IBM i Global

IBM i Global

Connect, learn, share, and engage with IBM Power.

 View Only
Back to discussions
Expand all | Collapse all

Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

  • 1.  Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Thu January 02, 2025 09:17 PM

    I'm more of an HMC kind of guy.  However I'm helping someone out and they have Lan Console.  I've got the system console working.  I've got Virtual Control Panel up.  But how do I tell if the attention light is on or not?

    VCP


    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 12:59 AM

    Hi @Robert Berendt,

    Will this article be of help? https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/working-system-attention-led-ibm-power-systems



    ------------------------------
    Sylvain Manceau
    Blue
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 02:11 AM

    Hi Robert, 

       It is easier to check using the SQL service:

    SYSTEM_STATUS_INFO_BASIC view - IBM Documentation

    ATTENTION_LIGHT parameter



    ------------------------------
    Nicolae Chirea
    System Architect
    Seidor Iberia
    Madrid/Spain
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 07:36 AM

    Nicolae,

    The place I am doing this for is a few years behind on PTFs.  And they are still on 7.2.  My first goal is to get them up to date on PTF's and then, if their vendor software supports it, to get them updated on OS.  I love the services as much as the next guy but when I try to use them here they are not available.



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 07:30 AM

    Sylvain,

    How would that article be of any help?  It talks about how to check the system attention light on the HMC.  It talks about how to find events in SST which may have caused the attention light to trigger.  Yet I failed to see how it might explain whether or not the attention light was even on when using the Virtual Control Panel of Lan Console.



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 08:29 AM

    SELECT attention_light FROM QSYS2.SYS_STATUS;

     

     

     


    _________________________________________________

    This message is for the designated recipient only and may contain privileged, proprietary
    or otherwise private information. If you have received it in error, please notify the sender
    immediately and delete the original. Any other use of the email by you is prohibited.

    Dansk - Deutsch - Espanol - Francais - Italiano - Japanese - Nederlands - Norsk - Portuguese - Chinese
    Svenska: http://www.cardinalhealth.com/en/support/terms-and-conditions-english.html




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 09:29 AM

    Bryan,

    See my reply to Nicolae.



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 08:39 AM

    Robert - you probably already reviewed this document but just in case you haven't - Virtual control panel - IBM Documentation

    The screen shot you show is very different looking than what I can find documented for VCP but I wonder if the 'ATTENTION!!' shown on your screen shot is an indication that indeed, the light is on. 



    ------------------------------
    Rich Malloy
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 09:26 AM

    Yeah, that Power 5 virtual control panel from (probably) the direct attach (vs lan console) underneath the old Client Access looks like it was more tailored to match the systems of it's day.  The new VCP makes no such pretense.



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 09:31 AM

    I do wonder about those double exclamation points...



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 09:40 AM

    Robert, assuming you are using ACS 1.1.9.7 same as I am.

    I just tested between a couple of LPARs.

    from HMC:

     if the Attention light is on, in ACS VCP I do not get "Attention!!"

    if the Attention light is off, in ACS VCP I DO get "Attention!!"

    both lpars are on V7.5 and if I use the SQL "SELECT attention_light FROM QSYS2.SYS_STATUS'  both show "OFF

    I opened a PMR for the SQL, so we'll see.



    ------------------------------
    Bryan Dietz
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 09:57 AM

    Bryan,

    Thank you.  Without using the VCP, or the SQL, how did you check "if the Attention light is ..." on your multi lpar system?



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 10:27 AM

    I've briefly looked for an API, but have not found one.

    I would have assumed MATMATR but am not seeing it there.



    ------------------------------
    Bryan Dietz
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 10:36 AM

    Bryan,

    I reread your earlier response.  Apparently you are using both HMC and VCP.  I didn't catch that you were also using the HMC earlier.

    For a list of APIs that IBM tells you about but you have to hunt for documentation see:  https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=apis-that-check-system-status



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 15.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 10:44 AM

    "You can use these APIs only if you are using the remote control panel that is connected with the serial console cable. You cannot use these APIs with the virtual control panel or remote control panel connected with a parallel cable."  Is this even supported at 7.5?  I thought you were limited to Lan Console only.

    https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.5?topic=panel-using-remote-control-apis



    ------------------------------
    Robert Berendt IBMChampion
    Business Systems Analyst, Lead
    Dekko
    Fort Wayne
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 16.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Mon January 06, 2025 03:02 PM

    Hi Robert, 

    Giving it my best here as researched from your link... 

    Not sure if anyone seen this part ? https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/i/7.2?topic=status-is-attention-light-lit <--- just a few bits to bang on the screen if I follow this correctly? 


    Seems a bit tricky to implement (as quote) :

    "

    You can use these APIs only if you are using the remote control panel that is connected with the serial console cable. You cannot use these APIs with the virtual control panel or remote control panel connected with a parallel cable.

    The interface to the remote control panel APIs is established through a standard TCP/IP socket connection. The socket connection can be implemented in any programming language that supports sockets on the Windows platform (Java™ , C/C++, Visual Basic to name a few).

    To use the remote control panel APIs, follow these steps:

    1. Start Operations Console with the remote control panel function.
    2. From a custom program, open a socket connection to port 2150 on the same PC.
    3. Send a supported command from the set of commands that are described below (using uppercase and lowercase letters as shown for each API name).
    4. Receive the byte stream that is sent back on the same socket connection.
    5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as necessary on the same socket connection.
    6. Close the socket connection when done.

    "

    It seems stock standard TCP connection to be done unless I am missing something. 



    ------------------------------
    Marius le Roux
    Owner
    MLR Consulting
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 17.  RE: Virtual control panel: How do I tell if the attention light is on?

    Posted Fri January 03, 2025 10:46 AM

    still looking for an API , but i wonder if you could/can use "Virtual Partition Manager" in SST/DST to see any attention light status.  (it's been a minute since i've used it)



    ------------------------------
    Bryan Dietz
    ------------------------------

    Original Message