- Set up IPMI IP Address
- Set up IPMI Configuration
- Configure IPMI User Management
- Configure IPMI FRU
- Manage System Event Log (SEL)
Getting Started
To start, download the latest version of IPMICFG from the SuperMicro site. As of this writing, the latest version can be found HERE.
Unzip the compressed IPMICFG in your environment and add the execution rights for the file:
# chmod +x ipmicfg-linux.x86_64.static
 We recommend creating a symbolic link to make access easier:
 # ln -s $(pwd)/ipmicfg-linux.x86_64.static /usr/local/sbin/ipmicfg
If IPMICFG does not work properly, install the IPMI driver and load it into the kernel. On Linux CentOS, you can do this using the following commands:
# yum -y install OpenIPMI
# service ipmi start
# chkconfig ipmi on
Configuration
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Configure your network settings so your IPMI device can be managed with a local IPMICFG. You can do using the following steps:
1. Display your current network settings:
# ipmicfg -m
IP=10.10.10.154 MAC=00:25:90:CF:44:7F
# ipmicfg -k
Subnet Mask=255.255.255.0
# ipmicfg -g
Gateway=10.10.10.5
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2. Configure your IPMI network settings:
# ipmicfg -dhcp off
# ipmicfg -k <NETMASK>
# ipmicfg -m <IP>
# ipmicfg -g <GATEWAY>
 Notes:
-
- Disabling DHCP will make the IP address static.
- In most cases, IPMI network settings should already be pre-configured by your hosting provider.
- Changing these settings can render your IPMI controller inaccessible.
To check for basic network connectivity to the interface, you can ping the IP address using ping <ipaddr>.
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IPMI Management Functions
You can use IPMICFG to reset IPMI to the factory default with the following command:
 # ipmicfg -fd
 Note: While this command restores IPMI to factory default, the IPMI network settings will not be changed.
You can also reset IPMI to a factory default that specifically cleans both FRU and local area network (LAN) settings:
# ipmicfg -fde
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IPMI User Management Functions
With IPMICFG, you can add a new user with the highest level of privilege without touching the main settings. Any user can have administrator rights, but do remember that this is assigned to ‘user 2’ by default.
Begin by accessing the list of pre-configured users:
# ipmicfg -user list
You should see something like this:
Maximum number of Users : 10 Count of currently enabled Users : 3
User ID | User Name | Privilege Level | Enable ------- | ----------- | --------------- | ------ 2 | ADMIN | Administrator | Yes 3 | user | Operator | Yes
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To add a new user, use the following command:
ipmicfg -user add <user id> <user name> <password> <privilege>
Example
# ipmicfg -user add 5 user2 tbu6LrZqp2lqQvZj 4
# ipmicfg -user list
The output user list will be something like this:
Maximum number of Users : 10 Count of currently enabled Users : 4
User ID | User Name | Privilege Level | Enable ------- | ----------- | --------------- | ------ 2 | ADMIN | Administrator | Yes 3 | user | Operator | Yes 5 | user2 | Administrator | Yes
To set a new password for the ADMIN user, use the following command:
ipmicfg –user setpw <user id> <password>
 Example
# ipmicfg –user setpwd 2 <password>
 You can also opt to delete an unused user place with the following command:
ipmicfg -user del <user id>
 ExampleÂ
# ipmicfg -user del 5
Notes:
-
- Use another ID instead of 5 for a different user.
- The Supermicro default login and password is ‘ADMIN’.
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IPMI Sensor & System Event Management
To monitor SEL in order to spot possible issues like a RAM ECC error, you can use the following command:
# ipmicfg -sel list
Below is an example of the output of said command:
1 | 06/06/2014 | 18:26:16 | Memory | Correctable ECC | Asserted | CPU 0 DIMM 8
Note: This output shows memory modules #8 triggered a correctable ECC error. As the output is a stdout text, a good practice is to use it in a script to monitor overall machine health with words like “error†or “critical†programmed to trigger an alert.
You can monitor hardware components in the sensor list like CPU temperature and fan speed using the following command:
# ipmicfg –sdr
The output will be something like this:
Status | (#)Sensor            |  Reading  | Low Limit  | High Limit
----- | --------- Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â | -------- Â | --------- | ---------
   OK | (4) CPU1 Temp        |  31C/88F |   0C/32F  |  79C/174F
   OK | (71) CPU2 Temp       |  25C/77F |   0C/32F  |  79C/174F
   OK | (138) System Temp       |  25C/77F |  -5C/23F  |  80C/176F
   OK | (205) Peripheral Temp   |  34C/93F |  -5C/23F  |  80C/176F
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FRU Management
The FRU contains a serial number and the specifications of the motherboard.
To show the FRU inventory, use the following command:
# ipmicfg -fru help
The inventory will bring up the following FRU fields:
Chassis information
-
- CTÂ ;Chassis Type
- CPÂ ;Chassis Part number
- CSÂ ;Chassis Serial number
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Board information
-
- BDT ;Board Mfg. Date/Time (YYYYMMDDhhmm)
- BMÂ ;Board Manufacturer
- BPN ;Board Product Name
- BSÂ ;Board Serial Name
- BPÂ ;Board Part Number
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Product information
-
- PMÂ ;Product Manufacturer
- PNÂ ;Product Name
- PPM ;Product Part/Model Number
- PVÂ ;Product Version
- PSÂ ;Product Serial Number
- PAT ;Asset Tag
 See the examples below on how to pull up specific FRU information:
To get product serial number
# ipmicfg -fru PS
To write product serial number
# ipmicfg -fru PS 123456789
 To setting board manufacturing date and time
# ipmicfg –fru BDT 201211121631
Chassis Type (CT) = Unknown(02h)
Chassis Part number (CP) =
Chassis Serial number (CS) = 0123456789
Board Mfg. Date/Time(BDT) = 2012/11/12 16:31:00 (DF 5D 87)
Board Manufacturer (BM) = Supermicro
Board Product Name (BPN) = X9DRD-iF
Board Serial number (BS) = 0123456789
Board Part number (BP) =
Product Manufacturer (PM) = Supermicro
Product Name (PN) = X9DRD-iF
Product Part/Model number (PPM) =
Product Version (PV) =
Product Serial number (PS) = 0123456789
Product Asset Tag (PAT) =
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NOTE: We highly discouraging changing the chassis, board, and product serial numbers as they should already be pre-configured by your hosting provider.
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Troubleshooting
If the IPMI controller hangs, run the following command:
# ipmicfg -r
 You should get this message:
BMC cold reset successfully completed!
Running this command reboots the IPMI controller without rebooting the OS.
If the IPMI controller becomes unreachable, do a full AC cycle by removing the server power cords and reconnecting them back in after one minute. Doi