Users Guide

Switching between RAC serial and serial console
while using DB9 cable
iDRAC supports Escape key sequences that allow switching between RAC Serial Interface communication and Serial Console on rack and
tower servers.
Switching from serial console to RAC serial
To switch to RAC Serial Interface communication mode when in Serial Console Mode, press Esc+Shift, 9.
The key sequence directs you to the iDRAC Login prompt (if the iDRAC is set to RAC Serial mode) or to the Serial Connection mode
where terminal commands can be issued if iDRAC is set to IPMI Serial Direct Connect Terminal Mode.
Switching from RAC serial to serial console
To switch to Serial Console Mode when in RAC Serial Interface Communication Mode, press Esc+Shift, Q.
When in terminal mode, to switch the connection to the Serial Console mode, press Esc+Shift, Q.
To go back to the terminal mode use, when connected in Serial Console mode, press Esc+Shift, 9.
Communicating with iDRAC using IPMI SOL
IPMI Serial Over LAN (SOL) allows a managed system’s text-based console serial data to be redirected over iDRAC’s dedicated or shared
out-of-band ethernet management network. Using SOL you can:
• Remotely access operating systems with no time-out.
• Diagnose host systems on Emergency Management Services (EMS) or Special Administrator Console (SAC) for Windows or Linux
shell.
• View the progress of a servers during POST and reconfigure the BIOS setup program.
To setup the SOL communication mode:
1. Configure BIOS for serial connection.
2. Configure iDRAC to Use SOL.
3. Enable a supported protocol (SSH, Telnet, IPMItool).
Configuring BIOS for serial connection
NOTE:
This is applicable only for iDRAC on rack and tower servers.
1. Turn on or restart the system.
2. Press F2.
3. Go to System BIOS Settings > Serial Communication.
4. Specify the following values:
• Serial Communication — On With Console Redirection
• Serial Port Address — COM2.
NOTE:
You can set the serial communication field to On with serial redirection via com1 if serial device2 in the
serial port address field is also set to com1.
• External serial connector — Serial device 2
• Failsafe Baud Rate — 115200
• Remote Terminal Type — VT100/VT220
• Redirection After Boot — Enabled
5. Click Back and then click Finish.
6. Click Yes to save the changes.
7. Press <Esc> to exit System Setup.
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Setting up iDRAC communication