VACM

Users and Programmers Manual

San Mehat

Zac Sprackett

Dean Johnson

Jerry Katzung

Carsten Haitzler

Copyright © 2000 by San Mehat & VA Linux Systems, Inc.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Quickstart Guide

About the Quickstart Guide

Installing VACM with RPM

Installing VACM from source

Basic Nexxus Configuration

Quick and Dirty Module Configuration

Configuring EMP
Configuring VA1000
Configuring RSH
Configuring SERCON
Configuring SYSSTAT
Configuring BAYTECH
Configuring VASENET
Configuring SBT2
Configuring Quanta

3. Getting Started

Compilation and Installation
Encryption and Security Considerations for VACM
Running Nexxus for the First Time
Nexxus Command Line Options

4. VACM Architecture Overview

VACM Components

Nexxus (Node Controller)
Modules
Clients
VACM IPC Messaging
Node Global Variables

5. VACM Modules

Nexxus Loop back Module

Module Features
Authenticating to Nexxus
Identifying VACM version
Listing Modules Currently Loaded
Adding Nodes
Removing Nodes
Renaming Nodes
Listing Nodes
Adding Users
Removing Users
Renaming Users
Listing Users
Changing a User's Password
Setting the User's Password
Listing Groups a User is a Member of
Adding Module IPC Access Control Rules For a User
Removing Module IPC Access Control Rules For a User
Listing Module IPC Access Control Rules For a User
Adding Address Rules For a User
Removing Address Rules For a User
Listing Address Rules For a User
Listing the Default ACL Policies For a User
Changing the Default ACL policies For a User
Adding a Group
Removing a Group
Renaming a Group
Moving a Node To a Group
Listing Groups
Adding a User To a Group
Removing a User From a Group
Getting and Setting Node Global Variables
Getting a Node Global Variable From All Nodes
Toggling Nexxus Debug Mode
Listing Users Currently Online
Sending a Message to All Online Users
Unsolicited Messages

Module Features
Setting Up a Management Topology for EMP
Configuring EMP On a Remote System
Configuring the EMP Module To Manage a Node
Retrieving a Remote Node's BMC Information
Retrieving a Configured Node's Module Configuration
Retrieving a Node's Current Connection Status
Retrieving a Node's Inventory Information
Setting the Asset Tag on a Node
Retrieving a Node's Current Chassis Status
Retrieving a List of Chassis Capabilities
Powering Down the Chassis
Powering Up the Chassis
Hard Resetting the Chassis
Power Cycling the Chassis
Sending a Chassis Front Panel NMI
Downloading the System Event Log
Clearing the System Event Log
Receiving System Event Logs Asynchronously
Retrieving a List of Sensors on a Node
Retrieving Sensor Thresholds for a Sensor
Reading a Sensor
Setting the Flash State of a Node's Front Panel Power Indicator
Resetting the EMP Module for a Node
Unsolicited Messages
EMP Module Node Global Variable Requirements
EMP Module Supported Hardware List

VASENET Module

Module Features
Configuring a VA100
Configuring a Managed Node
Querying a Nodes Configuration
Retrieving a Nodes Software Revision
Listing a VA100's Managed Nodes
Refreshing a VA100's Connection
Rescanning a VA100's List of Managed Nodes
Resetting a VA100
Retrieving a VA100's Status
Listing a VA100's Managed Nodes
Powering on a Node
Powering off a Node
Rebooting a Node
Identifying a Node
Querying a Nodes Status

VA1000 Module

Configuring the VA1000 Module to Manage a Node
Retrieving a Configured Node's Module Configuration
Powering Down the Chassis
Powering Up the Chassis
Power Cycling the Chassis
Hard Resetting the Chassis
Retrieving a Node's Current Chassis Status
Selecting a Node to Use the Console
Identifying a Node in a Cluster
Reading EEPROM
Writing EEPROM
Displaying VA1000 Module Global State
Issuing Cluster Management Commands Directly

SERCON Module

Module Features
Setting Up Serial Console on Remote Systems
Configuring the SERCON Module To Manage a Node
Reading Back a Nodes SERCON Configuration
Connecting to a Remote Console
Disconnecting from a Remote Console
Listing Current Connections on a Remote Console
Forcing Disconnection of a Console Connection
Stealing Write Mode from Another Idle Console
Adding a Console Alert for a Node
Deleting a Console Alert for a Node
Listing Console Alerts for a Node
Reading Console Alert Logs for a Node
Clearing Console Alert Logs for a Node
SERCON Module Node Global Variable Requirements

SYSSTAT Module

Module Features
Installing and Setting Up the SYSSTAT Agent Daemon
Configuring the vacm_sys_stat_proxy for a node
Configuring the SYSSTAT Module To Manage a Node
Configuring a node to be monitored via SYSTAT proxy
Obtaining Node Memory Statistics
Obtaining Node CPU Load
Obtaining Node Uptime
Obtaining Node Mounted Filesystem Information
Obtaining a List of Users Online a Node
Obtaining a List of Processes Running On a Node
Obtaining a Nodes Kernel Version
Obtaining a Nodes APM Status
Obtaining an Interrupt Allocation List for a Node
Obtaining an I/O Port Allocation List for a Node
Obtaining a DMA Channel Allocation List for a Node
Obtaining Swapfile Statistics for a Node
SYSSTAT Module Node Global Variable Requirements

USER_ADM Module

Module Features
Installing and Setting Up the USER_ADM Agent Daemon
PAM Considerations with USERADM
Configuring the USERADM Module To Manage a Node
Adding a User to a Remote Node
Removing a User From a Remote Node
Adding a User to a Group
Removing a User From a Group
Listing Groups Which a User is a Member of
Changing a Users Primary Group
Changing a Users Home Directory
Changing a Users Default Shell
Changing a Users UID
Changing a Users Account Expiry
Changing a Users Inactive Account Timer
Changing a Users Comment
Changing a Users Password
Listing All Users on a Node
Listing All Groups on a Node
Locking a User Account on a Node
Unlocking a User Account on a Node
USER_ADM Module Node Global Variable Requirements

Module Features
Configuring the RSH Module To Manage a Node
Obtaining Node Inventory
Obtaining Load Average
Obtaining Online User Listing
Obtaining Memory Usage
Obtaining Process Listing
Retrieving Remote Syslog
Shutdown a Node
Restart a Node

BAYTECH Module

Module Features
Configuring the Baytech Module To Manage a Powerstrip
Resetting a Baytech Unit
Powering on a Port
Powering off a Port
Rebooting a Port

SBT2 Module

Module Features
Configuring the SBT2 Module To Manage a Node
Resetting a Unit
Powering on a Unit
Powering off a Unit
Refreshing the connection to a Unit
Retrieving the chassis status of a Unit

QUANTA Module

Module Features
Configuring the Quanta Module To Manage a Node
Resetting a Unit
Powering on a Unit
Powering off a Unit
Refreshing the connection to a Unit
Retrieving the BMC version of a Unit
Retrieving the Chassis Status of a Unit

6. VACM Clients

Using VACM with vash

Introduction to vash
Commandline Options
vash Internal Commands

Using VACM with Flim

Introduction to Flim
Using Flim

Using VACM with Hoover

Using Hoover

9. Writing VACM Clients

Libvacmclient function prototypes
An Example Client

10. Writing VACM Modules

Libloose function prototypes
An Example Module

11. Credits

12. Manual Copyright and Permissions Notice

A. Troubleshooting

B. Contacting and Contributing

C. Clustering VA 1000 Nodes

List of Figures
5-1. Bios Setup for EMP
5-2. Bios Setup for Serial Console
6-1. Flim Screenshot
6-2. About Menu
6-3. About Dialog Window
6-4. The Nexxus Menu
6-5. Nexxus Settings Dialog Window
6-6. Edit Menu
6-7. Node Menu
6-8. Node Settings Dialog
6-9. Flim Preferences Dialog
6-10. Flim Preferences Dialog
6-11. Flim Groups Menu
6-12. Flim Groups Dialog
6-13. Hoover Screenshot

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		Preface