Question 16 - D-PSC-MN-01 discussion

When a platform engineer connects to a Dell PowerScale F600 node using a serial connection and the session is unresponsive, the first action should be to check the settings of the serial connection. Serial communication requires specific configuration parameters to establish a successful connection. An incorrect setting can result in an unresponsive session.

The standard serial connection settings for Dell PowerScale nodes are:

Baud Rate: 115200

Data Bits: 8

Parity: None

Stop Bits: 1

Flow Control: None

Steps to resolve the issue:

Verify Serial Port Configuration:

Open your terminal emulator software (e.g., PuTTY, Tera Term).

Check that the serial port settings match the required parameters.

Confirm Physical Connections:

Ensure that the serial cable is securely connected to both the laptop and the node's serial port.

Test the Serial Cable:

If possible, test the cable with another device to rule out a faulty cable.

Restarting the server or updating firmware is unnecessary at this stage and could introduce additional issues. Replacing the serial cable should only be considered after confirming that the settings and connections are correct.

Dell PowerScale Hardware Installation and Planning Guide -- Serial Connection Settings

Dell PowerScale OneFS CLI Administration Guide -- Accessing the Cluster Through a Serial Connection

Dell Knowledge Base Article -- Troubleshooting Serial Console Access