Xserve User’s Guide Includes software configuration and problem solving information for the Xserve
K Apple Computer, Inc. © 2006 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Apple. Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
1 Contents Preface 4 About This Guide Chapter 1 5 6 8 Xserve at a Glance Xserve at a Glance—Front Panel Xserve at a Glance—Back Panel Chapter 2 10 10 11 12 13 Starting Up the Xserve Turning On the Xserve for the First Time Starting the Xserve Choosing a Startup Method from the Front Panel Shutting Down the Xserve Chapter 3 14 15 16 19 19 20 Monitoring the Xserve Identifying the Xserve in a Rack Interpreting the Xserve Status Lights Using the Serial Port Controlling Physical Access to the Xserve
This user’s guide shows you how to start up and shut down the Xserve, install and configure server software, monitor the status of the Xserve, and solve problems.
1 Xserve at a Glance 1 Use the illustrations in this chapter to become familiar with the basic controls, features, and components of the Xserve. The illustrations on the following pages identify the Xserve controls, indicators, connectors, and other features. Note: Some components of the Xserve may look slightly different from the illustrations shown here, depending on the configuration you purchased.
Xserve at a Glance—Front Panel On/standby button and light Drive module status light 6 Enclosure lock and status light Drive module activity light System identifier button/light FireWire 400 port Chapter 1 Xserve at a Glance Ethernet link light (Port 1) Ethernet link light (Port 2) System activity lights Optical drive Drive Module bays (3)
® On/standby button and light Press to turn on the Xserve. Press for approximately 5 seconds to force the Xserve to shut down if all other shutdown methods fail. Enclosure lock and lock status light The lock secures the Xserve cover and drive modules. It can be locked and unlocked with the enclosure key supplied with the Xserve. An option in the Security pane of System Preferences lets you disable a connected keyboard and mouse when the enclosure is locked.
Xserve at a Glance—Back Panel Serial console port System identifier button/light 8 Display port Expansion slot 2 System information tag (pullout tab) Chapter 1 Xserve at a Glance Ethernet port 2 Ethernet port 1 FireWire 800 ports (2) Expansion slot 1 Power supply bay 1 USB 2.
Serial console port Connect a serial device or a computer with a serial port. This port supports RS-232 connections. Display port You can connect a display to the Xserve using this port. The Xserve comes with a VGA adapter cable. A DVI adapter is available separately. Expansion slots You can install two expansion cards in the Xserve. Slot 1 accepts either a PCI-E or a PCI-X card, depending on the riser you install. Slot 2 accepts PCI-E cards.
2 Starting Up the Xserve 2 This chapter shows how to start up and shut down the Xserve, and includes information about configuring Mac OS X Server the first time you start up the Xserve. Turning On the Xserve for the First Time The first time you turn on the Xserve, Server Assistant asks for some basic information that Mac OS X Server needs in order to start up and connect to the network.
Local and Remote Software Setup If you connect a display and keyboard to the Xserve, you can use them to finish the server software setup process locally. To set up the Xserve without a display or keyboard, you can install and open the Server Assistant application, Apple Remote Desktop, or VNC viewer software on another computer that can connect to the Xserve and set it up remotely. For information, see Mac OS X Server Getting Started on the Admin Tools disc that comes with the Xserve.
Choosing a Startup Method from the Front Panel You can use the Xserve front panel controls to choose from alternative startup methods that might be helpful in special circumstances. To choose a startup method from the front panel: 1 With the power off, hold in the system identifier button while you press the on/standby button. 2 Continue to hold in the system identifier button until the top row of blue lights blinks sequentially.
Shutting Down the Xserve There are several ways you can shut down an Xserve. Before You Shut Down the Xserve If the Xserve is hosting services provided by Mac OS X Server, open Server Monitor and stop the services. Shutting Down the Xserve with a Keyboard and Display m In the Finder, choose Apple () > Shutdown.
3 Monitoring the Xserve 3 You can check the status of the Xserve whether you’re nearby or in a remote location. This chapter shows how to check whether the Xserve is operating normally, how to get details if the Xserve detects a problem, how to interpret the hardware status lights, and how to monitor conditions such as the various internal temperatures and power supply voltages. Checking the Status of Mac OS X Server Services This chapter is about monitoring Xserve hardware status.
Identifying the Xserve in a Rack If you have several Xserve systems in a rack, you can use the system identifier lights to identify and flag a particular Xserve. The light can help you return to the right server when you walk around to the other side of the rack. You can also turn on the system identifier light from the Server Monitor application so you can find the Xserve in the rack.
Interpreting the Xserve Status Lights You can check the overall status of the Xserve and the status of some components such as drive modules, network interfaces, and power supplies, just by glancing at the indicator lights on the Xserve. Overall Xserve Status On/standby button and light Enclosure lock light Indicator light Color Indicates Power (front panel) White The Xserve is turned on. White pulsing The Xserve is in sleep. Yellow The lock is engaged.
Processor Activity System activity lights Indicator light Color Indicates System activity Blue intermittent Processor activity and load. Each row is divided in half, with four lights representing each of the four processor cores. Drive Module Status Drive module status light (green) Drive module activity light (blue) Indicator light Color Indicates Drive module status (upper LED) Green The drive is on and working. Yellow The drive is working but has detected a warning condition.
Ethernet Link Status Ethernet link light (Port 2) Port 2 status light (green) Ethernet link light (Port 1) Port 2 activity light (blue) Port 1 status light (green) Port 1 activity light (blue) Indicator light Color Indicates Ethernet link status (front panel) Green The cable is connected and the link is good (the Xserve can send and receive). The lower light is for port 1, the upper for port 2. Ethernet link status (on rear connector) Green The link is good (the Xserve can send and receive).
Using the Serial Port You can connect a terminal or a computer running terminal emulation software to the Xserve serial port, and then monitor the system using command-line tools. About Terminal Emulation Software You can use a terminal emulation application such as ZTerm running on another computer to communicate through the Xserve serial port. You can’ t use the Terminal application that comes with Mac OS X to communicate with the serial port.
Monitoring the Xserve Remotely You can check the status of an Xserve from a remote computer using the Server Monitor application or the command line in Terminal. Using Server Monitor The Xserve comes with the Server Monitor application. You can find Server Monitor in /Applications/Server/ and on the Admin Tools disc that comes with the Xserve.
4 Updating or Installing Software on the Xserve 4 There are several ways to update or install server software on the Xserve. The Xserve comes with Mac OS X Server installed on the drive module in drive bay 1.
Getting the Latest Software Updates If the Xserve is connected to the Internet, you can download and install the latest software updates from Apple. If the Xserve is on a private network, you can download updates to a computer that is connected to the Internet and then copy the updates to the Xserve and install them. To check for and install updates: m Open System Preferences and click Software Update.
Using Apple Remote Desktop Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) is enabled when you start up the Xserve using the Mac OS X Server installation disc, so you can perform the installation from another computer running Apple Remote Desktop or other VNC viewer software. For details, see Mac OS X Getting Started on the Admin Tools disc that comes with the Xserve.
Using Another Mac to Install on the Xserve in Target Disk Mode You can also install software from another Intel-based Mac or Xserve onto the Xserve in target disk mode. The computer you connect must have a FireWire port, an optical drive, and use an Intel processor. Note: The default name of the Xserve startup volume is Server HD. If you connect another server to the Xserve, you may want to change the name of its startup volume temporarily to avoid having two disks with that name when you install.
Using Commands over the Serial Port to Install from the Optical Drive Another way to install Mac OS X Server on the Xserve without a keyboard or display is to use the Xserve serial port and optical drive. To use the serial port and command line to install: 1 Connect a terminal or a computer running terminal emulation software to the serial port on the back of the Xserve. 2 Insert the Mac OS X Server installation disc in the Xserve optical drive.
Look here for solutions to some common problems you might encounter while working with the Xserve and for information about using Apple Xserve Diagnostics to test the Xserve hardware. This appendix offers solutions to some problems you might encounter using the Xserve. It also includes information about Apple Xserve Diagnostics software, which you can use to test the Xserve hardware. If You Don’t Find a Solution If you don’t find a solution to a problem here, check the Apple support website at www.apple.
If you have difficulty removing the cover Use the enclosure key to make sure the enclosure lock on the front panel is unlocked. If the Xserve doesn’t recognize a peripheral device When the enclosure lock on the Xserve front panel is locked and the enclosure lock preference in the Security pane of System Preferences is on, the Xserve ignores storage devices, keyboard and mouse, and other peripherals connected to the USB and FireWire ports. The light next to the enclosure lock is on when the lock is engaged.
Regulatory Compliance Information FCC Compliance Statement This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment.
If you have an internal Apple CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or DVD-RAM drive in your computer, your computer is a Class 1 laser product. The Class 1 label, located in a user-accessible area, indicates that the drive meets minimum safety requirements. A service warning label is located in a service-accessible area. The labels on your product may differ slightly from the ones shown here.
