user manual

NOTE: To boot your OpenVMS Integrity servers operating system, you can use a VGA graphics
device (except on rx2600 Integrity servers or other servers that lack the firmware capabilities), a
serial device, or a network interface for the console. For information about setting up the console
on your Integrity servers, see Section B.2 (page 191).
When using a VGA console and installing from vMedia or a USB DVD drive with the keyboard
plugged into a USB hub, if the keyboard does not respond, simply unplug the hub and plug it
back in.
NOTE: HP Integrity servers maintain a system event log (SEL) within system console storage,
and OpenVMS Integrity servers automatically transfers the contents of the SEL into the OpenVMS
error log. During a successful boot operation while using a console, you might see a message
indicating that the BMC SEL is full. You can safely continue when the BMC SEL is full by following
the prompts; OpenVMS processes the contents of the SEL.
HP recommends that the latest system firmware be loaded and used. For more information about
updating the system firmware, see Section 1.3.6 (page 26). For midrange and high-end Integrity
servers, contact HP Customer Support to update your firmware.
B.6.1 Overview of Booting on a Cell-Based Server
This section gives an overview of booting the nPartition hardware and booting OpenVMS on an
nPartition.
B.6.1.1 Booting the nPartition Hardware
Each nPartition runs its own firmware and has its own system boot environment. You can boot
an nPartition independently of any other nPartitions in the same server complex.
The nPartition boot process includes two phases: the cell boot phase and the nPartition boot
phase. These phases occur only as part of the hardware boot process, not as part of the operating
system boot.
• Cell boot phase—This phase occurs when cells are powered on or reset. The main activities
during this phase are the power-on-self-test activities. During this phase, cells operate
independently of other cells in the complex. Cells do not necessarily proceed through this
phase at the same pace, because each cell may have a different amount of hardware to
discover and test, or cells might be reset or powered on at different times.
• nPartition boot phase—This phase occurs when an nPartition has been booted, after its cells
have completed their self tests. During this phase, “nPartition rendezvous” occurs, in which
each cell contacts the other active cells in the nPartition and selects a core cell that is
responsible for managing the rest of the nPartition boot process. A processor on the core
cell runs the nPartition EFI system boot environment. When the operating system boot
process is initiated, the core cell passes control to the operating system loader.
You can view progress of these phases by using the Virtual Front Panel (VFP) to check the
nPartition boot state. Access VFP from the MP main menu.
For information about how to boot the nPartition hardware, see your hardware documentation.
212 Configuring OpenVMS Integrity servers Hardware Operation and Boot Operations, and Booting and Shutting Down Your
System