This physical connection is required so that the hosting i5/OS™ can communicate with the service processor of the hosted system. The connection can consist of a simple, switched network or a more complex, routed network. Windows environment on iSeries™ uses IBM® Director over this connection to manage the state of the hosted system.
At one end of the connection is a LAN adapter or adapters controlled by i5/OS. This LAN adapter can still be available for other uses. The IP address and other attributes of this adapter are controlled using standard i5/OS configuration methods. Windows environment on iSeries does not configure this adapter. It can can automatically discover the service processor using IBM Director and one or more i5/OS TCP interfaces that are already configured.
At the other end of the connection is the service processor. The service processor has its own Ethernet port and TCP/IP stack. This TCP/IP stack is active whenever the server's power cord is plugged into an energized AC outlet, even if the server is not in a powered on state. On certain xSeries® models, a single Ethernet port may be shared by Windows and a particular type of service processor, known as the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC). In this case, the same physical port on the hosted system provides both the service processor connection and an external network connection.
DHCP server for the service processor
Setting
the IP address of the service processor may require an external DHCP server
on the network providing the service processor connection. The DHCP server
should be active before plugging the hosted system's power cord into
an energized AC outlet. (This DHCP server is distinct from the DHCP server
that is built into the i5/OS side of the iSCSI network to assist with iSCSI boot
of the hosted operating system.) For more information, see Dynamic IP addressing (DHCP).
IP multicast
There are several options
that Windows environment on iSeries offers for discovering the service processor.
Note that the choices that provide the most automation require that the network
support IP multicast. Some switches and networks do not support IP multicast
by default. For more information, see Service processor discovery methods.
Performance and maximum transmission unit (MTU)
There
is not a requirement or advantage to having a high speed network or using
a large MTU for the service processor connection.
Security
The security capabilities of
your service processor hardware may affect your decision to use an isolated
network or a shared network to provide the service processor connection. For
more information, see Configure service processor SSL.
