Virtual Consoles

HP-UX computers have a special terminal or window called a console that allows special control and displays system error messages. Because computers have a limited number of PCI slots, you may not want to allocate one serial port for use as a console port for each partition you create.

With vPars, each virtual partition has its own virtual console. For each partition, its console I/O is sent to its vcn (Virtual CoNsole) driver. From the vcn driver, the console I/O is sent to the monitor. From the monitor, the console I/O is sent to the vcs (virtual console slave) driver of the partition that owns the hardware console port. Finally, the vcs driver sends the console I/O to the physical hardware console. It is this vcs driver that manages the console I/O to the actual hardware console port.

When the partition that owns the hardware console port is not running, the vPars monitor takes over the management of the I/O to the hardware console port, so you will still have access to the virtual console displays.

You can access the console port as you would on any non-vPars computer, for example, through a dumb terminal or lan console. Then, to cycle between the virtual console displays of the various partitions, press Ctrl-A.

Note the following when using virtual consoles:

Switchover Pause
When the partition that owns the hardware console port is shut down, there will be a pause of console output for ten to twenty seconds as console I/O management switches over from the partition to the monitor. Console output resumes automatically after the pause. You will not lose any console output.
During the switchover period, no console input is accepted.
Toggling Past the Monitor Prompt
When the monarch CPU of the computer is not assigned to any partition, you will see the monitor prompt. Press Ctrl-A to cycle to the console window of the next partition.
GSPdiag1 device file
The GSPdiag1 device file (/dev/GSPdiag1) can only be accessed from the virtual partition that contains the console hardware port.
Terminal Emulation
To avoid display problems, be sure that the terminal setting of the GSP on the vPars computer matches the terminal or terminal emulator that you are using to access it. For details on how to do this, see “Setting the GSP Terminal Type”.




	CAUTION: The first virtual partition that you create must own the LBA that contains the physical hardware console port. For an example, see “Ensuring the Hardware Console Port Is Owned by the First Virtual Partition”.

Virtual Consoles

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