Setting server timeouts

Use the information in this topic to set timeouts for the server.

These timeouts are used to restore operation to a server that has hung.

Select Server Properties under Server Configuration, to configure the server timeouts. The following server timeout selections are provided:

OS Watchdog

The OS watchdog is used to monitor the operating system to ensure that it is not hung. The Ethernet over USB interface must be enabled for this feature. See Configuring Ethernet over USB for details. The XClarity Controller contacts the operating system at an interval configured in the OS Watchdog Time selection. If the operating system does not respond before it is time for the next check, the XClarity Controller assumes that the operating system has hung. The XClarity Controller will capture the contents of the server display and then reboot the server in an attempt to restore operation. The XClarity Controller will reboot the server only once. If the operating system continues to hang after the reboot, instead of continually rebooting the server, the server will be left in the hung state so that the problem can be investigated and corrected. To rearm the OS watchdog, power the server off and back on. To enable the OS watchdog, select an interval from the OS Watchdog Time drop-down and click Apply. To disable the OS watchdog, select None on the OS Watchdog Time drop-down menu.

Use this field to specify how often, in minutes, the BMC subsystem will check to confirm that the operating system is running properly. If the operating system fails to respond within 6 seconds to one of these checks, the BMC subsystem will generate an OS Timeout alert and automatically restart the system one time. After the watchdog is tripped and the system is restarted, the OS Watchdog is automatically disabled until the operating system is shutdown and the server is power cycled. This watchdog is not related to the IPMI watchdog.

Make sure that the operating system you are booting has configured the firewall's inbound rules to allow ICMP type 8 (echo requests) packets to be acknowledged in order for the Server Timeout watchdog to function correctly.

To enable the OS watchdog, select an interval from the OS Watchdog Time drop-down and click Apply. To disable the OS watchdog, select None on the OS Watchdog Time drop-down menu.

Loader Watchdog

The loader watchdog monitors the interval between the completion of POST and when the operating system begins running. The Ethernet over USB interface must be enabled for this feature. See Configuring Ethernet over USB for details. When POST is completed, the XClarity Controller starts a timer and begins to contact the operating system. If the operating system does not respond with the time configured in the Loader Watchdog selection, the XClarity Controller assumes that the operating system boot has hung. The XClarity Controller will then reboot the server in an attempt to restore operation. The XClarity Controller will reboot the server only once. If the operating system boot continues to hang after the reboot, instead of continually rebooting the server, the server will be left in the hung state so that the problem can be investigated and corrected. The loader watchdog is rearmed when server is switched off and back on or when the server successfully boots into the operating system. To enable the loader watchdog, select an interval from the Loader Watchdog drop-down and click Apply. To disable the loader watchdog select None on the Loader Watchdog drop-down.

Use this field to specify the number of minutes that the BMC subsystem will wait between the completion of POST and the end of loading of the operating system. If this interval is exceeded, the BMC subsystem will generate a Loader Timeout alert and automatically restart the system one time. After the watchdog is tripped and the system is restarted, the Loader Timeout is automatically disabled until the operating system is shutdown and the server is power cycled. This watchdog is not related to the IPMI watchdog.

Make sure that the operating system you are booting has configured the firewall's inbound rules to allow ICMP type 8 (echo requests) packets to be acknowledged in order for the Server Timeout watchdog to function correctly.

To enable the loader watchdog, select an interval from the Loader Watchdog drop-down and click Apply. To disable the loader watchdog select None on the Loader Watchdog drop-down.

Enable Power Off Delay

Use this field to specify the number of minutes that the BMC subsystem will wait for the operating system to shutdown before powering off the system.

To set the power off delay timeout value, select time interval from the drop-down and click Apply. To disable the XClarity Controller from forcing power off, select None from the drop-down selection.