Preparing your console for software installation
Before you install a new IBM® i software release, consider this information about consoles.
Supported hardware and console combinations
include:- POWER5
- Thin Console
- Hardware Management Console (HMC)
- Operations Console (LAN and directly attached)
- Twinaxial console
- POWER6®
- Hardware Management Console (HMC)
- Operations Console (LAN and directly attached)
- Twinaxial console
- POWER7®
- Hardware Management Console (HMC)
- Operations Console (LAN attached)
Although you can use twinaxial console
on older systems, IBM recommends
that you use either Operations Console or Hardware Management Console.
For requirements on twinaxial console, Operations Console, and PCs,
refer to the topic, Connecting to System i® . If you
are moving from twinaxial console to Operations Console, use the IBM i Access for Windows DVD,
SK3T-4098 to install Operations
Console before you install the new release.
If you are using twinaxial console, the software installation process expects the system console device to be attached at port 0 and address 0 of the first workstation controller. In most cases, your hardware should be defined in this way. You should verify that the console is attached at port 0 address 0.
If you are planning on migrating your Operations Console, do so either before or after you upgrade. If you are planning on migrating your Hardware Management Console (HMC), do so only after you have completely installed your system. For more information about using the HMC as your IBM i console, see Managing IBM i consoles .
For all systems, verify that the console mode value is set correctly for your console. In addition, you can specify that an IBM i local area network (LAN) console or Hardware Management Console be taken over by another console in the event your console is disconnected. To verify the console mode value, follow these steps:
- Select Console mode.
The value of the current console mode is present in the input field. Verify that this is the correct setting. A value of zero means that the console mode has not been set and can interfere with the automatic installation process. The console mode value must be one of the following values.
- 1
- Twinaxial console
- 3
- Operations Console (LAN attached)
- 4
- Hardware Management Console (HMC) or Thin Console
During an installation or upgrade, the console type specified by this value is used.
The console mode display also includes the option to allow your 5250 console (does not include twinaxial console) to be taken over by another console. When this option is turned on, the system does not stop with a console failure but continues to run uninterrupted. For more information, see the topic Console takeover and recovery .
- Review the Operations
Console topic. To review
the most recent information about the Operations Console client, go
to the Operations Console Web site
- IBM recommends
that you update IBM i
Access for Windows to IBM 7.1 IBM i
Access for Windows before you upgrade
the IBM i operating
system. For more information, see IBM i
Access for Windows: Installation and
setup .
- When you receive the IBM i release upgrade, the shipped service tools user IDs (except 11111111) are expired. For all upgrades and installations, you need to establish a connection between the system and Operations Console PC by using 11111111 (eight 1's) for both the service tools user ID and the default password. This ensures a successful authentication of the subsequent connection of the client to the system. This is especially important for automatic installations.
Failure to comply with the above actions can prevent the console from working correctly during the upgrade or installation.