Test the Outposts server connection to AWS - AWS Outposts
Test the linksTest for DNS resolutionTest for access to the AWS Region

Test the Outposts server connection to AWS

Use the following procedures to test the connection between your server and AWS using the Outpost Configuration Tool. You don't need IAM credentials to test the connection. Your connection must resolve DNS to access the AWS Region.

Test the links

To test the links

  1. Plug the USB cable into your laptop first and then into the server.

  2. Use a serial terminal program, such as PuTTY or screen, to connect to the server. For more information, see Create a serial connection to the Outposts server.

  3. Press Enter to access the Outpost Configuration Tool command prompt. 

    Outpost>
    Note

    If you see a persistent red light inside the chassis of the server on the left-hand side after you power on and you can't connect to Outpost Configuration Tool, you might need to power down and drain the server to proceed. To drain the server, disconnect all network and power cables, wait five minutes, then power up and connect to the network again.

  4. Use describe-links to return information about the network links on the server. Outposts servers must have one service link and one local network interface (LNI) link.

    Outpost>describe-links
---
service_link_connected: True
local_link_connected: False
links:
-
  name: local_link
  connected: False
  mac: 00:00:00:00:00:00
-
  name: service_link
  connected: True
  mac: 0A:DC:FE:D7:8E:1F
checksum: 0x46FDC542

    If you get connected: False for either link, troubleshoot the network connection on the hardware.

  5. Use describe-ip to return the IP assignment status and configuration of the service link.

    Outpost>describe-ip
---
links:
-
  name: service_link
  configured: True
  ip: 192.168.0.0
  netmask: 255.255.0.0
  gateway: 192.168.1.1
  dns: [ "192.168.1.1" ]
  ntp: [ ]
checksum: 0x8411B47C

    The NTP value might be missing as NTP is optional in a DHCP option set. You should have no other missing values.

Test for DNS resolution

To test for DNS

  1. Plug the USB cable into your laptop first and then into the server.

  2. Use a serial terminal program, such as PuTTY or screen, to connect to the server. For more information, see Create a serial connection to the Outposts server.

  3. Press Enter to access the Outpost Configuration Tool command prompt. 

    Outpost>
    Note

    If you see a persistent red light inside the chassis of the server on the left-hand side after you power on and you can't connect to Outpost Configuration Tool, you might need to power down and drain the server to proceed. To drain the server, disconnect all network and power cables, wait five minutes, then power up and connect to the network again.

  4. Use export to enter the parent Region of the Outposts server as the value for AWS_DEFAULT_REGION.

    AWS_DEFAULT_REGION=Region

    Outpost>export AWS_DEFAULT_REGION=us-west-2

result: OK
checksum: 0xB2A945RE

    • Do not include a space before or after the equal (=) sign.

    • No environment values are saved. You must export AWS Region each time you run Outpost Configuration Tool.

    • If you are using a third party to install the server, you must provide the them with the parent Region.

  5. Use describe-resolve to determine if the Outposts server can reach a DNS resolver and resolve the IP address of the Outpost configuration endpoint in the Region. Requires at least one link with an IP configuration.

    Outpost>describe-resolve
---
dns_responding: True
dns_resolving: True
dns: [ "198.xx.xxx.xx", "198.xx.xxx.xx" ]
query: outposts.us-west-2.amazonaws.com
records: [ "18.xxx.xx.xxx", "44.xxx.xxx.xxx", "44.xxx.xxx.xxx" ]
checksum: 0xB6A961CE

Test for access to the AWS Region

To test access to AWS Regions

  1. Plug the USB cable into your laptop first and then into the server.

  2. Use a serial terminal program, such as PuTTY or screen, to connect to the server. For more information, see Create a serial connection to the Outposts server.

  3. Press Enter to access the Outpost Configuration Tool command prompt. 

    Outpost>
    Note

    If you see a persistent red light inside the chassis of the server on the left-hand side after you power on and you can't connect to Outpost Configuration Tool, you might need to power down and drain the server to proceed. To drain the server, disconnect all network and power cables, wait five minutes, then power up and connect to the network again.

  4. Use export to enter the parent Region of the Outposts server as the value for AWS_DEFAULT_REGION.

    AWS_DEFAULT_REGION=Region

    Outpost>export AWS_DEFAULT_REGION=us-west-2

result: OK
checksum: 0xB2A945RE

    • Do not include a space before or after the equal (=) sign.

    • No environment values are saved. You must export AWS Region each time you run Outpost Configuration Tool.

    • If you are using a third party to install the server, you must provide the them with the parent Region.

  5. Use describe-reachability to determine if the Outposts server can reach the Outpost configuration endpoint in the Region. Requires a working DNS configuration, which you can determine by using describe-resolve.

    Outpost>describe-reachability
---
is_reachable: True
src_ip: 10.0.0.0
dst_ip: 54.xx.x.xx
dst_port: xxx
checksum: 0xCB506615

    • is_reachable indicates the outcome of the test

    • src_ip is the IP address of the server

    • dst_ip is the IP address of the Outpost configuration endpoint in the Region

    • dst_port is the port the server used to connect to dst_ip