Users Guide

Serial Port Console Redirection 91
Serial Port Console Redirection
Serial Communication
For PowerEdge x9xx servers, serial console redirection can be accomplished using COM1 or COM2.
Console Redirection Via COM1
To activate serial console redirection via COM1, you must configure the following settings:
Set Serial Communication-> Serial Communication to On with Console Redirection via COM1
Set Serial Communication-> External Serial Connector to COM1
Console Redirection Via COM2
Console Redirection via COM2 can be used to redirect either to the external connector or to the
remote access device, such as a BMC or DRAC 5, for Serial Over LAN (SOL) communication.
To activate serial console redirection via COM2, you must configure the following settings:
Set Serial Communication-> Serial Communication to On with Console Redirection via COM2
Set Serial Communication-> External Serial Connector to COM2
NOTE: If the console redirection is used for SOL then the External Serial Connector setting does not need to
be configured.
When using COM2 for console redirection regardless of whether you redirect to the external
connector or for SOL, the BIOS reads the SOL baud rate from the BMC and uses that setting to
activate console redirection. SOL baud rate can be configured using the Dell Deployment Toolkit,
OMSA, DRAC, or the BMU.
Serial Terminal Communication to BMC or DRAC
Serial Terminal Mode allows you to directly connect to the BMC or DRAC using a serial port
connection and execute text-based commands. Refer to the Appendix B for information about
configuring your BMC and DRAC for Serial Terminal Communication as well as available Terminal
Mode Commands.
In Terminal Mode, the BMC or the DRAC, if present, support Escape key sequences that allow
switching between the Serial Terminal Connection and the connection to the system COM2 port.
This can be combined with the Console Redirection via COM2 (see "Console Redirection Via
COM2") to switch between viewing the system console redirection and communicating to BMC or
DRAC to execute the terminal commands such as system reset.