The BMC Management Utility is a collection of software applications that enable remote management and configuration of Dell™ systems equipped with a BMC. The BMC Management Utility includes the following components:
Command Line Interface (IPMI Shell and IPMItool)
Both IPMI Shell and IPMItool are scriptable console application programs used for the control and management of remote systems using the IPMI version 1.5 and later protocol. IPMI Shell supports both serial access and LAN access to the BMC. IPMItool supports only LAN access to the BMC.
The IPMI Shell can be used either in the generic CLI mode or the interactive mode. The interactive mode allows for a dedicated connection to a server and availability of all commands from the operating system CLI. Using the IPMI Shell in this mode improves usability and reduces time and traffic required for connecting and authenticating. The IPMItool can only be used in the CLI mode.
Both IPMI Shell and IPMItool allow administration of one or more managed systems from a command line shell, rather than a graphical user interface (GUI). Use the IPMI Shell or IPMItool to perform the following tasks:
System power management
System identifier control
Access to the event log
Access to the system sensors
Enable Serial-over-LAN for a remote managed system
Serial-Over-LAN Proxy (SOL Proxy)
The SOL Proxy is a telnet daemon that allows LAN-based administration of remote systems using the Serial Over LAN (SOL) and IPMI protocols. Any standard telnet client application, such as HyperTerminal on Microsoft® Windows® or telnet on Linux, can be used to access the daemon's features. SOL can be used either in the menu mode or command mode. The SOL protocol coupled with the remote system's BIOS console redirection allows administrators to remotely view and change a managed system's BIOS settings over a LAN. The Linux serial console and Microsoft's EMS/SAC interfaces can also be accessed over a LAN using SOL.
CAUTION: All versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system include Hilgraeve's HyperTerminal terminal emulation software. However, the included version does not provide many functions required during console redirection. Instead, you can use any terminal emulation software that supports VT100 or ANSI emulation mode. One example of a full VT100 or ANSI terminal emulator that supports console redirection on your system is Hilgraeve's HyperTerminal Private Edition 6.1 or later.
NOTE: See your system's User's Guide for more information about console redirection, including hardware and software requirements and instructions for configuring host and client systems to use console redirection.
NOTE: HyperTerminal and telnet settings must be consistent with the settings on the managed system. For example, the baud rates and terminal modes should match.
NOTE: The Windows "telnet" command that is run from a MS-DOS® prompt supports ANSI terminal emulation, and the BIOS needs to be set for ANSI emulation to display all the screens correctly.
Installing the BMC Management Utility
The BMC Management Utility is installed on a management station to remotely connect to the managed system's BMC. See Figure 3-1.
Installation Prerequisites
Before using the BMC Management Utility, you must perform at least the basic BIOS and BMC configuration tasks described in "Configuring Your Managed System."
In addition, to access the BMC using the IPMI serial feature, you must have a working connection between the management station and the correct serial I/O port of the managed system's BMC using a null modem cable.
Figure 3-1. Installing on a Management Station
Installation Procedures
The following installation procedures provide step-by-step instructions for installing and uninstalling the BMC Management Utility for each supported operating system:
Installing/uninstalling on systems running supported Windows operating systems
Installing/uninstalling on systems running supported Linux operating systems
Installing on Systems Running Supported Windows Operating Systems
To install the BMC Management Utility on a management station running the Windows operating system, perform the following steps:
Log in with administrator privileges to the system where you want to
install the systems management software components.
Exit any open application programs and disable any virus-scanning software.
Insert the Dell Systems Management Tools and Documentation DVD into
your system's DVD drive.
If the DVD does not automatically start the setup program, click the Start button, click Run, and then typex:\windows\setup.exe (where x is the drive letter of your DVD drive).
The Dell OpenManage™ Management Station Installation screen appears.
Click Install, Modify, Repair or Remove Management Station.
The Welcome to Install Wizard for Dell OpenManage Management Station screen appears.
Click Next.
A software license agreement appears.
Select I accept the terms in the license agreement,if you agree.
The Setup Type screen appears.
Select Custom Setupand click Next.
The Custom Setup screen appears.
From the drop-down menu, which appears on the left side of BMC
Console, select This feature, and all subfeatures will be installed on the
local hard drive.
To accept the default directory path, click Next. Otherwise, click Browse and navigate to the directory where you want to install your software, and then click Next.
The Ready to Install the Program screen appears.
Ensure that all information is correct and click Install.
The Installing Dell OpenManage Management Station screen appears and displays the status of the installation.
When installation is complete, the Install Wizard Completed screen
appears. Click Finish.
NOTE: Enable the virus scanning software after installation.
See the Dell OpenManage Installation and Security User's Guide for additional information about installing the BMC Management Utility on a management station.
By default, the installation program copies the files to the following directory: C:\Program Files\Dell\SysMgt\bmc.
The SOL Proxy service does not auto-start after installation. To start the SOL Proxy service after installation, you can reboot the system (SOL Proxy automatically starts on a reboot). To restart the SOL Proxy service on Windows systems, complete the following steps:
Right-click My Computer and click Manage. The Computer
Management window is displayed.
Click Services and Applications and then click Services. Available services
are displayed to the right.
Locate DSM_BMU_SOLProxy in the list of services and right-click to
start the service.
Uninstalling on Systems Running Supported Windows Operating Systems
To uninstall the BMC Management Utility, use the Add/Remove Programs utility in the Control Panel.
Installing on Systems Running Supported Linux Enterprise Operating Systems
To install the BMC Management Utility on a management station running the Linux operating system:
Log in as root to the system where you want to install the management
station components.
If required, mount the appropriate media supplied by Dell using the
command: mount /mnt/cdrom
Install the BMC Management Utility with the following command for
SUSE Linux Enterprise server: rpm -ivh /linux/bmc/osabmcutil9g-SUSE*.rpm
or for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, use the following command:
rpm -ivh /linux/bmc/osabmcutil9g-RHEL*.rpm
By default, the installation program copies the files to the following locations:
/etc/init.d/SOLPROXY.cfg
/etc/SOLPROXY.cfg
/usr/sbin/dsm_bmu_solproxy32d
/usr/sbin/solconfig
/usr/sbin/ipmish
The SOL Proxy will start automatically during system startup. Alternatively, you can go to directory /etc/init.d and use the following commands to manage the SOL Proxy service:
solproxy status
dsm_bmu_solproxy32d start
dsm_bmu_solproxy32d stop
solproxy restart
Uninstalling on Systems Running Supported Linux Enterprise Operating Systems
To uninstall the BMC Management Utility, perform the following steps:
Log in as root.
Enter either of the following commands to remove all the installed
packages from SUSE Linux Enterprise Server or Red Hat® Enterprise
Linux®.
rpm -e osabmcutil9g-SUSE*
rpm -e osabmcutil9g-RHEL*
If the BMC Management Utility has been uninstalled, you will receive a success message.
IPMI Shell
IPMI Shell is a CLI console application and has no GUI. Its commands and options are specified using command line arguments only.
IPMI Shell supports out-of-band (OOB) access (over a LAN or through the serial port) to a single system at a time, however, multiple IPMI Shell sessions can run simultaneously on the same managed system. See Figure 3-2.
IPMI Shell allows a user with user-level BMC privileges to:
Display the current power status.
Display the 16-byte system GUID of the managed system.
Display information from the system's field replaceable unit (FRU).
Display the BMC firmware information.
Display summary information about the event log.
Display logged events.
Display current status of platform sensors.
Enable or disable SOL.
In addition to the operations that can be performed by a user with user-level BMC user privileges, IPMI Shell allows a user with operator-level and administrator-level BMC user privileges to:
Power on, reset, or power cycle a managed system.
Simulate a hard power off on a managed system (forcing the system to turn off without shutting down the operating system).
Clear the system event log (SEL).
Turn the blinking system identification LED on or off.
To facilitate command scripting, upon successful execution, IPMI Shell terminates with an exit code of zero, and will output the execution results in a parsable format. If an error is encountered, the program exits with a non-zero error code and outputs the error in a parsable format. See "BMC Management Utility Error Codes" for a complete list of possible BMC Management Utility error codes.
Figure 3-2. IPMI Shell Diagram
Using IPMI Shell
To use IPMI Shell, perform the following steps:
On systems running a supported Microsoft Windows operating system:
Start a Command Prompt window.
Locate the ipmish.exe file. By default, ipmish.exe is located in the
directory: C:\Program Files\Dell\SysMgt\bmc.
Enter IPMI Shell commands (see "IPMI Shell Command Syntax") to
manage the remote system. See "IPMI Shell Commands" for a complete
list of valid options, commands, subcommands, and arguments.
On systems running a supported Linux operating system:
Start an operating system (OS) shell.
Enter IPMI Shell commands (see "IPMI Shell Command Syntax") to
manage the remote system. See "IPMI Shell Commands" for a complete
list of valid options, commands, subcommands, and arguments.
NOTE: The IPMI Shell will be located in /usr/sbin.
IPMI Shell Command Syntax
The general syntax of IPMI Shell CLI commands is as follows:
command [subcommand] [command option and argument] ...
Both global options and command-specific options are always in the following form:
-option argument
For example:
-help
-max 20
-u John
Arguments with embedded tabs or spaces must be enclosed in matching double quotation marks ("). For example:
-user "John Smith"
Every command has one default action. The default action is typically, but not always, the equivalent of reading and displaying the current setting or status for the command.
This option is used to establish a connection to a remote managed system using the LAN channel. The IP port specified in installation (default value is 623) is used unless another port has been configured.
NOTE: This global option cannot be used independently to connect to the BMC. One or more IPMISH commands must follow the option.
Options
-ip bmc_ip_address | bmc_hostname
Specifies the IP address or hostname of the remote managed system.
-u username
Specifies the BMC username.
-p password
Specifies the BMC user password.
-k KG value
Specifies the KG value in Hex format. The IPMI encryption key is a public key used to generate an encryption key for use between firmware and application. It is differentiated from a password, which is not public and is used to access the firmware. The maximum value is 20 ASCII hex pairs with no spaces between the pairs.
NOTE: Even number of hexadecimal characters is valid and odd number of hexadecimal characters is invalid. For example, 123456AB67 is valid, and 123 is invalid. Enter 00, 0000, etc. to disable encryption.
NOTE: The IPMI encryption key is available only on Dell x9xx,xx0x and xx1x systems.
The following attributes should be configured for IPMISH over serial to function correctly.
NOTE: These options can be configured in BIOS Setup, as well as using Dell OpenManage tools. Log on to Server Administrator and navigate to BIOS Setup.
"External Serial Connector" must be configured and set to "Remote Access" for PowerEdge™ x9xx, xx0x, and xx1x systems. This option is available in the "Serial Communication" submenu in BIOS setup.
Disable the "RAC serial Console" if you have a DRAC 5 card installed. Log on to the DRAC GUI, navigate to Serial and deselect the "Enable Serial console" checkbox.
Set "Serial port 1" to "BMC Serial" for PowerEdge x8xx systems. This option is available under the Integrated Devices menu in BIOS Setup.
The Serial communication connection mode for the BMC must be set to "Direct Connect Basic Mode" for all systems. This can be configured using Server Administrator. Log on to Server Administrator and navigate to Serial Port.
Description
This option establishes a connection to a remote managed system using the serial channel.
NOTE: This global option cannot be used independently to connect to the BMC. One or more IPMISH commands must follow the option.
Options
-com serial_port
Specifies the serial port used when establishing an IPMI session to the managed system.For a system running Windows, the management station port can be 1, 2, 3, and so on. For systems running Linux, the management station port can be ttyS0, ttyS1, ttyS2, and so on.
-baud baud_rate
Specifies the communication baud rate over the serial channel. The maximum reliably supported baud rates are:
19200 for PowerEdge x8xx systems
57600 for PowerEdge x9xx and xx0x systems without Dell Remote Access Controller 5 (DRAC 5)
115200 for PowerEdge x9xx and xx0x systems with DRAC 5
115200 for PowerEdge xx1x systems
NOTE: The baud rate for serial channel should match the baud rate set in the managed system.
-flow flow_control
Specifies the data flow control method. There are two flow control options: cts (hardware flow control) and none (no flow control).
-u username
Specifies the BMC username.
-p password
Specifies the BMC user password.
IPMI Help Option -help
Synopsis
ipmish -help [command]
Description
This option displays the following information:
A summary page for all commands
A summary of all subcommands for a single command
A detailed description of a command-subcommand combination
Options
-help subcommand
A command list and a capsule description of options are printed if no argument is given. When there is an argument specifying a valid command, the help option displays a detailed description of the command. See Figure 3-7 and Figure 3-4.
Figure 3-3. IPMI Help Option Example 1
Figure 3-4. IPMISH Help option Example 2
IPMI Session Option -interactive
Synopsis
ipmish -interactive [-cfg <config-file>]
Description
This option invokes the interactive CLI mode. An IPMISH prompt appears when entering interactive CLI mode. Type quit to exit the IPMISH prompt and return to the CLI prompt.
NOTE: The command prompt responds with an error message in the interactive mode, if a commandis used before establishing an IPMI session with connect.
Options
-interactive
Invokes the interactive CLI mode.
-cfg <config-file>
Specifies the configuration file for BMU to start the CLI mode with. If a configuration file is not specified, BMU operates with default configuration settings.
NOTE: The -interactive option must be followed by connect for ipmish to work.
The following line edit functions are supported during the interactive session:
Up and Down arrow keys to browse command history.
Left and Right arrow keys to move the input cursor.
Home and End keys to move the input cursor to the beginning or end of
the line.
Backspace key to move the input cursor back by one space.
The following line edit functions are supported for the SOL proxy menu mode:
Left and Right arrow key to move the input cursor.
Home and End keys to move the input cursor to the beginning or end of
the line.
Backspace key to move the input cursor back by one space.
IPMI Shell Commands
Table 3-1 lists IPMI Shell commands with a brief description.
NOTE: The sol, sensor, and connect commands can be used in the IPMI Shell interactive and non-interactive modes and the quit command can be used only in the interactive mode.
Table 3-1.
IPMI Shell Commands
Command
Description
identify
Controls the identification LED on the front panel.
sysinfo
Retrieves and displays managed system information.
power
Controls the power state of the managed system.
sel
Displays or deletes information from the SEL.
sol
Enables Serial-over-LAN for the remote managed system.
sensor
Displays current status of platform sensors.
LCD
Displays information on and helps configure the LCD panel in Dell x9xx,
xx0x, and xx1x systems.
powermonitor
Displays information on and helps manage your system's power.
connect
Connects to the BMC of the remote managed system.
help
displays a command list with descriptions and syntax of options.
quit
exits the command prompt.
identify
Synopsis
identify [on [-tseconds] | off]
Description
This command controls the identification LED on the front panel. See Figure 3-6.
Subcommands
on
off
Turns the managed system's front panel LED on or off. If the BMC supports the IPMI extension Chassis Identify On command, then the identify on command turns the LED on indefinitely until the identify off command is used to turn the LED off.
NOTE: Acknowledgement or status check of the command is not displayed on the command prompt. You should manually check the status on the system.
Options
-t seconds
Specifies how long the LED is on. It should be no longer than 255 seconds.
Default Subcommand
If a subcommand is not specified, this command acts the same as the identify on command.
Figure 3-6. identify Option Example
sysinfo
Synopsis
sysinfo [fru | id]
Description
This command retrieves and displays the system information, including field replaceable unit (FRU) and BMC information for the managed system. See Figure 3-7 and Figure 3-8.
Subcommands
fru — Returns FRU related information
id — Returns BMC related information
Default Subcommand
If a subcommand is not specified, this command acts the same as sysinfo id. See Figure 3-7.
Figure 3-7. sysinfo Option Example
Figure 3-8. sysinfo FRU Example
power
Synopsis
powerstatus
poweroff[-force] | on | cycle | reset
Description
This command displays the current power status of the managed system, turns the system on or off, or resets the system. See Figure 3-9.
Subcommands
status — Displays the current power status of the system, the returned value is on or off.
on — Turns on the managed system.
off — Issues a "graceful shutdown" IPMI command.
NOTE: This reboot feature mimics restarting the system using the server's power button. A graceful shutdown of the server operating system may not be possible when the server software stops responding, or if the local security policy of the operating system does not allow a graceful shutdown. In these cases, specify a forced reboot instead of graceful reboot of Windows.
cycle — Turns off the system, pauses, then turns the system back on.
reset — Pulses the system reset signal, regardless of the power state.
Options
-force
This option simulates pressing and holding the power button for four or more seconds.
Default Subcommand
If a subcommand is not specified, this command functions the same as power status.
This command displays the system event log information, displays the contents of the event log, and deletes all the event log records. See Figure 3-10.
Subcommands
status — Displays the total number of system event log records.
get — Prints all or part of the event log.
clear — Deletes all the records in the event log.
Options
-begin index1
Specifies the first record to display.
-end index2
Specifies the last record to display.
-max count
Specifies the maximum number of records to display.
If the value of the argument count is bigger than the total number of the records, the last record displayed will be the last one in the event log.
-last n
Specifies the number of records to be displayed, starting from the last record and counting backwards.
Default Subcommand
If a subcommand is not specified, this command acts the same as sel status.
Display Format
System event log records are displayed using either a tabular format (legacy) or a vertical format (oemlist) consistent with the SEL log output found in other Dell OpenManage products. The default is the oemlist format. The column headers for the legacy format are: Ordinal Number, Date, Time, Sensor Number, Sensor Type, and Brief Description. See Figure 3-10 for an example of oemlist and legacy formatted SEL display.
This command allows you to configure sol session parameters of a remote BMC.
NOTE: The command prompt responds with an error message if a commandis used before establishing an IPMI session with connect.
Subcommands
enable — Allows you to enable SOL of connected server.
disable — Allows you to disable SOL of connected server.
config — Allows you to configure SOL baud rate and privilege level.
Options
-baud baud_rate
Specifies the communication baud rate over the serial channel, such as 9600 or 19200. It should be in conformity with the SOL baud rate of the managed server.
-priv privilege_level
Specifies minimum privilege levels required to establish an SOL session. Possible values are User, Operator, and Administrator.
-retry count retry_count
Specifies number of times the BMC will retry sending SOL packages if no acknowledgement is received. The maximum and minimum values are 7 and 0, respectively.
-retry interval retry_interval
Specifies the retry time interval that the BMC will wait before resending SOL packets to the remote console. It is specified in 10 ms increments. For example, if you set 100 as the value, the BMC will wait 1000 ms before retrying to send SOL packages to the remote console. If you specify zero as the value, the BMC will retry sending instantly, without any time intervals.
This command displays the current status of platform sensors using one of the two possible formats.
OPTIONS
[temp|fan|volt|discrete|numeric]
Specifies the sensor group (temp, volt, fan, discrete, or numeric) for which information is displayed. If you do not specify a sensor group, all sensors for which there is information will be displayed.
-format <oemlist|legacy>
Use different formats to output the sensor data. Default format is oemlist. Legacy format is displayed as below:
Sensor Name | Sensor Type | Sensor # | Status [| Value | Units ]
Subcommands
[temp | fan | volt | discrete | numeric]
Specifies the sensor group for which information is displayed. If no sensor group is specified, information is displayed for all groups.
This command establishes an IPMI connection with the remote server in the interactive mode to enable the user to perform server management activities. The command remains active until the user quits the command prompt or uses the command again to connect to a different server.
Options
-ip bmc-ip-address|bmc_hostname
Specifies the out-of-band IP address or hostname of the remote managed system.
-u username
Specifies the username to connect to the remote system.
-p password
Specifies the password to be used to connect to the remote managed system.
-k IPMI encryption key value
Specifies the KG value in Hex format. The IPMI encryption key is a public key used to generate an encryption key for use between firmware and application. It is differentiated from a password, which is not public and is used to access the firmware. The maximum value is 20 ASCII hex pairs with no spaces between the pairs.
NOTE: Even number of hexadecimal characters is valid and odd number of hexadecimal characters is invalid. For example, 123456AB67 is valid, and 123 is invalid. Enter 00, 0000, etc. to disable encryption.
Figure 3-13. IPMISH connect option
LCD
Synopsis
LCDinfo
Description
This command displays the status of the LCD display on a x9xx, xx0x, or xx1x system. You can also configure the LCD display using this command.
Subcommands
info — Displays information about the LCD display.
set — Sets LCD display to either none, default, other. Choose other to set a string of your choice.
none — Turns the LCD display off.
default — Sets the default display on the LCD.
Default Subcommand
If a subcommand is not specified, this command functions the same as LCD info.
powermonitor
Synopsis
powermonitorstatus
Description
This command displays the current power status of the managed system.
Subcommands
status — Displays the current power status of the system. The returned values denote energy consumption, peak power (in Watts), and peak amperage.
clear peakpower — Deletes the peak power value.
clear cumulativepower — Deletes the cumulative power values.
Default Subcommand
If a subcommand is not specified, this command functions the same as power status.
quit
Synopsis
quit
Description
This command exits the IPMI Shell interactive mode and returns to the command mode.
help
Synopsis
help [command]
Description
This command lists commands and capsule descriptions with syntax for each command.
Argument
command
Specifies the command for which detailed description is required.
Figure 3-14. IPMISH help option
SOL Proxy
SOL Proxy is a simple telnet server. It allows a telnet client to interact with the hardware-designated serial port of a remote managed system using the LAN communication channel. See Figure 3-15. With SOL Proxy, administrators can view and change the BIOS settings over a shared LAN. In addition, you can also access your managed system's BMC using SOL Proxy using the Linux serial console and Microsoft's EMS/SAC interfaces. SOL Proxy does not support in-band or serial connection to the managed system's BMC.
When BIOS console redirection to serial port is enabled on the remote managed system, any application that uses the BIOS to read from or write to the system console will have its I/O redirected to the designated serial I/O port. When SOL is activated, the BMC firmware reads any data written to the serial port and transmits it to the SOL Proxy as LAN packets. SOL Proxy then forwards the data to the telnet client as TCP/IP packets.
Conversely, any keyboard activity at the telnet client is sent to the BMC by SOL Proxy. BMC then writes the packets to the system serial I/O port.
NOTE: See your system's User's Guide for more information about console redirection, including hardware and software requirements and instructions for configuring host and client systems to use console redirection.
The SOL Proxy communication scheme enables you to view and configure the BIOS settings of a managed system, as well as to reset the managed system remotely using a telnet client. SOL Proxy is installed as a daemon service and automatically starts each time the system boots. SOL Proxy can accommodate only one telnet session at a time.
You can use a variety of telnet clients to access SOL Proxy features. For example:
In a Windows environment, you can use a Command Prompt window as your console. However, function keys such as <F1> and <F2> will not operate correctly with this client except on systems running Windows Server 2003.
In a Windows environment, you can also use any telnet application that supports VT100 or ANSI emulation mode (such as HyperTerminal) as your console.
CAUTION: All versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system include Hilgraeve's HyperTerminal terminal emulation software. However, the included version does not provide many functions required during console redirection. Instead, you can use any terminal emulation software that supports VT100 or ANSI emulation mode. One example of a full VT100 or ANSI terminal emulator that supports console redirection on your system is Hilgraeve's HyperTerminal Private Edition 6.1 or later.
CAUTION: SOL Proxy supports only local user login and not Active Directory® login. Authentication errors will result in case of Active Directory logins.
NOTE: When using HyperTerminal, you must deselect the Wrap lines that exceed terminal width check box to avoid console redirected data that may appear to be corrupted or garbled. To deselect this feature, click File®Properties®Settings®ASCII Setup...®Wrap lines that exceed terminal width.
NOTE: See your system's User's Guide for more information about console redirection, including hardware and software requirements and instructions for configuring host and client systems to use console redirection.
In a Linux environment, you can use a shell such as csh or ksh as your console, or you can use any telnet application supporting VT100 or ANSI emulation mode.
NOTE: Telnet settings must be consistent with the settings on the managed system. For example, the baud rates and terminal modes should match.
You can also send the terminal break function while in console redirection. The use of this functionality requires that the specific terminal program in use has the ability to send the break function. For example, you can send the break signal through the Linux telnet modules by typing:
Ctrl+]send brk<Enter>
The Linux SysRq function is one example of an advanced debugging feature that is enabled by use of the break function. See the "BIOS Configuration" section on how to use this feature. See the "Serial Console redirection With SOL Proxy" section for more information on the SysRq feature.
To enable BIOS console redirection for use with SOLProxy:
Configure the Console redirection attribute to On with Console Redirection via COM2 for Dell x9xx and
xx0x. For xx1x systems, configure the Serial Communication attribute to On with Console Redirection via COM2. This option is available under the Serial Communication submenu in BIOS setup.
Configure the Console Redirection attribute to Serial Port1 for PowerEdge x8xx systems. This option is available under the Console Redirection menu in BIOS Setup. Set Serial Port 1 to BMC NIC. This option is available under the Integrated Devices menu in BIOS Setup.
Using SOL Proxy
Depending on the console you use, there are different steps for accessing SOL Proxy. Throughout this section, the management station where the SOL Proxy is running is referred to as the SOL Proxy Server.
Initiating the SOL Proxy session using the Windows Command Prompt:
To connect and use SOL Proxy:
Open a Command Prompt window on your management station.
Enter the telnet command in the command-line and provide the
IP address of the SOL Proxy server and the port number that you specified
in the SOL Proxy installation (the default value is 623). For example:
telnet 192.168.1.24 623
NOTE: The IP address and port number you provide should conform to the ones defined in the SOL Proxy configuration file. For more details, see "Configuring the SOL Proxy Configuration File."
If you are prompted for a username, provide the operating system login
credentials of the system running the service: DSM_BMU_SOL_Proxy.
Provide a password when prompted. SOL Proxy will use this combination
of operating system username and password to authenticate you on the
SOL Proxy Server. The specific authentication scheme will depend on the
operating system configuration for the SOL Proxy Server. However,
if localhost or an IP address of 127.0.0.1 is used, it is assumed that the user
has login privileges to the current host, and is not prompted for a
username and password.
After authentication, a login successful message and the SOL Proxy main
menu prompt appear. You are ready to use SOL Proxy. By default, you will
be logged in the menu mode. See "SOL Proxy Main Menu" for further
instructions.
The following line edit functions are supported during the SOLProxy session:
Up- and down-arrow keys to browse command history.
Left- and right-arrow keys to move the input cursor.
Using a Linux Shell
To connect and use SOL Proxy:
Open a Linux shell on your management station.
Enter the telnet command and provide the IP address of the SOL Proxy
Server and the port number you specified in SOL Proxy installation. For
example:
telnet 192.168.1.24 623
NOTE: The IP address and port number you provide should conform to the ones defined in the SOL Proxy configuration file. For more details, see "Configuring the SOL Proxy Configuration File."
If you are prompted for a username, provide the operating system login
credentials of SOL Proxy Server.
Provide a password when prompted. SOL Proxy will use this combination
of operating system username and password to authenticate you on the
SOL Proxy Server. The specific authentication scheme will depend on the
operating system configuration for the SOL Proxy Server. However, if
localhost or an IP address of 127.0.0.1 is used, it is assumed that the user
has login privileges to the current host, and is not prompted for a
username and password.
After authentication, a login successful message and the SOL Proxy main
menu prompt appear. You are ready to use SOL Proxy. See "SOL Proxy
Main Menu" for further instructions.
SOL Proxy Main Menu
After the telnet connection with SOL Proxy is successfully established, you are presented with the following choices. See Figure 3-15.
Figure 3-15.
SOL Proxy Main Menu Example
The SOL Proxy main menu allows you to change the SOL settings of a remote managed system's BMC, reboot the remote BMC, or activate console redirection.
When you select menu option 1, Connect to the Remote Server's BMC, you are prompted for the BMC IP address and BMC login. After you enter the required information and make a successful connection, the internal state SLP is changed to "connected." If you select menu options 2, 3, or 4, and the application state is not "connected," you are prompted to connect to a BMC.
Menu option 2 allows you to enable, disable, and configure the SOL defaults, including the minimum user privilege level required for activating SOL and the communication baud-rate.
Menu options 3 and 4 allow you to establish a SOL remote console session through the SOL Proxy main menu. Menu option 3 establishes a SOL session without changing the remote system's state. This option is ideal for connecting to the Microsoft SAC/EMS or the Linux console. Menu option 4 reboots the remote managed system and establishes a SOL session. This option is best suited for performing BIOS setup and system configuration tasks.
To exit an active SOL session, use the <~><.> character sequence. This sequence terminates SOL and returns you to the top-level menu.
Connecting to the Remote Managed System's BMC
NOTE: While multiple SOL sessions can be active at the same time, only one console redirection session can be active at any given time for a managed system.
Select option 1 in the main menu.
Enter the BMC IP address of the remote managed system.
Provide the BMC username and password for the BMC on the managed
system. The BMC username and password must be assigned and stored in
the BMC non-volatile storage. See "Configuring Your Managed System"
for more information about configuring BMC users. Only one SOL session
with one BMC is permitted at one time.
The connection status displays on the main menu. See Figure 3-16.
Provide the IPMI encryption key if it was configured in the BMC.
Figure 3-16. Connecting to the Remote System's BMC
Configuring the SOL for the Remote Managed System
Select option 2 in the main menu.
NOTE: You must be connected to the managed system's BMC before you can configure the SOL features. If SOL Proxy is not yet connected to the managed system's BMC, you are prompted for an IP address, a username/password combination, and an IPMI encryption key. The IPMI encryption key value will be ignored if no key was set at the BMC on the target server. See "Connecting to the Remote Managed System's BMC" for more information.
The SOL configuration menu appears. According to the current SOL status, the content of the SOL configuration menu varies:
If SOL is already enabled, the current settings are displayed and you are presented with three choices. See Figure 3-17.
Figure 3-17. Configuring the Serial-Over-LAN for the Remote System, Example 1
If SOL is currently disabled, the options shown in Figure 3-18 are displayed. Type Y to enable SOL or N to keep SOL disabled. See Figure 3-18.
Figure 3-18. Configuring the Serial-Over-LAN for the Remote System, Example 2
If SOL is enabled, two BMC settings are displayed:
The communication baud-rate between the system serial port and the BMC
The minimum BMC user privilege level required for activating console redirection
SOL Proxy displays a list of valid values for each feature, as well as the current value of the feature enclosed in a pair of brackets. Select the number before a value to set it as the new setting, and press <Enter> to confirm your changes. The new SOL settings are then displayed. See Figure 3-19.
Figure 3-19. SOL Settings, Example 3
Activating Console Redirection
Select option 3 in the main menu.
NOTE: You must be connected to the managed system's BMC before you can configure the SOL features. If SOL Proxy is not yet connected to the managed system's BMC, you are prompted for an IP address and a username/password combination. See "Connecting to the Remote Managed System's BMC" for more information.
The remote managed system's text console is redirected to your management station. See Figure 3-20.
NOTE: BIOS Console Redirection must be enabled on the managed system and correctly configured before SOL can be successfully activated. See "Configuring Your Managed System" for more information.
Figure 3-20. Console Redirection Example
Rebooting the Managed System and Activating Console Redirection
Select option 4 in the main menu.
NOTE: You must be connected to the managed system's BMC before you can configure the SOL features. If SOL Proxy is not yet connected to the managed system's BMC, you are prompted for an IP address, a username/password combination, and an IPMI encryption key. The IPMI encryption key value will be ignored if no key was set at the BMC on the target server. See "Connecting to the Remote Managed System's BMC" for more information.
The power state of the remote managed system is confirmed. If power is on, you are prompted to decide between a graceful or forceful shutdown.
NOTE: This reboot feature mimics restarting the system using the server's power button. A graceful shutdown of the server operating system may not be possible when the server software stops responding, or if the local security policy of the operating system does not allow a graceful shutdown. In these cases, specify a forced reboot instead of graceful reboot of Windows.
Next, the power state is monitored until the status changes to on. Console redirection begins, and the remote managed system text console is redirected to your management station. Use the escape character sequence <~><.> to terminate console redirection and return to the top-level menu.
While the managed system reboots, you can enter the BIOS system setup program to view or configure BIOS settings. See Figure 3-21.
NOTE: Before activating the console redirection, you must first enable the console redirection features. See "Configuring Your Managed System" for more information.
Figure 3-21. Reboot Example
Getting Help
Select option 5 in the main menu to display detailed descriptions for each option. See Figure 3-22.
Figure 3-22. Sample Help Screen
Exit
Select option 6 to end your telnet session and disconnect from SOL Proxy.
Using SOL proxy in command mode
By default, SOL Proxy is installed for use in the menu mode by the system. See "Configuring the SOL Proxy Configuration File" section for instructions on how to change the default settings to command mode.
Commands in SOL Proxy
SOL Proxy command mode is similar to the IPMI Shell interactive mode. In addition to supporting all commands of the IPMI Shell interactive mode, the SOL Proxy supports the following additional commands.
console
Synopsis
console
Description
This command allows users to establish an SOL session with the connected server.
NOTE: BMU responds with an error message if console is used before establishing an IPMI session with connect.
reboot
Synopsis
reboot[-force]
Description
This command allows you to control power configurations and establish an SOL session in one atomic operation. It is equivalent to executing the menu command of "Reboot and Activate Console Redirection".
Options
-force
This option is used to force the system to shut down. If this option is omitted, the "reboot" command is executed using a graceful shutdown.
Figure 3-23. reboot Option Example
Configuring the SOL Proxy Configuration File
Certain parameters, for IPMI Shell and SOL Proxy, must be correctly configured in the SOL Proxy Configuration file, - SOLProxy.cfg, which is located in the default installation BMC directory.
The parameters and their descriptions are as follows:
Comments
Any line starting with a "#" is treated as a comment. For example:
#The file is an example.
IP Address
Specifies the specific IP address used to connect to SOL Proxy. This item defines what kind of connection can be accepted to establish a SOL Proxy telnet session. There are three possible values:
INADDR_ANY — SOL proxy listens for input on any interface on the server.
127.0.0.1 — SOL proxy listens for input on the localhost only.
IP address — SOL proxy listens for input on this IP address only.
For example:
ip=INADDR_ANY
Port Binding
Specifies the port at which the SOL Proxy listens for incoming connections. By default, the port is set to 623 and can be modified by the user.
This item defines the port when you telnet SOL Proxy. If this item is absent, 623 is set as the default port. For example:
port=623
Session Timeout
Specifies the time in minutes before the SOL Proxy session times out.
If there is no keyboard activity for the specified timeout period, the telnet session and the SOL session will be closed. The timeout value is specified in minutes and can be changed during SOL Proxy installation. For example:
session_timeout=30
Power-off Timeout
Specifies the time in seconds before the SOL Proxy gives up polling for the managed system's power status. If the SOL Proxy issues the power off command and the system does not power off within the specified interval, the SOL Proxy returns with a message, indicating that the SOL Proxy was unable to power off the system due to the timeout interval.
NOTE: When Reboot and Activate Console Redirection is selected and power for the remote managed system is on, a power off IPMI command is issued. The power status is then continually monitored until the power status reports "off." If power status remains "on" longer than this timeout period, Reboot and Activate Console Redirection reports an error and returns to the top-level menu. This timeout value is specified in seconds and can be changed during SOL Proxy installation.
For example:
power_off_timeout=60
Retry Interval
Specifies the period of time in seconds that the BMC waits before it tries to resend a packet. The retry_interval unit is half a second. Therefore, a value of 2 means that the software waits one second for the BMC to respond before it tries to resend the packet, a value of 4 means that it waits two seconds, and so on. For example:
retry_interval=2
Retry Count
Specifies the maximum number of times that the software tries to resend a packet if it does not receive a response from the BMC. Before each retry, the software waits for the interval specified by the retry_interval parameter. For example:
retry_count=10
User Interface
Specifies the default settings for SOL Proxy startup. The user can edit and set this comment in the command or menu mode. For example:
user_interface=menu
Sol Loss Silent
Specifies system behavior when one or more SOL packets are lost. The possible values are 0 and 1. If it is set to 0 or is absent, the system will print an error message on the screen each time an SOL packet is lost. If it is set to 1, the system will not print error messages for loss of SOL packets. For example:
sol_loss_silent=0 or 1
Sol Loss Threshold
Specifies number of SOL packets that can be lost before SOL deactivation. The default value is 0, which means that the system will deactivate SOL, if any SOL packets are lost. For example:
sol_loss_silent_threshold=0
Sdr Cache
Specifies whether the system probe information is saved. This information enhances speed of providing sensor and System Event Log (SEL) data. The possible values are on and off. Default value is on. For example:
sdr_cache=on
Sdrcache Path
Specifies path where the system probe information is saved. Default location is the installed BMC directory on your hard drive. For example,
sdrcache_path=<specified path directory>
Max Session
Specifies the maximum number of concurrent SOL sessions possible. This default value is 1; any value less than 1 will be ignored or treated as 1. You cannot set more than 20 sessions. For example:
max_session=2
Logpath
Specifies the path for storing the log files. Two log files, solproxy.log and solproxyipmi.log, are created at the specified path. For example,
logpath=<specified location for log file>
debug
Specifies if the debug data will be logged. The default is off.
debug=off
IPMItool
IPMItool is a CLI utility that helps in configuring and managing devices using the IPMI version 1.5 and later protocol. IPMItool supports out-of-band (OOB) access (over a LAN) to a single system at a time. However, multiple IPMItool sessions can run simultaneously on the same managed system.
IPMItool allows a user with user-level BMC privileges to:
Display the current power status.
Display the 16-byte system GUID of the managed system.
Display information from the system's FRU.
Display the BMC firmware information.
Display summary information about the system event log.
Display logged events.
Display current status of platform sensors.
Enable or disable SOL.
NOTE: See the IPMItool man page available on the World Wide Web for a comprehensive list of features.
NOTE: While running ipmitool inband on Linux, if the OpenIPMI driver is not running by default, it may cause commands to fail. To start the OpenIPMI drivers, use the command service ipmi start. To set the system to start the driver automatically during boot, use chkconfig ipmi on.
In addition to the operations that can be performed by a user with user-level BMC user privileges, IPMItool allows a user with operator-level and administrator-level BMC user privileges to:
Power on, reset, or power cycle a managed system.
Simulate a hard power off on a managed system (forcing the system to turn off without shutting down the operating system).
Clear the system event log (SEL).
Turn the blinking system identification LED on or off.
To facilitate command scripting, upon successful execution, IPMItool terminates with an exit code of zero, and will output the execution results in a parsable format. If an error is encountered, the program exits with a non-zero error code and outputs the error in a parsable format. See "BMC Management Utility Error Codes" for a complete list of possible BMC Management Utility error codes.
The complete list of commands listed under delloem in Table 3-2 are supported by the IPMItool.
delloem
The delloem commands provide information on Dell-specific features.
Table 3-2 lists the delloem subcommands with a brief description.
Table 3-2. delloem Subcommands
Command
Description
lcd
Displays information on and helps configure the LCD panel in Dell
x9xx, xx0x, and
xx1x systems.
powermonitor
Displays power tracking statistics information.
sysinfo
Displays information about your system.
sel
Displays the system event log information.
sensor
Displays information on and helps manage your system's sensors
Options for LCD
lcd set {mode}|{lcdquallifier}|{errordisplay}
lcd set mode: Allows you to set the LCD mode and user defined string.
NOTE: The kgkey (-k option in lanplus) is a string of 20 ASCII characters. This feature is enhanced for
xx1x systems to support the kgkey in hex. The option is –x followed by a 40 character hex value. For the lanplus interface to work, ensure that this kgkey is the same as what is set on the
xx1x system. Except for the default value, the 40 character hex kgkey should start with a non–zero value. If you enter a value less than 40 characters or any non-hex values, an error message displays.
lcd set lcdquallifier: Allows you to set the unit for the system Watt and ambient temperature modes.
If you do not specify a subcommand, this command is equivalent to the LCD info command.
Options for powermonitor
status: Displays the current power status of the system. The returned values denote energy consumption, peak power (in Watts), and peak amperage (in Amperes).
clear peakpower:Resets the peak power value.
clear cumulativepower: Resets the cumulative power values.
powersupplyrating:Gets the power rating for all the power supplies attached in rated Watts.
powerconsumption: Displays the warning threshold, failure threshold, system instantaneous headroom, and system peak headroom in Watts or BTU/hr and the instantaneous current consumption in Amperes.
The system peak headroom is applicable on systems with PMBus support. The peak headroom is reported in BTU/hr or Watt. Peak Headroom (in Watts) = Input Wattage to Power Supply–Peak Power drawn by the system. For redundant power supplies, the minimum input wattage between the two power supplies is taken. This value is not displayed in modular systems. The system instantaneous headroom is applicable on systems with PMBus support. The instantaneous headroom is reported in BTU/hr or Watt. Instantaneous Headroom (in Watts) = Input Wattage to the Power Supply–Instantaneous Power drawn by the system. For redundant power supplies, the minimum input wattage between the two power supplies is taken. This value is not displayed in modular systems.
getpowerbudget: Displays the maximum power, minimum power, and the power budget cap either in BTU/hr or Watt and is supported on xx1x systems supporting PMBus.
powerconsumptionhistory: Allows you to get the average and peak power consumption history in Watts or BTU/hr for the last minute, last hour, last day, and the last week.
NOTE: The new power monitoring features are not supported on IPMIsh and SOLProxy.
Default Subcommand
If you do not specify a subcommand, this command is equivalent to the powermonitor status command.
Options for sysinfo
This command returns both FRU and BMC related information for your system.
Options for sel
info:Displays information about and the contents of the system event log.
clear: Deletes all records in the event log.
list: Displays all contents of the event log.
<count>|first <count>: Displays the first <count> (oldest) entries in the SEL. If the count is zero, all entries are displayed.
last <count>: Displays the last <count> (most recent) entries in the SEL. If the count is zero, all entries are displayed.
time: Displays the most recent entries in the SEL. If the count is zero, all entries are displayed. You can use the get command to display the system event log's current time. The set <time string> option allows you to set the system event log's time. Future event log entries will use the time set by this command. <time string> is in the form <MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM:SS>.
NOTE: Hours are in 24-hour form. It is recommended that the event log be cleared before setting the time.
NOTE: Time values between delloem sel time and sel time differ but the delloem sel time command returns the correct value for Dell systems.
Default Subcommand
If you do not specify a subcommand, this command is equivalent to the sel info command.
Options for sensor
list: Displays the complete list of sensors and thresholds in a wide table format.
get <id> ... [<id>]: Displays information for sensors specified by the sensor ID number.
thresh <id> <threshold> <setting>: Allows you to set a particular sensor threshold value. The sensor is specified by name. Valid thresholds are:
unr: Upper Non-Recoverable
ucr: Upper Critical
unc: Upper Non-Critical
lnc: Lower Non-Critical
lcr: Lower Critical
lnr: Lower Non-Recoverable
Default Subcommand
If you do not specify a subcommand, this command is equivalent to the sensor list command.
IPMItool Command for Dynamic Entry on the DNS Server When DRAC is Not Present
To create a dynamic entry on the DNS server when DRAC is not present, use the following command:
ipmitool raw 0x18 0x58 0xe4 0x15
NOTE: You must enter a 21-byte hexadecimal number (a 8-byte input for the PowerEdge 1435SC) for the DHCP name. If the DHCP name is less than 21 bytes (8 bytes for PowerEdge SC1435), pad the end with zeroes.
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