Unlike legacy OS 2200 systems, ClearPath Plus Servers Dorado Series systems use Operations Servers to host OS 2200 consoles. The Operations Server runs Operations Sentinel server Basic Edition software (and can be upgraded to Department or Enterprise Edition).
Legacy Console Architecture
OS 2200 software uses a concept of logical consoles. The Exec and applications can direct console messages to these logical consoles, and operators use them for system operation. On legacy ClearPath IX systems, each logical console corresponded to a physical PC console.
New Console Architecture
OS 2200 partitions on Dorado Series systems do not require dedicated hardware for each console. Instead, software running on an Operations Server provides the logical console functions. A separate copy of this software runs on an Operations Server for each configured console of an OS 2200 partition that is active (Up). Because the Operations Server provides the execution environment for the logical console software, we say that the Operations Server “hosts” the OS 2200 logical consoles. Each Operations Server can host multiple OS 2200 logical consoles for multiple OS 2200 partitions.
The terms "Operations Sentinel server" and "Operations Server" are used interchangeably in this document.
OS 2200 Console View
OS 2200 Console View is a client application of Operations Sentinel. It enables operators to
View the message stream sent to an OS 2200 logical console
Read and reply to the messages from the OS 2200 operating system and applications running on the OS 2200 partition
Share views of a console across multiple Operations Sentinel workstations
Console Resiliency
Dorado Series systems also support multiple Operations Servers. Each Operations Server can host any of the OS 2200 logical consoles; an OS 2200 logical console can only be hosted on one Operations Server at a time. Multiple Operations Servers provide hardware resiliency. In addition to hosting different OS 2200 logical consoles on different Operations Servers, Dorado Series systems can automatically rehost any logical console on a different Operations Server if the one it was running on fails. After the console is rehosted, each instance of OS 2200 Console View that was connected to the logical console automatically reestablishes a connection with the console. Also, placing the Operations Servers on different networks provides network resiliency.
Service Processor Firmware
For platform management, Dorado Series servers contain a master Service Processor. Your server might also have a standby Service Processor for added resiliency. Service Processors are PCs running the Windows operating system and the Service Processor firmware. The Service Processor Firmware passes OS 2200 console messages between the host partition and the logical console. It also processes requests to up and down consoles and assists in the recovery of logical consoles.