Configuring Network Parameters

C H A P T E R 4

This chapter describes how to configure system parameters. It contains the following sections:

About Network Parameters

The Gateway

NTP Servers

Note - For instructions on accessing the CLI commands and GUI functions described in this chapter, see Using the Administrative Interfaces.

About Network Parameters

You must configure a gateway from the 5800 system to the network so that the 5800 system is available on the network. In addition, you must configure Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers to ensure that the computer clocks in the system are coordinated.

You can enable DNS for the system, although this is not required.

The Gateway

The gateway is the router that connects the local subnet on which the 5800 system resides to the larger network. You must configure a default gateway for each 5800 system cell, to enable information about the system to be available on the network. You configure the gateway on a per-cell basis.

Caution - The 5800 system will not boot up correctly if the gateway address that you configure is not a valid IP address on the same network as the 5800 system service node IP address. (See Service Node IP Address.) The system can boot up if the gateway you configure is down, or even if the gateway is not an actual “live” machine, but the system cannot boot if the gateway IP address is invalid or is not reachable from the service node.

To Configure a Gateway Using the CLI

Configure the default gateway using the command
cellcfg --cellid cellid --gateway ip_address --subnet subnet_mask.

For example:

ST5800 $ cellcfg --cellid 1 --gateway 10.7.227.254 --subnet 255.255.255.0

To Configure a Gateway Using the GUI

1. From the navigation panel, choose Configuration > Network.

2. Click Configure Gateway.

3. From the Cell drop-down menu, choose the cell for which you want to configure the gateway.

4. Type the gateway address.

5. Type the subnet mask address.

6. Click Apply.

7. Repeat steps 1-6 for each cell that needs a network gateway configured.

NTP Servers

A Network Time Protocol (NTP) server synchronizes the clocks on systems on the network and ensures that the timestamps indicating when data is stored or deleted are accurate.

For 5800 system operation, you must specify at least one external NTP server. After you configure the NTP servers, you can check to see the current system time.

You configure NTP servers on a per-hive basis.

To Configure an NTP Server Using the CLI

To configure the external NTP servers, use the command
hivecfg --ntp_server ip_addresses.

For example:

ST5800 $ hivecfg --ntp_server 10.7.224.30,10.7.224.40

To Configure an NTP Server Using the GUI

1. From the navigation panel, choose Configuration > Network.

2. Click Set NTP Server.

3. To add a new NTP server IP address or host name:

a. Click the Add button

A new row is displayed in the table.

b. (Optional) If Domain Name Service (DNS) is enabled and you want to enter host names instead of IP addresses, select Host Name.

c. Type the NTP server host name or IP address in the newly added text fields of the table.

4. To remove an NTP server, select the host name or IP address in the table and click the Remove button

5. Click Apply.

To Check the System Time Using the CLI

Check the system time using the command date.

For example:

ST5800 $ date
Thu Jun 28 12:43:17 UTC 2007

To Check the System Time Using the GUI

To check the time and date for a cell:

From the navigation panel, choose Cells > Cell <identifier>.

The Cell Summary panel is displayed, listing the System Time.

DNS

The Domain Name Service (DNS) is a service that the 5800 system may use to translate names (such as the NTP server name) to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

You configure DNS on a per-hive basis.

To Configure DNS Using the CLI

Use the command hivecfg --set to set the DNS parameters, as follows:

DNS: y enables DNS, n disables DNS

Domain Name: DNS domain name to be used by the 5800 system

DNS Search: Other domains the system should search if the specified domain name does not result in a valid IP address.

Primary DNS Server: The server that the system should use first to translate domain names.

Secondary DNS Server: The server that the system should use to translate domain names if the primary server is unavailable.

For example:

ST5800 $ hivecfg --set
Enter new value, or hit <enter> to leave the value unchanged:
[multiple values need to be comma separated]
 
NTP Server [129.145.155.32,129.146.17.39]: 
SMTP Server [129.147.62.198]: 
SMTP Port [25]: 
Authorized Clients [all]: 
External Logger [10.7.224.10]: 
DNS [y or n] [y]: y
Domain Name [sfbay.sun.com]: sfran.sun.com
DNS Search [sfbay.sun.com,sun.com,eng.sun.com]: sfran.sun.com,sun.com,eng.sun.com
Primary DNS Server [10.8.11.110]: 10.8.11.110
Secondary DNS Server [10.8.11.82]: 10.8.11.82

To Configure DNS Using the GUI

1. From the navigation panel, choose Configuration > Network.

2. Click Set Up DNS.

3. Select the Enable DNS check box.

4. In the Domain Name field, type the domain name to be used by the system.

5. In the Primary Server field, type the IP address of the first server the system should use to translate domain names.

6. In the Secondary Server field, type the IP address of the backup server the system should use if the primary server is unable to translate.

7. Click the Add button

to add DNS suffixes to the DNS Suffix Search List. These are additional domains the system should search if the specified Domain Name does not result in a valid IP address.

8. Click Apply.