IBM eServer zSeries 900 Technical Guide

Appendix B. Hardware Management Console and Support Element 253

B.2 Support Elements

The HMC is used to control and monitor the z900 server via the Support Elements. The SEs

are used to manipulate the z900 server, store configuration information, load Licensed

Internal Code, and to monitor and control the operating state of the z900 server hardware.

A z900 server can be controlled by up to 32 different HMCs.

Two ThinkPad SEs are mounted in the front of frame A. One ThinkPad acts as the primary

(active) SE and the other acts as an alternate (spare).

The primary SE (see “Primary support element” on page 253) is used for all interactions with

the z900 server by any of the following methods:

򐂰 Using any of the Hardware Management Console tasks to start a specific function on the

selected CPC.

򐂰 Starting a Single Object Operation task from any of the Hardware Management Consoles

that have this CPC defined.

򐂰 Logging on to the primary SE built into the z900 server.

The Alternate SE (see “Alternate SE” on page 255) has a special workplace with limited tasks

available. The alternate SE workplace is only used by IBM service personnel.

Both SEs are connected to the Central Processor Complex (CPC) via the Power Service and

Control Network (PSCN), detailed in “Support elements to CPC interface” on page 258.

For certain SE errors an automatic switch-over is made to assign the formerly alternate SE as

the primary.

Automatic mirroring copies critical configuration and log files from the primary SE to the

alternate SE twice a day. Mirroring is also available as a manual task.

SE feature codes

򐂰 Two LAN adapters per SE are available for a customer LAN connection.

򐂰 The default configuration consists of one Token Ring adapter and one Ethernet adapter.

򐂰 A Multistation Access Unit (MAU) is provided when a Token Ring adapter is ordered.

򐂰 An Ethernet Hub is only provided if no Token Ring adapter is ordered.

Table B-2 SE feature codes

Primary support element

The primary SE is used for all user interactions with the z900 server by any of the following

methods:

򐂰 Using any of the Hardware Management Console tasks to start a specific function on the

selected CPC.

Feature code Description Default (Optional) Comment

0083 Support Element 2 (n/a) 2 per system

0063 Ethernet adapter 2 (2 - 4) 1 or 2 per SE

0062 Token Ring adapter 2 (0 - 2) 0 or 1 per SE

Total of Token Ring and Ethernet adapters cannot exceed two per SE.

254 IBM eServer zSeries 900 Technical Guide

򐂰 Starting a Single Object Operation task from any of the Hardware Management Consoles

that have this CPC defined.

򐂰 Logging on to the primary SE built into the z900 server.

The z900 server primary SE workplace has the familiar look of previous S/390 servers (see

Figure B-1), but has been improved with several new tasks implemented for the z900 server.

One of the new tasks is the Alternate Support Element task described in more detail in

“Alternate SE tasks” on page 256.

Some of the other new tasks are summarized in B.5, “HMC and SE functions” on page 270.

Primary CPC Details and primary SE-to-alternate SE communication status can be displayed

by selecting the

CPC icon in the CPC Work Area (see Figure B-2 on page 255).

Figure B-1 Primary SE Workplace example

Appendix B. Hardware Management Console and Support Element 255

Figure B-2 Primary SE details

Alternate SE

The alternate SE has a special workplace with a different wallpaper and limited tasks

available, as shown in Figure B-3. The alternate SE workplace is only used by IBM service

personnel.

Alternate SE Details and primary SE-to-alternate SE communication status can be displayed

by selecting the

Alternate icon in the CPC Work Area (see Figure B-4 on page 256).

Figure B-3 .Alternate SE Workplace