Installing the virtual control panel

 

Follow these steps to install the virtual control panel.

 

Parent topic:

Virtual control panel

 

Related reference


Limitations of the virtual control panel

 

Creating a service tools device ID using an existing console

The virtual control panel (VCP) requires an available, unused service tools device ID. If the server does not use Operations Console (LAN) for the console type, you can use the existing service tools device ID of QCONSOLE. If you know that Operations Console (LAN) is not being used you may skip to the section below to create a service tools device ID. To check the current console type setting, do the following:

This work can also be performed using SST. Use the "Work with Service Tools User IDs and Devices" option on the System Service Tools (SST) main menu and skip the step "Select System Devices".

  1. Access Dedicated Service Tools (DST).

  2. Select Work with DST environment > System devices > Select Console.

  3. The value in the input field is your current console type setting. If the value is not a 3 then the QCONSOLE device ID is probably available for use with the VCP configuration.

  4. Press F3 until you are back to the DST main menu.

 

Creating a service tools device ID

To create a service tools device ID follow these steps:

  1. Access Dedicated Service Tools (DST).

  2. Select Work with DST environment > Service tools device IDs.

    By default, the Service tools device IDs option is not available from SST. If you receive the message The user can not perform the option selected it indicates that the option has not been made available. The unlock method can only be performed in DST.

    To unlock this option for use in SST, do the following:

    1. Access Dedicated Service Tools (DST).

    2. Select Start a service tool > Display/Alter/Dump > Display/Alter storage > Licensed Internal Code (LIC) data > Advanced analysis. (You need to page down to see this option.)

    3. Page down until you find the FLIGHTLOG option. Then, place a 1 next to the option and press Enter. You should be on the Specify Advanced Analysis Options window. The command should show as FLIGHTLOG.

    4. Enter the option SEC UNLOCKDEVID.

      If you want to secure this option later use the option SEC LOCKDEVID.

  3. Enter a 1 next to the Device ID field. Then enter a name to call the VCP's device ID and press Enter.

  4. Optionally, enter a description. Then press Enter.

  5. You have now created a device ID for the VCP connection from one PC.

  6. You can check the attributes for the device ID by selecting option 7 (Change attributes). By default, the console and partition remote panel for partition 0 (current partition) will be granted.

  7. Use PF3 to go back to the DST main menu.

 

Checking user ID for permissions

If you are using a service tools user ID other than QSECOFR, QSRV, 22222222, or 11111111 for use with the VCP, you have to set the service tools user privileges for Partition remote panel key to allow access to the mode function. To verify or set this service tools user privilege, do the following:

  1. Go to the DST main menu.

  2. Select Work with DST environment > Service tools user IDs.

  3. Move the cursor to the user you want to verify or set the privileges for and place a 7 on the same line and press Enter.

  4. You only have to verify or set the privilege for the Partition remote panel key entry, which would be the partition currently being used. Place a 2 on the line for the partition, and press Enter to grant permission to the mode functions.

    Systems with a keystick require the keystick to be inserted before the user is eligible to use the mode button. For example, the user has the remote panel key privilege but will not have the mode function available until the keystick is present. For systems without the keystick, only the user ID remote panel key privilege is necessary.

  5. You can now exit back to the DST main menu. Additionally, you can exit DST or IPL depending on how you entered DST.

 

Changing the current configuration to console only

If your current Operations Console configured connection includes the remote control panel, use the following steps to configure the connection for just the console. If the console is currently the only function being provided, skip this section and continue with next section.

  1. To remove the remote control panel from the configuration, the connection status must be Disconnected. To disconnect the configuration, follow these steps:

    1. If your local console is running in unattended mode and you have not requested control, do the following to get system control:

      1. Select the configuration name (under iSeries Connection). This is the name that Operations Console uses to refer to a specific system.

      2. From the Connection menu, select Request Control.

    2. If the Service Device Sign-on window appears, select Cancel.

    3. Select the configuration name (under iSeries Connection). This is the name that Operations Console uses to refer to a specific system.

    4. From the Connection menu, select Disconnect. The connection status shows Disconnecting until it completes with a status of Disconnected.

  2. Select the configuration name that you want to change.

  3. From the Connection menu, select Properties.

  4. Select the Configuration tab.

  5. Remove the check from the Remote Control Panel option.

  6. Select OK.

 

Creating a new configuration for the virtual control panel

Use the following instructions to create a new connection configuration specifically for the virtual control panel (VCP):

  1. From the Connection menu, select New Connection.

  2. Select Next. If the window asking about prerequisites appears, select Yes.

  3. Leave the option Local Area Network (LAN) selected and click Next.

  4. Enter a name to refer to your VCP connection and select the partition the VCP will control, then click Next. Notes:

    • If the PC you are working with is connected to a network, do not use a name that can be found on that network.

    • When setting up VCP in System i™ environment, there is no partition 0.

  5. If the Service TCP/IP Address field contains a value, you will have to use Back and enter another name. The name you used was found on your network or in the hosts file. If no TCP/IP address is listed, enter 192.168.0.2.

    In some cases, the address 192.168.0.n may have been previously used for something other than Operations Console. In those cases the user may have had to use a different base address for Operations Console such as 192.168.1.n. If so, use the base address currently assigned to Operations Console, but make the last value a 2. For example, use 192.168.1.2. To check the current base address, use regedit (or other registry editing program) and navigate to:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/IBM/Client Access/CurrentVersion/AS400 Operations Console/LCS/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/IBM/Client Access/CurrentVersion/AS400 Operations Console/LCS/

    Expand LCS and select the appropriate configuration. Check the key IP Address. Use the IP address reported on your PC to validate the VCP address.

  6. Enter the value of 0.0.0.0 in the Service gateway address 1 field. You are not required to enter anything in the Service gateway address 2 field.

  7. Enter a serial number in the iSeries serial number field. This does not have to be the real system serial number. Click Next.

  8. Enter the name of the device ID you will be using for the VCP connection authentication. By default, you can use QCONSOLE if it hasn't been used. Otherwise, if you created a specific device ID, enter the name you assigned it during the creation process. Then click Next.

  9. Enter a password and enter it a second time to confirm it. This password is only used by the PC for the VCP connection and is not known at the system. For example, if you entered access as the password, you will use access later to sign on. Click Next.

  10. Click Finish.

  11. Select the VCP configuration and go into Properties. Select the Configuration tab and deselect the console option. Then, click OK to exit Properties.

You have completed the configuration for the VCP connection.

Start a connection for the console (your original connection). Sign on normally, if necessary, and wait for the console window to appear.

Now you can connect the VCP connection.

You will get the LAN Service Device Sign-on window with an extra field. The Access password field is where you enter the password you chose during the setup wizard. If you remember the example used earlier, the password was access. Enter the password you used in the Specify Access Password window.

Enter any service tools user ID and password, commonly referred to as the DST user ID and password. Since this is authenticating the connection and not setting up any authorities to the work, there is no difference between using 11111111 and 11111111 or QSECOFR and ???????. If you have previously created additional service tools user IDs, you could use any of those as well.