Using the Login Window

The HMC provides a predefined user ID called hscroot. The hscroot password is abc123. This hscroot user ID is a member of the System Administrator role. When the console is powered on for the first time, use this user ID to log in. After you are logged in, you can create additional users.

After you power on your HMC, the HMC login window displays first, and prompts you to enter your user ID and password.

Service representatives may request that you create a special user ID that has the Service Representative role, enabling them to log in to perform service functions. For more information about creating users and assigning roles, see User Management.


Shutting Down, Rebooting and Logging Out of the HMC

This task allows you to shut down, reboot and log out of the HMC interface.

To log out of the HMC interface, do the following:

  1. In the main menu, select Console.
  2. Select Exit. At this point, you can choose to save the state of the console for the next session by clicking the box next to the option.
  3. Select Exit Now.
  4. When you exit from your HMC session, you can choose to shut down, reboot, or log out of your session. The following is a description of each option:

    Shutdown
    Powers off the HMC system

    Reboot
    Shuts down the HMC system and then reboots it to the login prompt

    Logout
    Returns the user to the login prompt without shutting down the HMC system

HMC System Management Environment

The HMC system management environment allows you to manage your managed systems. The HMC interface is based on the AIX Web-based System Manager.

When you log in to the HMC, the HMC management window opens, and the management environment is already selected. This window is divided into the Navigation area and the Contents area.

The panel on the left (the Navigation area) displays a hierarchy of icons that represent collections of systems, individual systems, managed resources, and tasks. Each Navigation area folder identifies a collection of related applications. Each icon in these folders identifies an application. At the highest point, or root of the tree, is the Management Environment. The Management Environment contains one or more host system applications that are managed by the console. Each system application contains its own collection of applications that contain managed objects, tasks, and actions for a related set of system entities or resources.

The panel on the right (the Contents Area) displays results based on the item you select in the Navigation area. When you click on an application in the Navigation area, the Contents area displays the tasks you can perform using that application.

Each HMC contains the following set of application groups:

Each HMC contains the following set of application icons:

Using Multiple HMCs

You can use one HMC to view and manage other HMCs by adding the additional HMCs to the Navigation area.

You can also connect two HMCs to the same managed system. In this configuration, either HMC can perform tasks on that managed system. For more information about using multiple HMCs, see Using Two HMCs Connected to One Managed System.

Using Multiple Managed Systems Connected to One HMC

You can connect more than one managed system to an HMC. When a managed system is connected to an HMC, it displays in the Navigation area. You can also use your HMC to manage a frame of managed systems.


HMC Application Overview

This section provides an overview of each application's functions. For detailed information, see the chapter that discusses each application.

System Manager Security


System Manager Security provides for the secure operation of the HMC in client-server mode. System Manager Security is based on Public Key Encryption, the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol, and the Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) authentication policy method. In the System Manager Security operation, the managed machines are servers and the managed users are clients.

Servers and clients communicate over the SSL protocol, which provides server authentication, data encryption, and data integrity. The client manages the server using an account on that system and authenticates to the System Manager server by sending the user ID and password. Users of the System Manager Security application must be logged in to the HMC locally to ensure security during configuration.

For more information about using this application, see System Manager Security.

Server and Partition Applicatin Group

The Server and Partition application folder contains the Server Management application.

Server Management


The Server Management application manages all partition-related activities. Use the Server Management application to create, maintain, activate, and delete partitions. You can also use this application to power managed systems on and off.

For more information about using this application, see Server Management Tasks.

Software Maintenance Application Group

The Software Maintenance folder contains the Software Maintenance applications.

Frame


The Frame software maintenance application allows you to receive and install corrective service for a frame.

For more information about using this application, see Software Maintenance for the HMC and the Frame.

HMC


The HMC software maintenance application allows you to save and back up important HMC-related information and format removable media. You can also install corrective service on the HMC.

For more information about using this application, see Software Maintenance for the HMC and the Frame.

HMC Management Application Group

The HMC Management folder contains the Users application.

Users


The Users application controls user access to the HMC. You can assign one role to each user you create. Different roles allow the user to perform different tasks in the HMC environment.

For more information about using this application, see User Management.

HMC Maintenance Application Group

The HMC Maintenance application folder contains applications related to setting up and maintaining the HMC environment.

System Configuration


The System Configuration application allows you to do the following:

For more information about using this application, see System Configuration.

Service Applications Group

The service applications folder contains applications used to service both the HMC and managed system.

Problem Determination


Service representatives have access authority to use this application to view and diagnose HMC problems. This application is available to service representatives only.

Inventory Scout Services


Inventory Scout Services is a tool that surveys the managed system for hardware and software information. This tool also provides a customized report indicating the latest microcode level. Inventory Scout Services helps users to keep track of software updates and patches on managed systems.

Service Agent


The Service Agent application accepts hardware errors from the Service Focal Point. Service Agent reports serviceable events, assuming they meet certain criteria for criticality, for service without requiring customer intervention.

Service Agent enables the following:

Service Focal Point


Service representatives and system administrators use Service Focal Point to view operating system error logs.

For more information about using this application, see Service Focal Point.


HMC Management Window

The HMC menu bar on the HMC management window displays all of the operations performed on the console and managed objects. The menus are organized as follows:

Console Menu

The Console Menu contains choices that control the console. It allows you to do the following tasks:

Object Menu

The name of the Object Menu changes to indicate the type of resource managed by the current application you have selected. For example, when you select the Partition Management application, the Object Menu title becomes Partitions. The Object Menu contains general choices and actions for an application that do not require you to select specific object actions. Typically, actions for creating new resource objects are located in the Object Menu. When a new application is selected, the contents of the Object Menu are updated.

Selected Menu

The Selected Menu contains those actions for an application that require you to select which managed objects an action is to apply to, such as Open, Properties, Copy, Delete, or Start. When you select a new managed object, the contents of the Selected Menu are updated.

View Menu

The View Menu contains choices for navigating, such as Back, Forward, and Up One Level. It also includes choices for customizing the console in the Show submenu. For example, you can select to show or hide the tool bar and status bar. The View Menu includes options that control how objects are presented. For example, if the application provides a choice of views, such as Large Icon, Small Icon, Details, and Tree, these choices are listed here. If the application only supports a single view, no view choices are listed. When an application is displaying an icon or Details view, the View Menu includes choices for sorting and filtering the container.

Window Menu

The Window Menu contains actions for managing sub-windows in the console workspace. New Window creates a new console sub-window in the workspace. Other choices control how all console sub-windows are presented.

Help Menu

The Help Menu lists user-assistance choices. You can view help contents and search for help on a particular topic.


The Documentation Browser

The icon on the lower left of the screen launches a documentation browser. Use it to view HMC documentation on your HMC interface.


HMC Keyboard Control

The HMC can be used with or without a pointing device, such as a mouse. If you choose not to use a pointing device, you can move among controls and menus using only the keyboard.

Using Mnemonics and Shortcuts

You can access menu functions using the following keyboard methods:

Navigating the Console with the Keyboard

Use the following keystrokes to navigate the HMC:

Key Stroke Actions
Arrow Keys Moves focus between:
  • Objects in the Navigation Area. Right and left arrows expand and contract nodes; up and down arrows move vertically through items.
  • Objects in the Contents Area
  • Icons in tool bar
  • Items in menus
Ctrl + Arrow Key Move location focus to another object in the contents area without selecting it. By using Ctrl+Arrow keys and the space bar, you can select multiple objects that are not contiguous.
Escape Closes an open menu without activating a choice
F1 Opens browser-based help to contents section
F8 Moves focus to the splitter bar between the Navigation Area and Contents Area of the console. Moves the splitter bar using Home, End, and the arrow keys.
F10 Moves focus to and from the Menu bar
Shift + Arrow Key Extends a contig Selects the object that has focusuous selection
Spacebar, Enter Selects the object that has focus
Tab, Shift + Tab Moves focus between areas of the console

Navigating Window Fields with the Keyboard

Use the following keystrokes to navigate HMC window fields:

Table 1.

Key Stroke Actions
Alt+F6 Moves focus into or out of a dialog box
Arrow keys
  • Opens drop down lists
  • Moves between options in lists
  • Moves between tabs in tabbed dialogs when a tab has focus

Ctrl + Tab, Ctrl + Shift + Tab Moves focus between controls
Enter Activates the command button that has focus
Escape Cancels the dialog box
F1 Opens the context help window
Space Bar
  • Selects the option that has focus
  • Activates the command button which has the location cursor on

Accessing Help with the Keyboard

Use the following keystrokes to navigate the HMC help system:

Key Stroke Actions
F1
  • Opens browser-based help to the Contents Area
  • In dialog boxes, opens context help window

F9 Shows keys help.
Alt + F6 In context help mode, moves focus between context help window and parent dialog.


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