The IBM Hardware Management Console for pSeries (HMC) is a tool used for administration and management of IBM eServer pSeries servers. It was first announced in late 2001 with the IBM eServer pSeries 690 Model 681, the first partitioning-capable pSeries server model, and has been supporting the other partitioning-capable pSeries server models in conjunction with several software release level updates.

The major function provided by the HMC is partitioning management, which is well covered well by several other publications. This IBM Redbooks publication, designed to be used as a deskside reference for systems administrators who manage partitioning-capable pSeries servers using the HMC, is meant to complement these other publications by covering the following topics:

- Configuring the HMC

- Managing software levels on the HMC

- Secure remote GUI access to the HMC

- Secure networking in a partitioned environment

- Service functions on the HMC

In addition, this book covers the basic usage of the HMC graphical user interface. New HMC commands, available with the HMC software Release 3, Version 2, are detailed in Chapter 9, HMC command line interface and Chapter 10, Advanced HMC command examples.

Chapter 1. Introduction to the HMC

Chapter 2. HMC graphical user interface

Chapter 3. Basic managed system operation tasks

Chapter 4. Configuring the HMC

Chapter 5. Managing partition profile data on the HMC

Chapter 6. Managing software levels on the HMC

Chapter 7. Secure remote GUI access to the HMC

Chapter 8. Secure networking in a partitioned environment

Chapter 9. HMC command line interface

Chapter 10. Advanced HMC command examples

Chapter 11. Service functions on the HMC

Chapter 12. Sample Service Agent configurations on the HMC

Appendix A. Configuring asynchronous adapters on the HMC

Appendix B. Recommended network configuration in a partitioned environment

Appendix C. A brief introduction to VLAN