How to Use IPMI

Posted on September 28, 2018 by Noti Peppas | Updated: March 4, 2021

Category: Hosting Basics | Tags: Dedicated, Dedicated Server, IPMI, VPN

Reading Time: 4 minutes

IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface) is a great way to manage your server remotely. Having IPMI combined with a Liquid Web VPN is similar to having a remote Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) attached to your server.You’ll be able to perform actions remotely which traditionally accomplished when physically present at the machine. This process includes viewing the startup process, changing BIOS settings, installing the OS, and even power cycling your server. This guide is intended to walk you through the IPMI web interface, and explain the various pages. If you need help accessing IPMI, try this Knowledge Base article instead!

Note:

Some functionality of the IPMI portal has been locked down by Liquid Web. As a customer, you have “Operator” level permissions. Only IPMI “Administrators” can perform specific actions in the web portal. This article covers what is primarily available to IPMI Operators!

System > System Information

This view is the first page displayed when you log into the IPMI web portal. There are a few important pieces of information on this page, including your IPMI IP address, the firmware revision of the IPMI BMC, and your system’s MAC addresses. The “Remote Console Preview” page gives you a small thumbnail display of what the video display would look like if directly connected to your server. Also note that you can perform some power cycling actions from this page, including “Power On,” “Power Down,” and “Reset.”

System Info within IPMI

Remote Control > Console Redirection

While there is not much to look at on this page, it is one of the most important pages on the web portal! Clicking the “Launch Console” button will allow you to remotely connect to your server as if you had a KVM installed. When you click the button, your browser will prompt you to download a new file called “launch.jnlp.”

Note:

You will need Java installed to run this application.

Console Redirection page shows the "Launch Console" button

Server Health > Event Log

The “Event Log” page displays some fundamental logging information from the IPMI console. This page will keep a record of IPMI logins, and some other information on who accessed the system.

Note:

IPMI Operators will only be able to view these logs. Only IPMI Administrators maintain the ability to clear the logs.

Event Log shows who has accessed the server.

Virtual Media > CDROM Image

On this page, you can mount a CD-ROM ISO stored remotely on a Window share which can be useful if you would like to install a custom operating system remotely.

Note:

Installing a custom operating system may hamper Liquid Web’s ability to assist you! We have many officially supported operating systems available, ask your sales representative for more info.

IPMI gives you the ability to add your own OS.

Virtual Media > Floppy Disk Image

The Virtual Media page allows you to upload a small binary image, (1.44MB max size,) directly to the IPMI controller in your server, allowing you to boot from legacy “floppy disk” images. While mostly un-necessary in today’s tech landscape, this option can still be helpful to some users. IPMI gives you the ability to add binary through floppy disk.

Server Health > FRU Reading

The Server Health page displays a small amount of information mostly permitting you to see some version information on the IPMI product.

Note:

Under normal circumstances, many of these fields will be blank, and there is limited information available on this page.

Check the version of your IPMI instance.

Server Health > Sensor Readings

This page displays information gathered by sensors on the motherboard. You can see information on many physical aspects of your server here. For example, some data here includes fan speed, component temperatures, voltage readings on the CPU and RAM, and more.

Sensor Readings show fan speed, temps, CPU and RAM.

Console Redirection > SOL Console

The “SOL” Console (Serial Over LAN Console) is a serial console connection to your server. With particular use cases, it is only useful for redirecting serial input/output over LAN.

The serial console connection, useful for redirecting serial input/output over LAN.

So covers the functionality available to IPMI Operators. When appropriately used, IPMI can be a valuable tool in maintaining your server. It provides similar level access as if you were physically present in front of your server. It used to be that this capability was only possible when purchasing additional expensive KVM hardware. Liquid Web Dedicated Servers have this functionality as a standard at no extra cost! Give us a call if you have any questions, or would like to discuss getting an IPMI capable server.