HP Network Team #1: PROBLEM: A non-Primary Network Link is not receiving. Receive-path validation has been enabled for this Team by selecting the Enable receive-path validation Heartbeat Setting. ACTION: Please check your cabling to the link partner. Check the switch port status, including verifying that the switch port is not configured as a Switch-assist Channel. Generate Broadcast traffic on the network to test whether these are being received. Also make sure all teamed NICs are on the same broadcast domain. Run diagnostics to test card. Drop the NIC from the team, determine whether it is receiving broadcast traffic in that configuration.
There are many causes, this can be caused by Cisco switches (and HP Procurve switches), not liking the firmware, NIC driver, or HP Teaming software.
Solution
The best way to fix this is,
1. Update the firmware on the network cards.
2. Update the Drivers for the network cards.
3. Update the HP Teaming software.
Quick Fix:
1. Open the properties of the network team (double click the teaming icon in the task tray).
Over the next few weeks I’ve got a couple of Hewlett Packard LTO Ultrium 5 Tape drives to deploy with ESXi 4.1 U1. These will work just fine, there is however a problem presenting SCSI U320 drives now, so thanks to my colleague (Andrew Dorrian) for giving me the heads up on the problems I would face with older drives.
3. Make sure any other guests on this host are either shut down, or vMotion them to another host and issue the following command (or restart from the VI client).
[box]reboot[/box]
4. Then, as with previous versions of ESX, you can add the SCSI device to your guest VM (Edit settings > Hardware Tab > Add > SCSI Device).
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
1. It’s a simple one to solve, the server was built with the HP ESXi build, and the management agents are complaining because the iLO is not connected to the network.
2. When you connect the iLO socket to the network the alarm should change as shown below.
3. Once you have connected or disabled it you can reset the alarm.
4. Take the opportunity to log in and configure the iLO. Access via an internet browser (it will get a DHCP address by default, you can set a static IP address by entering the iLO setup at boot (see disabling iLO section below)).
5. The user name is Administrator (capital A) and the password will be either on a pull out tab on the front of the server, or a brown cardboard label tied to the front of the server (you did keep that didn’t you!), or on a brown sticker on top of the server chassis. On certain models HP also stick this information under the server lid.
6. Then you can log in and configure.
Disable the iLO
1. If you do not want to use the iLO then you can disable it (I cant think why you would want to, because its a handy piece of kit, but heres how to do it.)
2. Reboot the server, and when prompted press F8 to enter the iLO setup.
3. Settings > Configure.
4. These are the default settings, use the cursor keys to select and the space bar to enable/disable the options.
5. All disabled.
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
We got some ‘demo stock’ in the office this week, I don’t do a lot of wireless, so I thought I would get it setup and have a look to see how easy/difficult it was.
Hardware used
HP E-MSM720 Premium Mobility Controller (J9694A)
HP E-MSM 430 Wireless N Dual Radio Access Point (J9651A)
HP HP 2915-8G-P-o-E Switch (J5692A)
The switch and controller are ‘tiny’ so if you want to put them in a cabinet you will need some ‘big brackets’, (or a shelf). I was disappointed that the controller didn’t have PoE on it (hence the reason we were supplied the switch). I was also disappointed the Access Point didn’t come with a network cable (seriously these things are pennies – and if a client buys hundreds of these things, someone will forget they also need an equal amount of network cables). In addition they are PoE, so you don’t get a power cable (or power injector) – so you cant even power them on without the network cable. That said all the gear is typical good quality HP Stuff. The documentation consists of a “quick setup sheet” for each piece of hardware and all the manuals are Online. I’m not a fan of manufacturers documentation at all, and HP’s is the same as most major vendors, to long, too complicated and to difficult to find what I’m looking for – I spent half a day reading pdf documents just trying to get the guest network working (a feat I will accomplish below with about three sentences and the same amount of pictures!)
1. Connect the controller to your network (Note: Don’t use the two dual personality ports 5 and 6).
2. The controller sets itself up on 192.168.1.1 put yourself on the same network range (see below).
3. Connect to https://192.168.1.1.
4. The MSM720 Default username and password are both admin.
5. Accept the EULA > Skip Registration > Set country > Save > Set the new password > Save.
6. Configure Initial Controller Settings > Start.
7. Set System name > Location > Contact > Login Message > Next > We’ve just set the Password so leave it blank > Next.
8. Enable/disable management interfaces > Next > Configure the network interfaces > Next.
These are allocated as follows, (out of the box!)
And are controlled by these two settings,
9. Set the time and timezone > Next > Apply.
Configure a Corporate WLAN with the E-MSM720 Wireless Controller
1. If not already there, select ‘Automated Workflow’ > Configure a wireless network for employees > Start.
11. Create an SSID > Next > Set the WPA Key > Next.
12. Choose what access points to apply these settings to > Next > Apply.
Note: At this point I had not powered on or touched the access points, so I just selected ‘All’.
Configure a ‘Guest’ WLAN with the E-MSM720 Wireless Controller
I had a nightmare getting this running, until I fully understood the VLAN, IP address and interface allocation, but if you set things up as specified above it will just work.
1. Automated Workflows > Create a wireless network for guests > Start.
2. Create and SSID > Next > Configure guest authentication (or leave open) > Set IP Settings for clients > Next.
Setup the HP E-MSM 430 Wireless N Dual Radio Access Point
Well you have already done all the work! Simply connect the AP to a POE capable network outlet.
By default the AP is in ‘Controlled’ mode, so it will start looking for a controller as soon at it powers on, it can take a little while to boot (go get a coffee), you will see it appear in the controllers web interface when its pulled its configuration down.
Updating Firmware MSM70 and MSM430
Very slick! update the firmware package on the controller, and it will update all the access points for you.
Final thoughts
This is good quality gear, it has built in support for IPSEC, SSL, RADIUS and a myriad of other features that you would expect to find on an enterprise class wireless solution. HP might be concerned by their lack of wireless sales, but they could make the experience with these things better by making the web interface easier to navigate, (ask someone who has never used it before to delete a wireless network! – over 90 minutes it took me to locate the VSC bindings section to remove that!) I’ve already mentioned the documentation, I appreciate that it needs to be comprehensive but come on!
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
When viewing the Controller > Controlled APs, You may see some of them stuck with a ‘Waiting Acceptance’ status.
Solution
This happens because the Access Point can contact the controller, (otherwise you wouldn’t even see it). But the controller cant get traffic back to the access point, to update its firmware, or to synchronize it. The root cause of this is usually because this access point is on another subnet that the controller cant get to.
2. Add an ‘Active Route’ for the subnet the remote network the AP is on (in this example 10.3.0.0/16), and the gateway the controller needs to send the traffic to to get there, (in this example 10.1.0.254).
3. Apply the cup of coffee rule.
4. Remember before you can Synchronize it you will need to select the AP and ‘Authorize Locally’
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
I installed one of these a couple of weeks ago, and there’s some good documentation with the module itself so installing it into the UPS and giving it an IP address was easy, getting the right client software to talk to it was a pain.
Solution
Configure the Network Module
1. Physically install the module in the UPS, it’s fixed with two screws and you can install it with the UPS powered on.
2. It takes a while for the card to boot, pop in the console cable that came with it (into the Settings/AUX socket – see above). Fire up PuTTy and connect via serial.
Note: Standard Serial Settings,
Bits per second—9600
Data bits—8
Parity—None
Stop bits—1
Flow control—None
3. The default password is ‘admin’
4. Use the menus presented to change the IP details, you MUST restart the module when you are finished or the IP address WONT change.
5. Once its rebooted (again this takes a while) you can login with a web browser, (username admin password admin).
Configure the Client Machines.
1. Download HP Power Protector, (Note: there is no client and administrator software any more, this software will do BOTH. The network module has the administration software built in).
2. Install the software on your machine, and login (again username admin password admin).
3. Select client > Save.
4. Select the Device Discovery tab. The software usually detects the network module on its own quite quickly, if it does not you can use the options on right to do a scan.
Ports Required for HP UPS Network Module
If you are connecting through a firewall (or you machine has a software firewall), make sure the following six ports are open.
5. When it’s fully detected, select the network module and select ‘Configure power source’, supply the login credentials for the network module, and the load segment the machine is plugged into (see below) > Save.
6. Back in the web console of the network module > Open ‘Notified Applications’ and in about 5-10 minutes your server should appear.
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
For such a ‘baby’ switch this has a LOT of features, I had to lock down the speed and duplex settings on one of the switch ports today. The main details you will be looking for are,
Default IP address = 192.168.2.10
Default Password = blank
Solution
1. Put yourself on the same network: Windows Key+R > ncpa.cpl {enter} > Right click your network connection > Properties > Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP) > properties > Set yout IP to 192.168.2.11 and set the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 > OK > OK.
2. Open a web browser and navigate to http://192.186.2.10 log in with a blank password.
3. To Change the Switches IP: Setup Network
4. To change Speed/Duplex Settings: Switching > Port Configuration
5. To change the password: Maintenance > Password Manager.
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
Essentially you can unbox this switch, plug it in and it will do what you want (unless you have VLANS, or trunks (port-channels)). Which is what my client had done, but I needed to get on the web console and have a look at what was going on, and there is NO CONSOLE socket on this unit at all.
Solution
1. Don’t bother looking in DHCP, it’s NOT set to DHCP by default. From the factory the switch will have the following IP address; 192.168.2.10 (255.255.255.0). So put yourself on the same network segment and connect to the switch via a normal network cable.
Note: Start > Run > ncpa.cpl will get you there.
2. Now open a browser window and connect to https://192.168.2.10 by default the password will be blank.
3. To change the IP address, navigate to System > IP Address > Set accordingly > Apply.
Note: Obviously this will kick you off, and you will need to change your IP address again to reconnect.
4. To change the password navigate to System > Password > change accordingly > Apply.
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
This used to quite common when attempting to contact the HP Management Homepage, (or the local insight manager page) you can no longer get access.
ERROR: Username and password do not match
Solution
With much older versions of the Systems Management Homepage (before it used domain user names and passwords) you could simply copy over the CPQHMMD.DLL file from a server you knew the password for, and then you could get in.
Then they switched to domain authentication, and when that broke you could navigate to C:compaqwbemhomepage, edit the cpqhmmd.ini file with the following entries;
Then restart the Server (or the HP Services if that’s easier) and you could log in.
With newer versions of the HP Management Homepage those files no longer exist!
1. Head over to www.hp.com and do a drivers/software search for the model of your server, select the operating system you are using and look in the “Software – System Management” section. Locate, download, and install the HP Management homepage software.
Note: Don’t panic this will not need a reboot.
2. It says Administrators always gets access but I still add it in anyway (Note: If this is a domain controller, the local Administrators group is the domain admins group anyway).
3. Set as follows.
4. I’m leaving mine open from any server.
5. Now we are in! (hooray!) and I’ve got a broken BBWC (boo!).
Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links
