Console configuration with two different graphics devices?

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I have a Supermicro X11SPM-TF with an on-board Aspeed AST2500 BMC (which provides graphics via the VGA port) and a PNY NVIDIA Quadro P620. It is running up-to-date versions of Tumbleweed and Xen.

jrc@skylon:~> uname -a
Linux skylon 5.1.2-1-default #1 SMP Tue May 14 18:21:06 UTC 2019 (08094c3) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
jrc@skylon:~> rpm -q xen
xen-4.12.0_12-1.1.x86_64
jrc@skylon:~> cat /proc/fb
0 EFI VGA
1 astdrmfb
2 nouveaufb
jrc@skylon:~>

I would like to be able to boot with all console messages appearing on the display attached to the Quadro P620 (Note that as the AST2500 can be accessed remotely it is always available). UEFI and grub2 can output to both. I have tried adding “video=nouveaufb:1920x1200” to the boot line but that hasn’t had the desired effect.

Any pointers to guidance on console configuration with multiple graphics devices?

2

Although SuperMicro appears to call this an “Intelligent Management” device, this kind of device is more commonly called a “Lights Out” device.

You should read the specifi documentation for your device, but essentially, it’s a completely separate embedded computer with direct access to your main computer ssystem (running openSUSE). As such, the graphics and console you see when logged into your BMC runs completely separately and configured on its own and has nothing to do with what is running on your main system. And, to be able to provide emergency and alternative access, the two systems boot entirely independent of each other.

HTH,
TSU

3

No, there really are two graphics devices visible to the main system:

lspci | fgrep VGA

03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ASPEED Technology, Inc. ASPEED Graphics Family (rev 41)
65:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GP107GL [Quadro P620] (rev a1)

and there is a more fully featured driver for the Aspeed AST2500 on the way (https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=ASpeed-New-DRM-Linux-5.2).

You are right that there is an initial console display driven by the AST2500 that only appears on the on-board VGA port but both graphics devices are visible to UEFI and grub2 during booting. The system can run fine using the AST2500 as its only graphics device in Tumbleweed (or even Windows 10).

4

Is this confirmed by (either)

xrandr --listproviders
inxi -Gxx
5

Output when booted without Xen on the Aspeed AST2500 graphics device:

xrandr --listproviders

Providers: number : 2
Provider 0: id: 0xbd; cap: 0x0 (); crtcs: 1; outputs: 1; associated providers: 0; name: modesetting
output VGA-1
Provider 1: id: 0x47; cap: 0x2 (Sink Output); crtcs: 4; outputs: 4; associated providers: 0; name: modesetting
output 0x43
output 0x44
output 0x45
output 0x46

inxi -Gxx

Graphics: Device-1: ASPEED Graphics Family vendor: Super Micro driver: ast v: kernel bus ID: 03:00.0 chip ID: 1a03:2000
Device-2: NVIDIA GP107GL [Quadro P620] driver: nouveau v: kernel bus ID: 65:00.0 chip ID: 10de:1cb6
Display: server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa alternate: vboxvideo,vmware
compositor: kwin_x11 resolution: 1920x1200~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 7.0 256 bits) v: 3.3 Mesa 19.0.4 compat-v: 3.1 direct render: Yes

6

First,
I’m not sure that what you’re asking for can be guaranteed when your machine initially boots, since you’d have to guarantee your IPMI was fully functioning before it could start to monitor another machine, but should not only be possible but I’d assume automatically happen if you reboot the main system while the IPMI is still active.

I haven’t run your specific device, so I can’t speak for anything unique that might happen on your machine but can only say that on other Lights Out devices, I’ve always seen the main system stdout or a graphical console capable of reading the main system stdout when I’m logged into the Lights Out device.

I wouldn’t expect anything different using your IPMI device.

I don’t see any clues when I skim the IPMI User Manual, I’m going to guess that you may have to ask SuperMicro support (Forums or mailing list?) for what you’re describing… I don’t think what you’re asking for should be configured in openSUSE, it should be configured in the IPMI, possibly in hardware.

https://www.supermicro.com/manuals/other/IPMI_Users_Guide.pdf

IMO,
TSU