Here are some very useful commands for the Hardware Management Console (HMC): Show vital product data, such as the serial number:

# lshmc -v

Show the release of the HMC:

# lshmc -V

Show network information of the HMC:

# lshmc -n

Reboot the HMC:

# hmcshutdown -r -t now

Show the connected managed systems:

# lssysconn -r all

Change the password of user hscpe:

# chhmcusr -u hscpe -t passwd -v abc1234

List the users of the HMC:

# lshmcusr

These are intersting log files of the HMC:

# ls -al /var/hsc/log/hmclogger.log
# ls -al /var/hsc/log/cimserver.log

Monitor the disk space:

# monhmc -r disk

This can be used to view the file systems of the HMC. Try using "proc", "mem" and "swap as well. By default this command will loop forever and update the screen every 4 seconds. You can run it only once, with the following command:

# monhmc -r disk -n 0

Zero out log files:

# chhmcfs -o f -d 0

This will delete any temporary files. Extremely useful if the HMC calls home to IBM about high usage of one of its file systems. Open a virtual console from the HMC:

# vtmenu

Exit by typing "~." (tilde dot) or "~~." (tilde tilde dot). Force the closure of a virtual terminal session:

# rmvterm -m SYSTEM-9117-570-SN10XXXXX -p name

Change the state of a partition:

# chsysstate -m SYSTEM-9131-52A-SN10XXXXX -r lpar -o on -n name
-f default_profile
# chsysstate -m SYSTEM-9131-52A-SN10XXXXX -r lpar -o shutdown 
-n name --immed

To start all partitions of one managed server:

# chsysstate -m Prd2-Server-8233-E8B-SN0XXXXXX -r lpar -o on --all

List partition profiles for a managed system:

# lssyscfg -r prof -m SYSTEM-9117-570-SN10XXXXX

List partition information:

# lspartition

If you found this useful, here's more on the same topic(s) in our blog:

• Stopping and starting a LPAR from the HMC prompt
• Lpar tips
• Introduction to VIO
• Installing Linux websm client from HMC version 3.3.6
• Opening a virtual terminal window on HMC version 3.3.6