C H A P T E R 9 |
Using Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) |
This chapter describes introduces the ILOM's Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) functionality and lists the supported IPMI commands.
This chapter includes the following sections:
The Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) is an open-standard hardware management interface specification that defines a specific way for embedded management subsystems to communicate. IPMI information is exchanged though baseboard management controllers (BMCs), which are located on IPMI-compliant hardware components. Using low-level hardware intelligence instead of the operating system has two main benefits: first, this configuration allows for out-of-band server management, and second, the operating system is not burdened with transporting system status data.
Your ILOM is IPMI v2.0 compliant. You can access IPMI functionality through the command line with the IPMItool utility either in-band or out-of-band. Additionally, you can generate an IPMI-specific trap from the web interface, or manage the server's IPMI functions from any external management solution that is IPMI v1.5 or v2.0 compliant. For more information about the IPMI v2.0 specification, go to:
http://www.intel.com/design/servers/ipmi/spec.htm#spec2.
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Caution - Do not use any interface other than the ILOM CLI or WebGUI to alter the state or configuration of any sensor or LED. Doing so could void your warranty. |
IPMItool is a simple command-line interface that is useful for managing IPMI-enabled devices. You can use this utility to perform IPMI functions with a kernel device driver or over a LAN interface. IPMItool enables you to manage system field-replaceable units (FRUs), monitor system health, and monitor and manage system environmentals, independent of the operating system.
You can download IPMItool from http://ipmitool.sourceforge.net/, or locate IMPItool and its related documentation on your server Resource CD.
When IPMItool is installed, it includes a man page. To view it, enter:
TABLE 9-1 lists the supported IPMI 2.0 commands.
Note - When a hard drive is unconfigured in the host OS, the command ipmitool ... sdr elist shows it as "Drive Present, Hot Spare." This means it is inserted but safe to remove. |
For details on individual commands, see the Intelligent Platform Management Interface Design Specification, v2.0. A copy is available at:
http://www.intel.com/design/servers/ipmi/spec.htm
Copyright © 2006, Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.