Tyan SMDC M3289

We recently purchased a Transport GX28 (B2882) machine with the optional
SMDC M3289. This was advertised as offering "lights-out" management and
remote control capabilities. This server was purchased for an eventual
installation of Linux SuSE 9.1 Professional (which is currently functioning
very well).

However, we have not been able to figure out how to operate the remote
management. The M3289 card shipped with one half-page sheet and a CDROM. The
documentation on the CD is both sparse and obtuse. Does anyone have a
simple, step-by-step procedure for working with the SMDC?

For example:

1) Plug the board into the PCI slot.
2) Connect the 25pin cable.
3) Connect a laptop/workstation to the same ethernet segment.
4) Install software XXX and YYY on laptop. Reboot.
5) Execute program ZZZ on laptop. Type NNN in box OOO.
6) ....

Put simply, we're becoming very frustrated with a product that does seem to
work. Further, my emails to Tyan had triggered automated responses (with no
promise or recorse for human interaction). Given the poor documentation and
quaility of support, Tyan is quickly becoming a company I will refuse to do
business with in the future. However, at the moment, I am stuck with them.
*sigh*

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Tony

Anthony Brock wrote:

 > We recently purchased a Transport GX28 (B2882) machine with the optional
 > SMDC M3289. This was advertised as offering "lights-out" management and
 > remote control capabilities. This server was purchased for an eventual
 > installation of Linux SuSE 9.1 Professional (which is currently
 > functioning very well).
 >
 > However, we have not been able to figure out how to operate the remote
 > management. The M3289 card shipped with one half-page sheet and a CDROM.
 > The documentation on the CD is both sparse and obtuse. Does anyone have a
 > simple, step-by-step procedure for working with the SMDC?
 >
 > For example:
 >
 > 1) Plug the board into the PCI slot.

The card does not need to become plugged into the PCI slot, it fits into it,
but has no pci-connectors. At least on our S2882 board the PCI-slot is the
worst choice, since its cable inteferences with scsi-cables. Our system
dealer also put it into the PCI slot and I already complained. Currently
the card is send to repair to Tyan, but I hope when we will finally get it
back, that will also will get those adapters to put it into the harddisk
slot.

 > 2) Connect the 25pin cable.
 > 3) Connect a laptop/workstation to the same ethernet segment.
 > 4) Install software XXX and YYY on laptop. Reboot.
 > 5) Execute program ZZZ on laptop. Type NNN in box OOO.
 > 6) ....
 >
 > Put simply, we're becoming very frustrated with a product that does seem
 > to work. Further, my emails to Tyan had triggered automated responses
 > (with no promise or recorse for human interaction). Given the poor
 > documentation and quaility of support, Tyan is quickly becoming a company
 > I will refuse to do business with in the future. However, at the moment, I
 > am stuck with them. *sigh*

I'm afraid you won't be able to make Tyan own software working in Suse. To
make it working you would need to load a kernel modules which Tyan only
compiled for three or four different RedHat versions. Just search the list
archive for my name, I already answered this once.

Since our card is now in repair for *three* month (I don't know if this is
the fault of our local dealer or of Tyan, I guess both of them are slow), I
don't have any experience with it, but there is opensource software for all
ipmi-cards.

<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://ipmitool.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">http://ipmitool.sourceforge.net/</a>


Hope it helps,
Bernd<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->