Determining which console to use
Your console, monitor, or interface choices are guided by whether you create logical partitions, which operating system you install in your primary partition, and whether you install a Virtual I/O Server (VIOS) in one of your logical partitions.
Go to the instructions for the applicable console, interface, or terminal in the following table.
| Console type | Operating system | Logical partitions | Cable required | Cabling setup instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASCII terminal | AIX®, Linux, or VIOS | Yes for VIOS, no for AIX and Linux | Serial cable equipped with a null modem | Cabling the server with an ASCII terminal |
| Hardware Management Console (HMC) | AIX, IBM® i, Linux, or VIOS | Yes | Ethernet (or cross-over cable) | Cabling the server to the HMC. |
| Operations Console | IBM i | Yes Use your Operations Console to manage existing IBM i partitions. |
Ethernet cable for LAN connection | Cabling the server and accessing Operations Console |
| Integrated Virtualization Manager for VIOS | AIX, IBM i, or Linux | Yes | Serial cable | Cabling the server and accessing the IVM |
| Keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) | Linux or VIOS | Yes | Monitor and USB cables equipped with KVM | Cabling the server with keyboard, video, and mouse |
