- Notes, cautions, and warnings
- Overview of iDRAC
- Benefits of using iDRAC
- Key features
- New features added
- How to use this guide
- Supported web browsers
- iDRAC licenses
- Licensed features in iDRAC9
- Interfaces and protocols to access iDRAC
- iDRAC port information
- Other documents you may need
- Contacting Dell
- Accessing documents from Dell support site
- Accessing Redfish API Guide
- Logging in to iDRAC
- Force Change of Password (FCP)
- Logging into iDRAC using OpenID Connect
- Logging in to iDRAC as local user, Active Directory user, or LDAP user
- Logging in to iDRAC as a local user using a smart card
- Logging in to iDRAC using Single Sign-On
- Accessing iDRAC using remote RACADM
- Accessing iDRAC using local RACADM
- Accessing iDRAC using firmware RACADM
- Simple 2-Factor Authentication (Simple 2FA)
- RSA SecurID 2FA
- Viewing system health
- Logging in to iDRAC using public key authentication
- Multiple iDRAC sessions
- Secure default password
- Changing the default login password
- Enabling or disabling default password warning message
- Password Strength Policy
- IP Blocking
- Enabling or disabling OS to iDRAC Pass-through using web interface
- Enabling or disabling alerts using RACADM
- Setting up managed system
- Setting up iDRAC IP address
- Modifying local administrator account settings
- Setting up managed system location
- Optimizing system performance and power consumption
- Setting up management station
- Configuring supported web browsers
- Configuring Internet Explorer
- Configuring Mozilla Firefox
- Configuring web browsers to use virtual console
- Viewing localized versions of web interface
- Updating device firmware
- Updating firmware using iDRAC web interface
- Scheduling automatic firmware updates
- Updating device firmware using RACADM
- Updating firmware using CMC web interface
- Updating firmware using DUP
- Updating firmware using remote RACADM
- Updating firmware using Lifecycle Controller Remote Services
- Updating CMC firmware from iDRAC
- Viewing and managing staged updates
- Rolling back device firmware
- Easy Restore
- Monitoring iDRAC using other Systems Management tools
- Support Server Configuration Profile — Import and Export
- Secure Boot Configuration from BIOS Settings or F2
- BIOS recovery
- Plugin Management
- Configuring iDRAC
- Viewing iDRAC information
- Modifying network settings
- Cipher suite selection
- FIPS mode
- Configuring services
- Using VNC client to manage remote server
- Configuring front panel display
- Configuring time zone and NTP
- Setting first boot device
- Enabling or disabling OS to iDRAC Pass-through
- Obtaining certificates
- Configuring multiple iDRACs using RACADM
- Disabling access to modify iDRAC configuration settings on host system
- Delegated Authorization using OAuth 2.0
- Viewing iDRAC and managed system information
- Viewing managed system health and properties
- Configuring Asset Tracking
- Viewing system inventory
- Viewing sensor information
- Monitoring performance index of CPU, memory, and input output modules
- Idle Server Detection
- GPU (Accelerators) Management
- Checking the system for Fresh Air compliance
- Viewing historical temperature data
- Viewing network interfaces available on host OS
- Viewing network interfaces available on host OS using RACADM
- Viewing FlexAddress mezzanine card fabric connections
- Viewing or terminating iDRAC sessions
- Setting up iDRAC communication
- Communicating with iDRAC through serial connection using DB9 cable
- Configuring BIOS for serial connection
- Enabling RAC serial connection
- Enabling IPMI serial connection basic and terminal modes
- Switching between RAC serial and serial console while using DB9 cable
- Communicating with iDRAC using IPMI SOL
- Communicating with iDRAC using IPMI over LAN
- Enabling or disabling remote RACADM
- Disabling local RACADM
- Enabling IPMI on managed system
- Configuring Linux for serial console during boot in RHEL 6
- Configuring serial terminal in RHEL 7
- Supported SSH cryptography schemes
- Communicating with iDRAC through serial connection using DB9 cable
- Configuring user accounts and privileges
- iDRAC user roles and privileges
- Recommended characters in user names and passwords
- Configuring local users
- Configuring Active Directory users
- Prerequisites for using Active Directory authentication for iDRAC
- Supported Active Directory authentication mechanisms
- Standard schema Active Directory overview
- Configuring Standard schema Active Directory
- Extended schema Active Directory overview
- Configuring Extended schema Active Directory
- Extending Active Directory schema
- Installing Dell extension to the Active Directory users and computers snap-in
- Adding iDRAC users and privileges to Active Directory
- Configuring Active Directory with Extended schema using iDRAC web interface
- Configuring Active Directory with Extended schema using RACADM
- Testing Active Directory settings
- Configuring generic LDAP users
- System Configuration Lockdown mode
- Configuring iDRAC for Single Sign-On or smart card login
- Prerequisites for Active Directory Single Sign-On or smart card login
- Configuring iDRAC SSO login for Active Directory users
- Enabling or disabling smart card login
- Configuring Smart Card Login
- Using Smart Card to Login
- Configuring iDRAC to send alerts
- Enabling or disabling alerts
- Filtering alerts
- Setting event alerts
- Setting alert recurrence event
- Setting event actions
- Configuring email alert, SNMP trap, or IPMI trap settings
- Configuring WS Eventing
- Configuring Redfish Eventing
- Monitoring chassis events
- Alerts message IDs
- iDRAC9 Group Manager
- Managing logs
- Monitoring and managing power in iDRAC
- iDRAC Direct Updates
- Inventorying, monitoring, and configuring network devices
- Inventorying and monitoring network devices
- Inventorying and monitoring FC HBA devices
- Inventorying and monitoring SFP Transceiver devices
- Telemetry Streaming
- Serial Data Capture
- Dynamic configuration of virtual addresses, initiator, and storage target settings
- Supported cards for IO Identity Optimization
- Supported NIC firmware versions for IO Identity Optimization
- Virtual or Remote assigned Address and Persistence Policy behavior when iDRAC is set to Remote-Assigned Address mode or Console mode
- System behavior for FlexAddress and IO Identity
- Enabling or disabling IO Identity Optimization
- SSD Wear Threshold
- Configuring persistence policy settings
- Managing storage devices
- Understanding RAID concepts
- Supported controllers
- Supported enclosures
- Summary of supported features for storage devices
- Inventorying and monitoring storage devices
- Viewing storage device topology
- Managing physical disks
- Managing virtual disks
- RAID Configuration Features
- Managing controllers
- Configuring controller properties
- Importing or auto importing foreign configuration
- Clearing foreign configuration
- Resetting controller configuration
- Switching the controller mode
- 12 Gbps SAS HBA adapter operations
- Monitoring predictive failure analysis on drives
- Controller operations in non-RAID mode or HBA mode
- Running RAID configuration jobs on multiple storage controllers
- Manage Preserved cache
- Managing PCIe SSDs
- Managing enclosures or backplanes
- Choosing operation mode to apply settings
- Viewing and applying pending operations
- Storage devices — apply operation scenarios
- Blinking or unblinking component LEDs
- Warm reboot
- BIOS Settings
- Configuring and using virtual console
- Supported screen resolutions and refresh rates
- Configuring virtual console
- Previewing virtual console
- Launching virtual console
- Using virtual console viewer
- eHTML5 based virtual console
- HTML5 based virtual console
- Synchronizing mouse pointers
- Passing all keystrokes through virtual console for Java or ActiveX plug-in
- Using iDRAC Service Module
- Using USB port for server management
- Using Quick Sync 2
- Managing virtual media
- Managing vFlash SD card
- Configuring vFlash SD card
- Managing vFlash partitions
- Using SMCLP
- Deploying operating systems
- Troubleshooting managed system using iDRAC
- Using diagnostic console
- Viewing post codes
- Viewing boot and crash capture videos
- Viewing logs
- Viewing last system crash screen
- Viewing System status
- Hardware trouble indicators
- Viewing system health
- Checking server status screen for error messages
- Restarting iDRAC
- Reset to Custom Defaults (RTD)
- Erasing system and user data
- Resetting iDRAC to factory default settings
- SupportAssist Integration in iDRAC
- Frequently asked questions
- System Event Log
- Custom sender email configuration for iDRAC alerts
- Network security
- Telemetry streaming
- Active Directory
- Single Sign-On
- Smart card login
- Virtual console
- Virtual media
- vFlash SD card
- SNMP authentication
- Storage devices
- GPU (Accelerators)
- iDRAC Service Module
- RACADM
- Permanently setting the default password to calvin
- Miscellaneous
- Use case scenarios
- Troubleshooting an inaccessible managed system
- Obtaining system information and assess system health
- Setting up alerts and configuring email alerts
- Viewing and exporting System Event Log and Lifecycle Log
- Interfaces to update iDRAC firmware
- Performing graceful shutdown
- Creating new administrator user account
- Launching servers remote console and mounting a USB drive
- Installing bare metal OS using attached virtual media and remote file share
- Managing rack density
- Installing new electronic license
- Applying IO Identity configuration settings for multiple network cards in single host system reboot
Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 9 User's Guide
Updating device firmware
Using iDRAC, you can update the iDRAC, BIOS, and all device firmware that is supported by using Lifecycle Controller update such as:
- Fibre Channel (FC) cards
- Diagnostics
- Operating System Driver Pack
- Network Interface Card (NIC)
- RAID Controller
- Power Supply Unit (PSU)
- NVMe PCIe devices
- SAS/SATA hard drives
- Backplane update for internal and external enclosures
- OS Collector
CAUTION:The PSU firmware update may take several minutes depending on the system configuration and PSU model. To avoid damaging the PSU, do not interrupt the update process or power on the system during PSU firmware update.
NOTE: When updating the PSU firmware for PowerEdge C series servers, ensure that all servers in the same chassis are powered OFF first. If any of the other servers in the chassis are powered ON, the update process fails.
NOTE:
- When a firmware update is tried on a Hot plugged disk, it is expected to see a duplicate PR7 message in the Lifecycle Logs.
- When the job status is Running and when there is no status update from the update modules, the job times out after 6 hrs and it is marked as failed.
- If the Job status is in Running state, firmware update job may be marked as failed after iDRAC reboot.
- Do not use IP from downloads.dell.com site while performing the updates. It may not work as expected. When downloads.dell.com is specified as HTTPS address, there is no need to provide catalog path. Appropriate catalog is picked up automatically.
You must upload the required firmware to iDRAC. After the upload is complete, the current version of the firmware that is installed on the device and the version being applied is displayed. If the firmware being uploaded is not valid, an error message is displayed. Updates that do not require a reboot are applied immediately. Updates that require a system reboot are staged and committed to run on the next system reboot. Only one system reboot is required to perform all updates.
NOTE:
- When iLKM mode is enabled on a controller, iDRAC Firmware downgrade/upgrade shall fail when tried from a iLKM to a non-iLKM iDRAC version. iDRAC Firmware upgrade/downgrade shall pass when done within the iLKM versions.
- When SEKM mode is enabled on a controller, iDRAC Firmware downgrade/upgrade shall fail when tried from a SEKM to a non-SEKM iDRAC version. iDRAC Firmware upgrade/downgrade shall pass when done within the SEKM versions.
- PERC firmware downgrade shall fail when SEKM is enabled.
After the firmware is updated, the System Inventory page displays the updated firmware version and logs are recorded.
The supported firmware image file types are:
- .exe — Windows-based Dell Update Package (DUP). You must have Control and Configure Privilege to use this image file type.
- .d9 — Contains both iDRAC and Lifecycle Controller firmware
For files with .exe extension, you must have the System Control privilege. The Remote Firmware Update licensed feature and Lifecycle Controller must be enabled. This is applicable for RACADM update, Redfish Simple update, and iDRAC GUI update.
For files with .d9 extension, you must have the Configure privilege. This is applicable only for racadm fwupdate method.
NOTE: Ensure that all nodes in the system are powered off before updating the PSU firmware.
NOTE:After upgrading the iDRAC firmware, you may notice a difference in the timestamp displayed in the Lifecycle Controller log. Time that is displayed in LC Log is different from NTP/Bios-Time for few logs during idrac reset.
You can perform firmware updates by using the following methods:
- Uploading a supported image type, one at a time, from a local system or network share.
- Connecting to an FTP, TFTP, HTTP or HTTPS site or a network repository that contains Windows DUPs and a corresponding catalog file.
You can create custom repositories by using the Dell Repository Manager. For more information, see Dell Repository Manager Data Center User's Guide. iDRAC can provide a difference report between the BIOS and firmware that is installed on the system and the updates available in the repository. All applicable updates that are contained in the repository are applied to the system. This feature is available with iDRAC Enterprise or Datacenter license.
NOTE: Firmware update using an FTP fails if the HTTP proxy used is configured without any authentication. Ensure that you change the proxy configuration to allow the CONNECT method to use non-SSL ports. For example, while using a squid proxy, remove the line "http_access deny CONNECT !SSL_ports" that restricts from using the CONNECT method on non-SSL ports.NOTE: HTTP/HTTPS only supports with either digest authentication or no authentication. - Scheduling recurring automated firmware updates by using the catalog file and custom repository.
There are multiple tools and interfaces that can be used to update the iDRAC firmware. The following table is applicable only to iDRAC firmware. The table lists the supported interfaces, image-file types, and whether Lifecycle Controller must be in enabled state for the firmware to be updated.
| .D9 Image | iDRAC DUP | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interface | Supported | Requires LC enabled | Supported | Requires LC enabled |
| BMCFW64.exe utility | Yes | No | No | N/A |
| Racadm FWUpdate (old) | Yes | No | No | N/A |
| Racadm Update (new) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| iDRAC UI | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WSMan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| In-band OS DUP | No | N/A | Yes | No |
| Redfish | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A |
The following table provides information on whether a system restart is required when firmware is updated for a particular component:
NOTE:When multiple firmware updates are applied through out-of-band methods, the updates are ordered in the most efficient possible manner to reduce unnecessary system restart.
| Component Name | Firmware Rollback Supported? | Out-of-band — System Restart Required? | In-band — System Restart Required? | Lifecycle Controller GUI — Restart Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostics | No | No | No | No |
| OS Driver Pack | No | No | No | No |
| iDRAC | Yes | No | No* | Yes |
| BIOS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RAID Controller | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BOSS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NVDIMM | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Backplanes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
NOTE:
|
||||
| Enclosures | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| NIC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power Supply Unit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CPLD | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
NOTE:After CPLD firmware upgrade is complete, iDRAC restarts automatically.
|
||||
| FC Cards | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NVMe PCIe SSD drives | Yes | No | Yes | No |
|
NOTE:
|
||||
| SAS/SATA hard drives | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| OS Collector | No | No | No | No |
| CMC (on PowerEdge FX2 servers) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TPM | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
NOTE:TPM is supported from 5.00.00.00 release onwards and the action is staged. Only firmware update is supported. Downgrading and reinstalling the same firmware is not supported.
|
||||
| Non-SDL Software and Peripherals Application | No | No | No | No |
NOTE:For details of supported components for MX platform, see Table 13.
| Component Name | Firmware Rollback Supported? (Yes or No) | Out-of-band — System Restart Required? | In-band — System Restart Required? | Lifecycle Controller GUI — Restart Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostics | No | No | No | No |
| OS Driver Pack | No | No | No | No |
| iDRAC | Yes | No | No* | Yes |
| BIOS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RAID Controller | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BOSS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NVDIMM | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Backplanes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enclosures | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| NIC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power Supply Unit | No | No | No | No |
| CPLD | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| FC Cards | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NVMe PCIe SSD drives | Yes | No | No | No |
| SAS/SATA hard drives | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| OS Collector | No | No | No | No |
* Indicates that though a system restart is not required, iDRAC must be restarted to apply the updates. iDRAC communication and monitoring may temporarily be interrupted.
When you check for updates, the version marked as Available does not always indicate that it is the latest version available. Before you install the update, ensure that the version you choose to install is newer than the version currently installed. If you want to control the version that iDRAC detects, create a custom repository using Dell Repository Manager (DRM) and configure iDRAC to use that repository to check for updates.
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