BMC Setup Questions

Question

Have a working DRAC on an older 2650. Now have two 2850's and trying to figure out how to use the BMC for remote access. My primary need to remote access to power server up, down or reboot. I have installed the Dell Server Administrator and successfully configured a static IP for it. However, I cannot get a page to come up at all when accessing via a browser so now I am thinking this does not work like the DRAC. I've read the docs and searched the forum and have found very little that helps. Can someone get me going in the right direction?   1) can you acess the BMC via a browser or is just command line. I am not referring to access for configuration but for use (such as to power on or off a server, reboot, etc). If not browser, then what apps do I use?   2) There is no separate NIC as there was for the DRAC. So after configuring an IP for the BMC, to I need to add it to the NIC1 in its TCP/IP setting?   3) Does the BMC retain power and connectivity when the server is powered-off like the DRAC did?   TIA Don

dondraper40 · Answer

Ok, after some more searching I found what I needed to know in this document:

http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q04-20040110-Zhuo.pdf.

Essentially you can use a utility that comes installed with IT Assistant called IPMISH.EXE that has a limited but effective command set to remotely access a BMC. Run it without params to get a complete set of help and syntax. IMPISH -help will provide detailed help on a subcommand as well.

Configure the BMC by:

1) boot up - watch for this option

2) using System Administrator (easiest)

3) Utility in OM Deployment Toolkit (most powerful but complex)

Here the answers as I now understand it. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

1) can you acess the BMC via a browser or is just command line. I am not referring to access for configuration but for use (such as to power on or off a server, reboot, etc). If not browser, then what apps do I use?

No. You have to use an IPMI client such as IPMISH.EXE that comes with IT Assistant. You can also use secure telnet SSH and a standard syntax called SMASH by implementing both of these on the server as well.

2) There is no separate NIC as there was for the DRAC. So after configuring an IP for the BMC, to I need to add it to the NIC1 in its TCP/IP setting?

This does work with two IP's on the first NIC although I suspect only one IP is needed. Have not tested this yet.

3) Does the BMC retain power and connectivity when the server is powered-off like the DRAC did?

Yes. You can contact a server that has been powered off and turn it back on using IPMISH.EXE to the BMC on the server. You can query and get basic identification info, server alerts (SEL) type info and power-cycle the server including forced shutdown using simple commands.

HTH

Don

PowerEdge OS Forum

BMC Setup Questions

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