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Diagnostic tools

The section introduces available tools to help you diagnose and solve hardware-related problems.

  • Light path diagnostics

    Use light path diagnostics to diagnose system errors quickly. See Light path diagnostics for more information.

  • Event logs

    The event logs list the error codes and messages that are generated when an error is detected for the subsystems IMM2, POST, DSA, and the server baseboard management controller. See Event logs for more information.

  • Integrated management module II

    The integrated management module II (IMM2) combines service processor functions, video controller, and remote presence and blue-screen capture features in a single chip. The IMM provides advanced service-processor control, monitoring, and alerting function. If an environmental condition exceeds a threshold or if a system component fails, the IMM lights LEDs to help you diagnose the problem, records the error in the IMM event log, and alerts you to the problem. Optionally, the IMM also provides a virtual presence capability for remote server management capabilities. The IMM provides remote server management through the following industry-standard interfaces:

    • Intelligent Platform Management Protocol (IPMI) version 2.0
    • Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) version 3
    • Common Information Model (CIM)
    • Web browser

    For more information about the integrated management module II (IMM2), see Using the integrated management module, Integrated Management Module II (IMM2) error messages, and the Integrated Management Module II User's Guide at the User's Guide for Integrated Management Module II website.

  • IBM Dynamic System Analysis

    Two editions of IBM Dynamic System Analysis (DSA) are available for diagnosing problems, DSA Portable and DSA Preboot:

    • DSA Portable

      DSA Portable collects and analyzes system information to aid in diagnosing server problems. DSA Portable runs on the server operating system and collects the following information about the server:

      • Drive health information
      • Event logs for ServeRAID controllers and service processors
      • Installed hardware, including PCI and USB information
      • Installed applications and hot fixes
      • Kernel modules
      • Light path diagnostics status
      • Microprocessor, input/out hub, and UEFI error logs
      • Network interfaces and settings
      • RAID controller configuration
      • Service processor (integrated management module) status and configuration
      • System configuration
      • Vital product data, firmware, and UEFI configuration
      DSA Portable creates a DSA log, which is a chronologically ordered merge of the system-event log (as the IPMI event log), the integrated management module (IMM) event log (as the ASM event log), and the operating-system event logs. You can send the DSA log as a file to IBM Support (when requested by IBM Support) or view the information as a text file or HTML file.
      Note
      Use the latest available version of DSA to make sure you are using the most recent configuration data. For documentation and download information for DSA, see Systems Management Solutions website.

      For additional information, see IBM Dynamic System Analysis and DSA diagnostic test results.

    • DSA Preboot

      DSA Preboot diagnostic program is stored in the integrated USB memory on the server. DSA Preboot collects and analyzes system information to aid in diagnosing server problems, as well as offering a rich set of diagnostic tests of the major components of the server. DSA Preboot collects the following information about the server:

      • Drive health information
      • Event logs for ServeRAID controllers and service processors
      • Installed hardware, including PCI and USB information
      • Light path diagnostics status
      • Microprocessor, input/output hub, and UEFI error logs
      • Network interfaces and settings
      • RAID controller configuration
      • Service processor (integrated management module) status and configuration
      • System configuration
      • Vital product data, firmware, and UEFI configuration

      DSA Preboot also provides diagnostics for the following system components (when they are installed):

      1. Emulex network adapter
      2. IMM I2C bus
      3. Light path diagnostics panel
      4. Memory modules
      5. Microprocessors
      6. Optical devices (CD or DVD)
      7. SAS or SATA drives

      See Running DSA Preboot diagnostic programs for more information on running the DSA Preboot program on the server.

  • Troubleshooting by symptom

    These tables list problem symptoms and actions to correct the problems. See Troubleshooting by symptom for more information.

  • Power-supply LEDs
    The following minimum configuration is required for the server to start.
  • System pulse LEDs
    Use this information to view the system pulse LEDs.
  • Event logs
    Error codes and messages displayed in POST event log, system-event log, integrated management module (IMM2) event log, and DSA event log.
  • POST
    When you turn on the server, it performs a series of tests to check the operation of the server components and some optional devices in the server. This series of tests is called the power-on self-test, or POST.
  • IBM Dynamic System Analysis
    IBM Dynamic System Analysis (DSA) collects and analyzes system information to aid in diagnosing server problems.