There are a variety of diagnostic tools, commands, and indicators you can use to monitor and troubleshoot the server:
LEDs – These indicators provide a quick visual notification of the status of the server and of some of the FRUs.
ILOM firmware – This system firmware runs on the service processor. In addition to providing the interface between the hardware and OS, ILOM also tracks and reports the health of key server components. ILOM works closely with POST and Oracle Solaris Predictive Self-Healing technology to keep the system up and running even when there is a faulty component.
PC-Check – Accessed through ILOM, the DOS-based PC-Check utility tests all motherboard components (CPU, memory, and I/O), ports, and slots. If enabled through ILOM, this utility will run each time the system powers on. For information about the PC-Check, refer to the Sun x64 Servers Diagnostics Guide.
POST – POST performs diagnostics on system components upon system power up and resets to ensure the integrity of those components. POST messages are displayed and logged in the BIOS event logs. POST works with ILOM to take faulty components offline if needed. For information about configuring BIOS, POST testing, POST codes, POST code checkpoints, and console redirection, see Using the BIOS Setup Utility.
Oracle Solaris OS Only
Oracle Solaris OS Predictive Self-Healing – The PSH technology continuously monitors the health of the CPU and memory, and works with ILOM to take a faulty component offline if needed. The predictive self-healing technology enables systems to accurately predict component failures and mitigate many serious problems before they occur.
Log files and console messages – These items provide the standard Solaris OS log files and investigative commands that can be accessed and displayed on the device of your choice.
SunVTS software – An application that exercises the system, provides hardware validation, and discloses possible faulty components with recommendations for repair.
The LEDs, ILOM, Solaris OS PSH, and many of the log files and console messages are integrated. For example, a fault detected by the Solaris software will display the fault, log it, pass information to ILOM where it is logged, and depending on the fault, might light one or more LEDs.
Solaris OS documentation set
ILOM 3.0 documentation set
Sun x64 Servers Diagnostics Guide
SunVTS documentation