Ampere Server Platforms๏ƒ

Enablement

LAVA by default is configured to work with this DUT + LAA setup. If you opt for a different setup youโ€™ll have to change your DUT + LAA device configuration on LAVA.

This guide covers the setup and configuration of Ampere server platforms, including:

  • AmpereOne Server Platform - Uses USB TTY serial connection with fan noise reduction

  • Altraยฎ Max AC02 - Uses IPMI SOL (Serial Over LAN) connection

Components๏ƒ

The following components are required to fully automate Ampere servers:

For AmpereOne๏ƒ

For Altra Max AC02๏ƒ

  • Network cables for private network and IPMI connections

  • Power control via IPMI

  • SOL (Serial Over LAN) via IPMI

Firmware Requirements๏ƒ

GRUB Configuration๏ƒ

Both platforms require a properly configured GRUB bootloader with network boot capabilities:

  • Required modules: net_bootp, tftp

  • Architecture: aarch64/arm64

  • Firmware location: https://firmwares.lavacloud.io/grubaa64.efi

The GRUB firmware must be installed on the serverโ€™s EFI system partition and configured as the primary boot option.

Platform-Specific Configuration๏ƒ

AmpereOne Server Platform๏ƒ

The AmpereOne platform has specific considerations:

  1. Serial Connection: Uses telnet localhost 2010 for serial console access via USB TTY

    • More reliable than IPMI SOL for this platform

    • Requires USB serial adapter connected to LAA

  2. Fan Noise Reduction: The platform includes IPMI raw commands to reduce fan noise:

    ipmitool -I lanplus -H <BMC_IP> -U ADMIN -P ADMIN raw 0x3c 0x03 0x01
for i in $(seq 0 10); do
    ipmitool -I lanplus -H <BMC_IP> -U ADMIN -P ADMIN raw 0x3c 0x04 $i 0x1e
done

    These commands are automatically executed during hard reset operations.

  3. USB Control: LAA USB port 2 is used for additional control:

    • laacli usb 2 off - Disable USB port

    • laacli usb 2 on - Enable USB port

Altra Max AC02๏ƒ

The Altra Max AC02 platform configuration:

  1. Serial Connection: Uses IPMI SOL for console access

    ipmitool -I lanplus -H <BMC_IP> -U ADMIN -P ADMIN sol activate

  2. Boot Delay: Configured with a higher boot character delay (500ms) for stability

  3. Standard IPMI Power Control:

    • Power on: ipmitool -I lanplus -H <BMC_IP> -U ADMIN -P ADMIN power on

    • Power off: ipmitool -I lanplus -H <BMC_IP> -U ADMIN -P ADMIN power off

    • SOL deactivation on power off for clean disconnection

Network Configuration๏ƒ

BMC/IPMI Network Setup๏ƒ

The BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) must be configured with a static IP address:

  • Required static IP: 198.18.0.3

  • Default credentials: ADMIN/ADMIN (should be changed in production)

LAA Private Network๏ƒ

The LAA provides a private network with DHCP:

  • DHCP range: Provides 198.18.0.2 to the DUT (Device Under Test)

  • LAA IP: 198.18.0.1 (gateway and TFTP server)

Network Switch Configuration๏ƒ

To allow the LAA private network to communicate with both the IPMI interface and the DUT, you need one of the following:

  1. Dumb/Unmanaged Switch (Simplest option):

    • Connect LAA private network port

    • Connect serverโ€™s primary network interface (DUT)

    • Connect serverโ€™s IPMI/BMC network interface

    • All devices will be on the same 198.18.0.0/24 network

  2. Managed Switch with VLAN (For larger deployments):

    • Configure a dedicated VLAN for the test network

    • Add the following ports to the VLAN:

      • LAA private network port

      • Server DUT network port

      • Server IPMI/BMC port

    • Ensure all ports are untagged/access ports for this VLAN

Network Connectivity Requirements๏ƒ

  • LAA must reach IPMI at 198.18.0.3 for power control

  • LAA must reach DUT at 198.18.0.2 for TFTP boot and testing

  • DUT receives DHCP from LAA at 198.18.0.1

GRUB Setup Instructions๏ƒ

  1. Download the GRUB firmware:

    wget https://firmwares.lavacloud.io/ampere/grubaa64.efi

  2. Copy to EFI partition (from a booted Linux system on the server):

    mount /boot/efi
cp grubaa64.efi /boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/BOOTAA64.EFI

    The GRUB firmware is should now drop to a grub> prompt, allowing LAVA to take control and execute network boot commands directly.

Accessing the BMC and DUT over SSH๏ƒ

The private network is normally isolated from the lab network, so the BMC at 198.18.0.3 and the DUT at 198.18.0.2 cannot be reached directly. Use the LAA as a jump host with SSH port forwarding.

First, authorise your public key on the LAA via Appliance > SSH Keys (see SSH keys). All examples below assume <laa-public-ip> is the LAA address printed on its OLED display.

Forward a single BMC port๏ƒ

To open the BMC web UI (HTTPS) in your local browser, forward a local port through the LAA to the BMC:

ssh -L 8443:198.18.0.3:443 user@<laa-public-ip>

Then browse to https://localhost:8443 on your workstation. The same pattern works for any other BMC service, for example IPMI on TCP/623 or the BMC SSH console on port 22:

ssh -L 2222:198.18.0.3:22 user@<laa-public-ip>
ssh ADMIN@localhost -p 2222

SOCKS proxy for everything on the private network๏ƒ

If you need to reach several services or the DUT itself, start a SOCKS proxy instead:

ssh -D 1080 user@<laa-public-ip>

Configure your browser or curl --socks5-hostname localhost:1080 โ€ฆ to route through localhost:1080. You can then reach https://198.18.0.3/, http://198.18.0.2/ and any other address on the private network as if you were on the LAA itself.

BMC firmware updates

BMC firmware images are typically uploaded via the BMC web UI. Forward the HTTPS port as shown above, log in to the BMC, and upload the image from your workstation โ€” the upload is proxied through the SSH tunnel.

Troubleshooting๏ƒ

AmpereOne Fan Noise๏ƒ

If the AmpereOne server fans are running at high speed:

  1. Verify the IPMI raw commands are being executed during reset

  2. Check BMC firmware version for compatibility

  3. Consider adjusting the fan control parameters in the raw commands

Serial Console Issues๏ƒ

  • AmpereOne: Verify USB serial cable connection and telnet port (2010)

  • Altra Max: Check IPMI SOL configuration and network connectivity

Network Boot Failures๏ƒ

  1. Verify GRUB has the required network modules

  2. Check DHCP/TFTP server configuration on the LAVA worker

  3. Ensure BMC and target networks are properly segregated

Cannot reach 198.18.0.3 through the SSH tunnel๏ƒ

Additional Resources๏ƒ