Redirect Linux Console to HP ILO via SSH

Sometimes the ILO web interface is painfully slow to use when you are just trying to get on the console of a server. To get around this I have been taking advantage of the fact that you can SSH to the ILO and access the server console from there.

In order to do this you must add the following to the bottom of /etc/inittab.

S1:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 115200 ttyS1 vt100

Then you must add ttyS1 to the bottom of /etc/securetty. If you don't you will not be able to log in as root from the serial console. So don't forget this step.

Then ssh into the ilo console — and run the following command.

</>hpiLO-> VSP

Note that this works on the ILO2, and possibly on the ILO3. It does not work on ILO1.