This section describes the system-management features provided by your computer.
Your computer has features that make it possible for a network administrator to manage and control it remotely over a network from a management console when it is connected to the Port Replicator with Advanced Etherjet feature installed.
These features are:
The following sections describe more about the functions and the software that provides these functions.
Your computer supports the DMI function using the System Management BIOS (SMBIOS), Tivoli LCF, explained in the following sections.
Desktop Management Interface (DMI)(4) is an interface for managing computers in a network. Using DMI, a system administrator can easily do an inventory of all the software and hardware of the computers on a network. DMI can be used to remotely track many types of information about networked computers, including serial numbers, memory attributes, product-specific characteristics of installed devices, and operating system configuration information.
The basic input/output system (BIOS) of your computer supports an interface called System Management BIOS (SMBIOS). The SMBIOS provides some of the hardware component information. It is the responsibility of the BIOS to supply this database with information about itself and the devices on the system board. The SMBIOS Specification documents the standards for accessing this BIOS information.
To install Tivoli LCF, double-click on System Management and follow the instructions on the screen.
The remote program load (RPL) enables a network administrator to remotely control your computer. RPL enables your computer to start directly from a server over a LAN that has been configured for RPL. Network-management software, such as IBM LANClient Control Manager (LCCM), is required to take advantage of RPL.
If you use RPL with LCCM software, you can use the Hybrid RPL feature. With Hybrid RPL you install hybrid images (or files) on the hard disk. Each time the computer starts from the network, LCCM recognizes your computer as a Hybrid RPL client, and a bootstrap program is downloaded to your computer. This bootstrap program is small and helps prevent network congestion. Working from the hybrid images, the bootstrap program initiates the startup process from the hard disk drive of your computer. One of the advantages of Hybrid RPL is that the network load associated with standard RPL is avoided.
| Note: | You can use RPL or PXE (sometimes it is called DHCP) with the Port Replicator with Advanced Etherjet feature, the option of the ThinkPad computer. If your computer is attached to the Port Replicator with Advanced Etherjet feature and you want to use RPL or PXE, you need to set up PXE or RPL by using an Advanced Etherjet feature flash utility diskette that is supplied with the ThinkPad Port Replicator with Advanced Etherjet feature. |
PreBoot eXecution Environment (PXE) technology enhances PC manageability by having the capability to boot (load an operating system, or other executable image) from a server. Your computer supports PC functions that PXE requires. For example, your computer can be booted from the PXE server if your computer is attached to the Port Replicator with Advanced Etherjet feature.
Wake on LAN can be used by a network administrator to turn on your computer from a management console. When Wake on LAN is used with such network management software as LANClient Control Manager (LCCM) and NetFinity(5) , many types of functions, such as data transfers, and software updates can be performed remotely without remote attendance. This updating can be done after hours and on weekends, which saves time and increases productivity. Users are not interrupted during normal working hours and LAN traffic is kept to a minimum.
If you dock your computer in the Port Replicator with Advanced Etherjet feature that has a LAN card with the Wake on LAN function, you can use the Wake on LAN function.
The Wake on LAN function is valid only when both your computer and the Port Replicator with Advanced Etherjet feature are powered off and APM mode is used.
If your computer is powered on by the Wake on LAN function, the Startup Sequence for Wake on LAN is used. For more information, see Startup Sequence for Wake on LAN.
If your computer is connected to a telephone line, your computer will resume from suspend mode when there is an incoming (telephone) call. The system administrator can resume operation on your computer and communicate remotely through a modem.
Your computer supports IBM Universal Management Agent (UMA). The Universal Management Agent consists of three main components:
(4) DMI is a standard defined by the Desktop Management Task Force (DMTF) for gathering information about the hardware and software in your computer so that network administrators can remotely monitor and control it.
(5) You can download LCCM from http://www.pc.ibm.com/register. NetFinity Service comes in Diskette Factory, but NetFinity Manager does not. To use the Wake on LAN function, you need to install NetFinity Manager or LCCM in the administrator's machine.