Garrett,
The timeout seems a little quick for a short work week especially
since there are numerous folks on vacation this week. Is there a
reason why the timeout wasn't a little longer?
Also what are the interface taxonomy classifications for the imported
and exported interfaces? I did not see anything mentioned.
Should we expect another case to resolve the 2 step process on
the SPARC platform? Or should that be considered a bug that
can be fixed at anytime?
Thanks,
John
Garrett D'Amore - sun microsystems wrote:
> Template Version: @(#)sac_nextcase 1.68 02/23/09 SMI
> This information is Copyright 2009 Sun Microsystems
> 1. Introduction
> 1.1. Project/Component Working Name:
> Serial Port Console Redirection
> 1.2. Name of Document Author/Supplier:
> Author: Daniel Mick
> 1.3 Date of This Document:
> 21 December, 2009
> 4. Technical Description
>
> PROBLEM:
>
> x86 platforms have been able for some time to redirect BIOS and early
> boot output to a serial port, as has the Solaris kernel; however,
> configuration of both is separate, and error-prone. This has been
> unavoidable, because, until recently, there's been no interface to
> query the BIOS settings for serial console.
>
> Further, OpenSolaris now tries to enter graphics mode immediately in
> Grub, and stay there during kernel boot until Xorg takes over
> (so-called "happy face" boot). This works well on workstations with
> VGAs and displays, and not so well on remote servers with serial
> consoles (the graphics output is at least garbage to the serial
> console, and in worse cases, can wedge the console).
>
> SOLUTION:
>
> Microsoft has defined an ACPI table to transmit this information called
> SPCR (Serial Port Console Redirection). Many machines support this
> table, and its contents are sufficient to allow Grub and the kernel to
> match their configuration to the BIOS configuration. Using this
> information, Grub can automatically avoid graphics mode when serial
> console is configured, and we can remove the requirement for manual
> configuration of serial parameters for the kernel in Grub's menu.lst.
>
> IMPLEMENTATION
>
> Grub has been modified to read and use the information in SPCR. A new
> keyword $CONSOLE is added for use on the kernel$ boot line in menu.lst;
> it will expand to properties which select either the appropriate serial
> port and mode (for example,
> "console=ttya,ttya-mode=19200,8,n,1,-,ttya-ignore-cd=true") or the
> normal text or graphics console ("console=text" or "console=graphics")
> as the Solaris release requires. (Currently Nevada uses text,
> OpenSolaris uses graphics.) A typical use in menu.lst would look
> like:
>
> kernel$ /platform/i86pc/kernel/$ISADIR/unix -B $ZFS-BOOTFS,$CONSOLE
>
> In addition, a new "spcr" command has been defined, to display the
> settings in the SPCR table (if it exists). This command is useful for
> diagnostic purposes.
>
> This requires no change in the kernel to use; however, one file is also
> changed in the Solaris system image: /etc/ttydefs, which currently
> configures ttymon(1) to force the console to 9600 baud. It turns out
> that if the baud rate setting is removed, ttymon simply uses the
> preexisting baud rate without change. This is exactly what we'd like
> for the x86 case, as it means that baud rate choice is done in exactly
> one place: the BIOS. It also allows one fewer configuration step on
> SPARC systems, where the ttya-mode variable can be set in OBP, and then
> ttydefs will not need change. (Unfortunately, the SPARC serial drivers
> take it upon themselves to initialize the baud rate from settings in
> /kernel/drv/options.conf, ignoring ttya-mode, so on SPARC we haven't
> yet made it a one-step process...but this does at least remove one step
> on SPARC).
>
> SUMMARY OF CHANGE
>
> 1) new keyword for use on Grub menu lines '$CONSOLE'
> 2) new Grub command 'spcr'
> 3) removal of baud rate from console: line in /etc/ttydefs
>
>
>
>
> 6. Resources and Schedule
> 6.4. Steering Committee requested information
> 6.4.1. Consolidation C-team Name:
> ON
> 6.5. ARC review type: FastTrack
> 6.6. ARC Exposure: open
>
> _______________________________________________
> opensolaris-arc mailing list
> opensolaris-arc at opensolaris.org
