Dell iDRAC8 User Manual

Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 8 (iDRAC8)

Version 2.00.00.00 User's Guide

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.

WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

intellectual property laws. Dell™ and the Dell logo are trademarks of Dell Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.

2014 - 09

Rev. A00

Contents

1 Overview...............................................................................................................16

Benefits of Using iDRAC With Lifecycle Controller............................................................................16

Key Features.........................................................................................................................................17

New In This Release............................................................................................................................ 19

How To Use This User's Guide............................................................................................................21

Supported Web Browsers....................................................................................................................21

Managing Licenses ............................................................................................................................. 21

Types of Licenses...........................................................................................................................21

Acquiring Licenses.........................................................................................................................21

License Operations........................................................................................................................22

Licensable Features In iDRAC8...........................................................................................................23

Interfaces and Protocols to Access iDRAC........................................................................................28

iDRAC Port Information.......................................................................................................................31

Other Documents You May Need...................................................................................................... 32

Social Media Reference.......................................................................................................................33

Contacting Dell................................................................................................................................... 33

Accessing documents from Dell support site....................................................................................33

2 Logging into iDRAC............................................................................................35

Logging into iDRAC as Local User, Active Directory User, or LDAP User.........................................35

Logging into iDRAC Using Smart Card...............................................................................................36

Logging Into iDRAC as a Local User Using Smart Card...............................................................36

Logging Into iDRAC as an Active Directory User Using Smart Card........................................... 37

Logging into iDRAC Using Single Sign-on ........................................................................................ 37

Logging into iDRAC SSO Using iDRAC Web Interface.................................................................37

Logging into iDRAC SSO Using CMC Web Interface...................................................................38

Accessing iDRAC Using Remote RACADM........................................................................................ 38

Validating CA Certificate To Use Remote RACADM on Linux.....................................................38

Accessing iDRAC Using Local RACADM............................................................................................ 39

Accessing iDRAC Using Firmware RACADM......................................................................................39

Accessing iDRAC Using SMCLP..........................................................................................................39

Logging in to iDRAC Using Public Key Authentication......................................................................39

Multiple iDRAC Sessions.....................................................................................................................40

Changing Default Login Password.....................................................................................................40

Changing Default Login Password Using Web Interface............................................................ 40

Changing Default Login Password Using RACADM.....................................................................41

Changing Default Login Password Using iDRAC Settings Utility.................................................41

Enabling or Disabling Default Password Warning Message ............................................................. 41

Enabling or Disabling Default Password Warning Message Using Web Interface......................41

Enabling or Disabling Warning Message to Change Default Login Password Using

RACADM.........................................................................................................................................41

3 Setting Up Managed System and Management Station..............................42

Setting Up iDRAC IP Address..............................................................................................................42

Setting Up iDRAC IP Using iDRAC Settings Utility........................................................................43

Setting Up iDRAC IP Using CMC Web Interface.......................................................................... 46

Enabling Auto-discovery...............................................................................................................46

Configuring Servers and Server Components Using Auto Config.............................................. 47

Using Hash Passwords for Improved Security..............................................................................51

Setting Up Management Station.........................................................................................................52

Accessing iDRAC Remotely.......................................................................................................... 52

Setting Up Managed System...............................................................................................................53

Modifying Local Administrator Account Settings.........................................................................53

Setting Up Managed System Location......................................................................................... 53

Optimizing System Performance and Power Consumption.......................................................54

Configuring Supported Web Browsers.............................................................................................. 60

Adding iDRAC to the List of Trusted Domains.............................................................................62

Disabling Whitelist Feature in Firefox........................................................................................... 62

Viewing Localized Versions of Web Interface..............................................................................62

Updating Device Firmware................................................................................................................. 63

Downloading Device Firmware.................................................................................................... 65

Updating Firmware Using iDRAC Web Interface..........................................................................65

Updating Device Firmware Using RACADM.................................................................................69

Scheduling Automatic Firmware Updates....................................................................................70

Updating Firmware Using CMC Web Interface............................................................................ 71

Updating Firmware Using DUP......................................................................................................71

Updating Firmware Using Remote RACADM............................................................................... 72

Updating Firmware Using Lifecycle Controller Remote Services................................................72

Viewing and Managing Staged Updates.............................................................................................72

Viewing and Managing Staged Updates Using iDRAC Web interface.........................................73

Viewing and Managing Staged Updates Using RACADM.............................................................73

Rolling Back Device Firmware............................................................................................................ 73

Rollback Firmware Using iDRAC Web Interface...........................................................................74

Rollback Firmware Using CMC Web Interface.............................................................................74

Rollback Firmware Using RACADM...............................................................................................75

Rollback Firmware Using Lifecycle Controller............................................................................. 75

Rollback Firmware Using Lifecycle Controller-Remote Services................................................75

Recovering iDRAC......................................................................................................................... 75

Using TFTP Server..........................................................................................................................75

Backing Up Server Profile....................................................................................................................76

Backing Up Server Profile Using iDRAC Web Interface............................................................... 76

Backing Up Server Profile Using RACADM................................................................................... 77

Scheduling Automatic Backup Server Profile............................................................................... 77

Importing Server Profile......................................................................................................................78

Importing Server Profile Using iDRAC Web Interface..................................................................79

Importing Server Profile Using RACADM......................................................................................79

Restore Operation Sequence........................................................................................................79

Monitoring iDRAC Using Other Systems Management Tools.......................................................... 80

4 Configuring iDRAC.............................................................................................81

Viewing iDRAC Information................................................................................................................82

Viewing iDRAC Information Using Web Interface....................................................................... 82

Viewing iDRAC Information Using RACADM............................................................................... 82

Modifying Network Settings............................................................................................................... 82

Modifying Network Settings Using Web Interface.......................................................................83

Modifying Network Settings Using Local RACADM.....................................................................83

Configuring IP Filtering................................................................................................................. 84

Configuring Services...........................................................................................................................85

Configuring Services Using Web Interface.................................................................................. 86

Configuring Services Using RACADM.......................................................................................... 86

Enabling or Disabling HTTPs Redirection.....................................................................................87

Using VNC Client to Manage Remote Server.....................................................................................87

Configuring VNC Server Using iDRAC Web Interface................................................................. 88

Configuring VNC Server Using RACADM.....................................................................................88

Setting Up VNC Viewer With SSL Encryption...............................................................................88

Setting Up VNC Viewer Without SSL Encryption.........................................................................88

Configuring Front Panel Display.........................................................................................................89

Configuring LCD Setting...............................................................................................................89

Configuring System ID LED Setting..............................................................................................90

Configuring Time Zone and NTP........................................................................................................91

Configuring Time Zone and NTP Using iDRAC Web Interface....................................................91

Configuring Time Zone and NTP Using RACADM....................................................................... 91

Setting First Boot Device.....................................................................................................................91

Setting First Boot Device Using Web Interface............................................................................ 92

Setting First Boot Device Using RACADM.................................................................................... 92

Setting First Boot Device Using Virtual Console..........................................................................92

Enabling Last Crash Screen...........................................................................................................92

Enabling or Disabling OS to iDRAC Pass-through.............................................................................93

Supported Cards for OS to iDRAC Pass-through ....................................................................... 94

Supported Operating Systems for USB NIC.................................................................................94

Enabling or Disabling OS to iDRAC Pass-through Using Web Interface.................................... 96

Enabling or Disabling OS to iDRAC Pass-through Using RACADM............................................ 97

Enabling or Disabling OS to iDRAC Pass-through Using iDRAC Settings Utility........................ 97

Obtaining Certificates......................................................................................................................... 97

SSL Server Certificates.................................................................................................................. 98

Generating a New Certificate Signing Request............................................................................99

Uploading Server Certificate.......................................................................................................100

Viewing Server Certificate........................................................................................................... 101

Uploading Custom Signing Certificate....................................................................................... 101

Downloading Custom SSL Certificate Signing Certificate ........................................................102

Deleting Custom SSL Certificate Signing Certificate.................................................................102

Configuring Multiple iDRACs Using RACADM................................................................................. 103

Creating an iDRAC Configuration File........................................................................................104

Parsing Rules............................................................................................................................... 105

Modifying the iDRAC IP Address.................................................................................................106

Disabling Access to Modify iDRAC Configuration Settings on Host System..................................106

5 Viewing iDRAC and Managed System Information....................................108

Viewing Managed System Health and Properties............................................................................108

Viewing System Inventory................................................................................................................ 108

Viewing Sensor Information............................................................................................................. 109

Monitoring Performance Index of CPU, Memory, and I/O Modules............................................... 111

Monitoring Performance Index for of CPU, Memory, and I/O Modules Using Web

Interface....................................................................................................................................... 112

Monitoring Performance Index for of CPU, Memory, and I/O Modules Using RACADM.........113

Checking the System for Fresh Air Compliance...............................................................................113

Viewing Historical Temperature Data...............................................................................................113

Viewing Historical Temperature Data Using iDRAC Web Interface...........................................114

Viewing Historical Temperature Data Using RACADM.............................................................. 114

Configuring Warning Threshold for Inlet Temperature............................................................. 114

Viewing Network Interfaces Available On Host OS..........................................................................115

Viewing Network Interfaces Available on Host OS Using Web Interface..................................115

Viewing Network Interfaces Available on Host OS Using RACADM..........................................115

Viewing FlexAddress Mezzanine Card Fabric Connections.............................................................116

Viewing or Terminating iDRAC Sessions.......................................................................................... 116

Terminating iDRAC Sessions Using Web Interface.....................................................................116

Terminating iDRAC Sessions Using RACADM.............................................................................117

6 Setting Up iDRAC Communication............................................................... 118

Communicating With iDRAC Through Serial Connection Using DB9 Cable..................................119

Configuring BIOS For Serial Connection................................................................................... 120

Enabling RAC Serial Connection................................................................................................ 120

Enabling IPMI Serial Connection Basic and Terminal Modes....................................................120

Switching Between RAC Serial and Serial Console While Using DB9 Cable.................................. 122

Switching From Serial Console to RAC Serial............................................................................ 123

Switching From RAC Serial to Serial Console............................................................................ 123

Communicating With iDRAC Using IPMI SOL..................................................................................123

Configuring BIOS For Serial Connection....................................................................................123

Configuring iDRAC to Use SOL...................................................................................................124

Enabling Supported Protocol......................................................................................................125

Communicating With iDRAC Using IPMI Over LAN.........................................................................129

Configuring IPMI Over LAN Using Web Interface......................................................................129

Configuring IPMI Over LAN Using iDRAC Settings Utility..........................................................129

Configuring IPMI Over LAN Using RACADM..............................................................................130

Enabling or Disabling Remote RACADM..........................................................................................130

Enabling or Disabling Remote RACADM Using Web Interface................................................. 130

Enabling or Disabling Remote RACADM Using RACADM......................................................... 130

Disabling Local RACADM...................................................................................................................131

Enabling IPMI on Managed System...................................................................................................131

Configuring Linux for Serial Console During Boot...........................................................................131

Enabling Login to the Virtual Console After Boot......................................................................132

Supported SSH Cryptography Schemes...........................................................................................133

Using Public Key Authentication For SSH...................................................................................134

7 Configuring User Accounts and Privileges.................................................. 138

Configuring Local Users................................................................................................................... 138

Configuring Local Users Using iDRAC Web Interface............................................................... 138

Configuring Local Users Using RACADM................................................................................... 139

Configuring Active Directory Users.................................................................................................. 141

Prerequisites for Using Active Directory Authentication for iDRAC..........................................142

Supported Active Directory Authentication Mechanisms......................................................... 144

Standard Schema Active Directory Overview............................................................................ 144

Configuring Standard Schema Active Directory........................................................................ 146

Extended Schema Active Directory Overview........................................................................... 149

Configuring Extended Schema Active Directory........................................................................151

Testing Active Directory Settings................................................................................................ 161

Configuring Generic LDAP Users..................................................................................................... 162

Configuring Generic LDAP Directory Service Using iDRAC Web-Based Interface.................. 162

Configuring Generic LDAP Directory Service Using RACADM..................................................163

Testing LDAP Directory Service Settings....................................................................................163

8 Configuring iDRAC for Single Sign-On or Smart Card Login...................165

Prerequisites for Active Directory Single Sign-On or Smart Card Login........................................ 165

Registering iDRAC as a Computer in Active Directory Root Domain.......................................166

Generating Kerberos Keytab File................................................................................................ 166

Creating Active Directory Objects and Providing Privileges......................................................167

Configuring Browser to Enable Active Directory SSO............................................................... 167

Configuring iDRAC SSO Login for Active Directory Users.............................................................. 168

Configuring iDRAC SSO Login for Active Directory Users Using Web Interface......................168

Configuring iDRAC SSO Login for Active Directory Users Using RACADM..............................168

Configuring iDRAC Smart Card Login for Local Users....................................................................168

Uploading Smart Card User Certificate......................................................................................169

Uploading Trusted CA Certificate For Smart Card.....................................................................169

Configuring iDRAC Smart Card Login for Active Directory Users...................................................170

Enabling or Disabling Smart Card Login.......................................................................................... 170

Enabling or Disabling Smart Card Login Using Web Interface...................................................171

Enabling or Disabling Smart Card Login Using RACADM...........................................................171

Enabling or Disabling Smart Card Login Using iDRAC Settings Utility.......................................171

9 Configuring iDRAC to Send Alerts.................................................................172

Enabling or Disabling Alerts.............................................................................................................. 172

Enabling or Disabling Alerts Using Web Interface......................................................................172

Enabling or Disabling Alerts Using RACADM..............................................................................173

Enabling or Disabling Alerts Using iDRAC Settings Utility..........................................................173

Filtering Alerts ................................................................................................................................... 173

Filtering Alerts Using iDRAC Web Interface................................................................................173

Filtering Alerts Using RACADM....................................................................................................174

Setting Event Alerts............................................................................................................................174

Setting Event Alerts Using Web Interface................................................................................... 174

Setting Event Alerts Using RACADM........................................................................................... 174

Setting Alert Recurrence Event......................................................................................................... 175

Setting Alert Recurrence Events Using iDRAC Web Interface................................................... 175

Setting Alert Recurrence Events Using RACADM.......................................................................175

Setting Event Actions.........................................................................................................................175

Setting Event Actions Using Web Interface................................................................................ 175

Setting Event Actions Using RACADM........................................................................................ 175

Configuring Email Alert, SNMP Trap, or IPMI Trap Settings............................................................ 176

Configuring IP Alert Destinations................................................................................................176

Configuring Email Alert Settings................................................................................................. 178

Configuring WS Eventing..................................................................................................................180

Alerts Message IDs............................................................................................................................ 180

10 Managing Logs................................................................................................184

Viewing System Event Log................................................................................................................184

Viewing System Event Log Using Web Interface....................................................................... 184

Viewing System Event Log Using RACADM............................................................................... 184

Viewing System Event Log Using iDRAC Settings Utility........................................................... 185

Viewing Lifecycle Log ...................................................................................................................... 185

Viewing Lifecycle Log Using Web Interface...............................................................................186

Viewing Lifecycle Log Using RACADM.......................................................................................186

Exporting Lifecycle Controller Logs.................................................................................................186

Exporting Lifecycle Controller Logs Using Web Interface........................................................ 186

Exporting Lifecycle Controller Logs Using RACADM.................................................................187

Adding Work Notes........................................................................................................................... 187

Configuring Remote System Logging.............................................................................................. 187

Configuring Remote System Logging Using Web Interface......................................................187

Configuring Remote System Logging Using RACADM............................................................. 188

11 Monitoring and Managing Power................................................................189

Monitoring Power............................................................................................................................. 189

Monitoring Power Using Web Interface.....................................................................................189

Monitoring Power Using RACADM.............................................................................................190

Setting Warning Threshold for Power Consumption......................................................................190

Setting Warning Threshold for Power Consumption Using Web Interface............................. 190

Executing Power Control Operations..............................................................................................190

Executing Power Control Operations Using Web Interface..................................................... 190

Executing Power Control Operations Using RACADM.............................................................. 191

Power Capping.................................................................................................................................. 191

Power Capping in Blade Servers................................................................................................. 191

Viewing and Configuring Power Cap Policy...............................................................................191

Configuring Power Supply Options..................................................................................................193

Configuring Power Supply Options Using Web Interface......................................................... 193

Configuring Power Supply Options Using RACADM................................................................. 193

Configuring Power Supply Options Using iDRAC Settings Utility.............................................194

Enabling or Disabling Power Button................................................................................................ 194

12 Inventory, Monitoring, and Configuring Network Devices....................195

Inventory and Monitoring Network Devices....................................................................................195

Monitoring Network Devices Using Web Interface................................................................... 195

Monitoring Network Devices Using RACADM............................................................................195

Inventory and Monitoring FC HBA Devices..................................................................................... 196

Monitoring FC HBA Devices Using Web Interface.....................................................................196

Monitoring FC HBA Devices Using RACADM.............................................................................196

Dynamic Configuration of Virtual Addresses, Initiator, and Storage Target Settings.....................196

Supported Cards for I/O Identity Optimization..........................................................................197

Supported BIOS Version for I/O Identity Optimization............................................................. 198

Supported NIC Firmware Versions for I/O Identity Optimization.............................................198

Enabling or Disabling I/O Identity Optimization........................................................................198

Configuring Persistence Policy Settings.....................................................................................199

13 Managing Storage Devices........................................................................... 203

Understanding RAID Concepts........................................................................................................204

What Is RAID?..............................................................................................................................205

Organizing Data Storage For Availability And Performance..................................................... 206

Choosing RAID Levels ............................................................................................................... 206

Comparing RAID Level Performance..........................................................................................213

Supported Controllers.......................................................................................................................215

Supported RAID Controllers........................................................................................................215

Supported Non-RAID Controllers...............................................................................................215

Supported Enclosures....................................................................................................................... 215

Summary of Supported Features for Storage Devices.....................................................................215

Inventory and Monitoring Storage Devices......................................................................................218

Monitoring Storage Device Using Web Interface.......................................................................218

Monitoring Storage Device Using RACADM...............................................................................219

Monitoring Backplane Using iDRAC Settings Utility.................................................................. 219

Viewing Storage Device Topology................................................................................................... 219

Managing Physical Disks................................................................................................................... 219

Assigning or Unassigning Physical Disk as Global Hot spare.................................................... 219

Convert To RAID Capable Disk.................................................................................................. 220

Convert To Non-RAID Disk.........................................................................................................221

Managing Virtual Disks...................................................................................................................... 221

Creating Virtual Disks.................................................................................................................. 221

Editing Virtual Disk Cache Policies.............................................................................................223

Deleting Virtual Disks..................................................................................................................224

Checking Virtual Disk Consistency.............................................................................................224

Initializing Virtual Disks............................................................................................................... 225

Encrypting Virtual Disks.............................................................................................................. 226

Assigning or Unassigning Dedicated Hot Spares.......................................................................226

Managing Virtual Disks Using Web Interface............................................................................. 226

Managing Virtual Disks Using RACADM..................................................................................... 227

Managing Controllers....................................................................................................................... 227

Configuring Controller Properties..............................................................................................228

Importing or Auto Importing Foreign Configuration.................................................................231

Clearing Foreign Configuration..................................................................................................232

Resetting Controller Configuration............................................................................................233

12Gbps SAS HBA Adapter Operations........................................................................................234

Monitoring Predictive Failure Analysis On Drives...................................................................... 234

Controller Operations in Non-RAID (HBA) Mode......................................................................235

Running RAID Configuration Jobs On Multiple Storage Controllers........................................235

Managing PCIe SSDs.........................................................................................................................235

Inventory and Monitoring PCIe SSDs.........................................................................................236

Preparing to Remove PCIe SSD..................................................................................................237

Erasing PCIe SSD Device Data....................................................................................................238

Managing Enclosures or Backplanes............................................................................................... 239

Configuring Backplane Mode.................................................................................................... 240

Viewing Universal Slots...............................................................................................................242

Setting SGPIO Mode................................................................................................................... 243

Choosing Operation Mode to Apply Settings..................................................................................243

Choosing Operation Mode Using Web Interface...................................................................... 243

Choosing Operation Mode Using RACADM..............................................................................244

Viewing and Applying Pending Operations..................................................................................... 244

Viewing, Applying, or Deleting Pending Operations Using Web Interface...............................244

Viewing and Applying Pending Operations Using RACADM.....................................................245

Storage Devices — Apply Operation Scenarios...............................................................................246

Case 1: Selected an Apply Operation (Apply Now, At Next Reboot, or At Scheduled Time) and there are no existing pending operations Case 2: Selected an Apply Operation (Apply Now, At Next Reboot, or At Scheduled Time) and there are existing pending operations Case 3: Selected Add to Pending Operations and there are no existing pending operationsCase 4: Selected Add to Pending Operations and there are prior existing

pending operations.....................................................................................................................246

Blinking or Unblinking Component LEDs........................................................................................ 247

Blinking or Unblinking Component LEDs Using Web Interface................................................247

Blinking or Unblinking Component LEDs Using RACADM....................................................... 248

14 Configuring and Using Virtual Console.....................................................249

Supported Screen Resolutions and Refresh Rates..........................................................................249

Configuring Web Browsers to Use Virtual Console........................................................................ 250

Configuring Web Browser to Use Java Plug-in.........................................................................250

Configuring IE to Use ActiveX Plug-in........................................................................................251

Importing CA Certificates to Management Station................................................................... 253

Configuring Virtual Console.............................................................................................................253

Configuring Virtual Console Using Web Interface.................................................................... 254

Configuring Virtual Console Using RACADM............................................................................ 254

Previewing Virtual Console.............................................................................................................. 254

Launching Virtual Console............................................................................................................... 254

Launching Virtual Console Using Web Interface.......................................................................255

Launching Virtual Console Using URL....................................................................................... 256

Disabling Warning Messages While Launching Virtual Console Or Virtual Media Using

Java or ActiveX Plug-in...............................................................................................................256

Using Virtual Console Viewer...........................................................................................................256

Synchronizing Mouse Pointers................................................................................................... 257

Passing All Keystrokes Through Virtual Console....................................................................... 258

15 Managing Virtual Media.................................................................................261

Supported Drives and Devices......................................................................................................... 262

Configuring Virtual Media.................................................................................................................262

Configuring Virtual Media Using iDRAC Web Interface.............................................................262

Configuring Virtual Media Using RACADM................................................................................ 263

Configuring Virtual Media Using iDRAC Settings Utility............................................................ 263

Attached Media State and System Response.............................................................................263

Accessing Virtual Media....................................................................................................................263

Launching Virtual Media Using Virtual Console........................................................................ 264

Launching Virtual Media Without Using Virtual Console.......................................................... 264

Adding Virtual Media Images......................................................................................................265

Viewing Virtual Device Details....................................................................................................265

Resetting USB..............................................................................................................................266

Mapping Virtual Drive................................................................................................................. 266

Unmapping Virtual Drive.............................................................................................................267

Setting Boot Order Through BIOS................................................................................................... 267

Enabling Boot Once for Virtual Media............................................................................................. 268

16 Installing and Using VMCLI Utility.............................................................. 269

Installing VMCLI................................................................................................................................ 269

Running VMCLI Utility.......................................................................................................................269

VMCLI Syntax.................................................................................................................................... 270

VMCLI Commands to Access Virtual Media ............................................................................. 270

VMCLI Operating System Shell Options .................................................................................... 271

17 Managing vFlash SD Card..............................................................................272

Configuring vFlash SD Card..............................................................................................................272

Viewing vFlash SD Card Properties.............................................................................................272

Enabling or Disabling vFlash Functionality.................................................................................273

Initializing vFlash SD Card...........................................................................................................274

Getting the Last Status Using RACADM......................................................................................275

Managing vFlash Partitions............................................................................................................... 275

Creating an Empty Partition........................................................................................................276

Creating a Partition Using an Image File.................................................................................... 277

Formatting a Partition................................................................................................................. 278

Viewing Available Partitions........................................................................................................278

Modifying a Partition................................................................................................................... 279

Attaching or Detaching Partitions..............................................................................................280

Deleting Existing Partitions......................................................................................................... 281

Downloading Partition Contents................................................................................................281

Booting to a Partition..................................................................................................................282

18 Using SMCLP................................................................................................... 283

System Management Capabilities Using SMCLP.............................................................................283

Running SMCLP Commands............................................................................................................283

iDRAC SMCLP Syntax....................................................................................................................... 284

Navigating the MAP Address Space..................................................................................................287

Using Show Verb...............................................................................................................................287

Using the -display Option...........................................................................................................287

Using the -level Option.............................................................................................................. 288

Using the -output Option...........................................................................................................288

Usage Examples................................................................................................................................288

Server Power Management........................................................................................................288

SEL Management........................................................................................................................ 289

MAP Target Navigation................................................................................................................291

19 Using iDRAC Service Module....................................................................... 292

Installing iDRAC Service Module......................................................................................................292

Supported Operating Systems for iDRAC Service Module..............................................................292

iDRAC Service Module Monitoring Features................................................................................... 292

Operating System Information...................................................................................................293

Replicate Lifecycle Logs to OS Log............................................................................................293

Automatic System Recovery Options........................................................................................ 293

WMI Management Providers...................................................................................................... 293

Co-existence of OpenManage Server Administrator and iDRAC Service Module...................295

Using iDRAC Service Module From iDRAC Web Interface..............................................................295

Using iDRAC Service Module From RACADM..................................................................................295

20 Using USB Port for Server Management....................................................296

Accessing iDRAC Interface over Direct USB Connection...............................................................296

Configuring iDRAC Using Server Configuration Profile on USB Device.........................................297

Configuring USB Management Port Settings.............................................................................297

Importing Server Configuration Profile From USB Device .......................................................299

21 Using iDRAC Quick Sync...............................................................................302

Configuring iDRAC Quick Sync........................................................................................................303

Configuring iDRAC Quick Sync Settings Using Web Interface.................................................303

Configuring iDRAC Quick Sync Settings Using RACADM......................................................... 303

Configuring iDRAC Quick Sync Settings Using iDRAC Settings Utility.....................................303

Using Mobile Device to View iDRAC Information...........................................................................304

22 Deploying Operating Systems.....................................................................305

Deploying Operating System Using VMCLI .................................................................................... 305

Deploying Operating System Using Remote File Share..................................................................306

Managing Remote File Share......................................................................................................307

Configuring Remote File Share Using Web Interface............................................................... 308

Configuring Remote File Share Using RACADM........................................................................309

Deploying Operating System Using Virtual Media.......................................................................... 309

Installing Operating System From Multiple Disks...................................................................... 310

Deploying Embedded Operating System On SD Card....................................................................310

Enabling SD Module and Redundancy in BIOS..........................................................................310

23 Troubleshooting Managed System Using iDRAC..................................... 312

Using Diagnostic Console.................................................................................................................312

Scheduling Remote Automated Diagnostics............................................................................. 312

Scheduling Remote Automated Diagnostics Using RACADM...................................................313

Viewing Post Codes.......................................................................................................................... 314

Viewing Boot and Crash Capture Videos.........................................................................................314

Configuring Video Capture Settings...........................................................................................314

Viewing Logs......................................................................................................................................315

Viewing Last System Crash Screen...................................................................................................315

Viewing Front Panel Status............................................................................................................... 315

Viewing System Front Panel LCD Status.................................................................................... 315

Viewing System Front Panel LED Status.....................................................................................316

Hardware Trouble Indicators............................................................................................................316

Viewing System Health......................................................................................................................317

Generating Technical Support Report..............................................................................................317

Generating Technical Support Report Automatically................................................................318

Generating Technical Support Report Manually........................................................................319

Checking Server Status Screen for Error Messages.........................................................................321

Restarting iDRAC............................................................................................................................... 321

Resetting iDRAC Using iDRAC Web Interface............................................................................ 321

Resetting iDRAC Using RACADM................................................................................................321

Erasing System and User Data.......................................................................................................... 321

Resetting iDRAC to Factory Default Settings...................................................................................322

Resetting iDRAC to Factory Default Settings Using iDRAC Web Interface...............................322

Resetting iDRAC to Factory Default Settings Using iDRAC Settings Utility.............................. 322

24 Frequently Asked Questions........................................................................ 323

System Event Log..............................................................................................................................323

Network Security...............................................................................................................................323

Active Directory................................................................................................................................ 324

Single Sign-On.................................................................................................................................. 327

Smart Card Login..............................................................................................................................328

Virtual Console..................................................................................................................................328

Virtual Media......................................................................................................................................332

vFlash SD Card.................................................................................................................................. 334

SNMP Authentication........................................................................................................................335

Storage Devices................................................................................................................................ 335

iDRAC Service Module......................................................................................................................335

RACADM............................................................................................................................................ 337

Miscellaneous................................................................................................................................... 338

25 Use Case Scenarios........................................................................................ 341

Troubleshooting An Inaccessible Managed System........................................................................341

Obtaining System Information and Assess System Health............................................................. 342

Setting Up Alerts and Configuring Email Alerts............................................................................... 342

Viewing and Exporting Lifecycle Log and System Event Log......................................................... 342

Interfaces to Update iDRAC Firmware.............................................................................................342

Performing Graceful Shutdown....................................................................................................... 343

Creating New Administrator User Account..................................................................................... 343

Launching Server's Remote Console and Mounting a USB Drive.................................................. 343

Installing Bare Metal OS Using Attached Virtual Media and Remote File Share.............................343

Managing Rack Density.................................................................................................................... 344

Installing New Electronic License.................................................................................................... 344

Applying I/O Identity Configuration Settings for Multiple Network Cards in Single Host

System Reboot .................................................................................................................................344

Overview

The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) is designed to make server administrators more productive and improve the overall availability of Dell servers. iDRAC alerts administrators to server issues, helps them perform remote server management, and reduces the need for physical access to the server.

iDRAC with Lifecycle controller technology is part of a larger datacenter solution that helps keep business critical applications and workloads available at all times. The technology allows administrators to deploy, monitor, manage, configure, update, troubleshoot and remediate Dell servers from any location, and without the use of agents. It accomplishes this regardless of operating system or hypervisor presence or state.

Several products work in conjunction with the iDRAC and Lifecycle controller to simplify and streamline IT operations, such as:

• Dell Management plug-in for VMware vCenter

• Dell Repository Manager

• Dell Management Packs for Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) and Microsoft

System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

• BMC Bladelogic

• Dell OpenManage Essentials

• Dell OpenManage Power Center

The iDRAC is available in the following variants:

• Basic Management with IPMI (available by default for 200-500 series servers)

• iDRAC Express (available by default on all 600 and higher series of rack or tower servers, and all blade

servers)

• iDRAC Enterprise (available on all server models)

For more information, see the iDRAC Overview and Feature Guide available at dell.com/support/

manuals.

Benefits of Using iDRAC With Lifecycle Controller

The benefits include:

• Increased Availability — Early notification of potential or actual failures that help prevent a server

failure or reduce recovery time after failure.

• Improved Productivity and Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) — Extending the reach of

administrators to larger numbers of distant servers can make IT staff more productive while driving

down operational costs such as travel.

• Secure Environment — By providing secure access to remote servers, administrators can perform

critical management functions while maintaining server and network security.

• Enhanced Embedded Management through Lifecycle Controller – Lifecycle Controller provides

deployment and simplified serviceability through Lifecycle Controller GUI for local deployment and

Remote Services (WS-Management) interfaces for remote deployment integrated with Dell

OpenManage Essentials and partner consoles.

For more information on Lifecycle Controller GUI, see Lifecycle Controller User’s Guide and for remote services, see Lifecycle Controller Remote Services User’s Guide available at dell.com/support/manuals.

Key Features

The key features in iDRAC include:

NOTE: Some of the features are available only with iDRAC Enterprise license. For information on the features available for a license, see Managing Licenses.

Inventory and Monitoring

• View managed server health.

• Inventory and monitor network adapters and storage subsystem (PERC and direct attached storage)

without any operating system agents.

• View and export system inventory.

• View sensor information such as temperature, voltage, and intrusion.

• Monitor CPU state, processor automatic throttling, and predictive failure.

• View memory information.

• Monitor and control power usage.

• Support for SNMPv3 gets.

• For blade servers: launch Chassis Management Controller (CMC) Web interface, view CMC

information, and WWN/MAC addresses.

NOTE: CMC provides access to iDRAC through the M1000E Chassis LCD panel and local console connections. For more information, see Chassis Management Controller User’s Guide available at dell.com/support/manuals.

• View network interfaces available on host operating systems.

• View inventory and monitor information and configure basic iDRAC settings using iDRAC Quick Sync

feature and a mobile device.

Deployment

• Manage vFlash SD card partitions.

• Configure front panel display settings.

• Launch Lifecycle Controller, which allows you to configure and update BIOS and supported network

and storage adapters.

• Manage iDRAC network settings.

• Configure and use virtual console and virtual media.

• Deploy operating systems using remote file share, virtual media, and VMCLI.

• Enable auto-discovery.

• Perform server configuration using the export or import XML profile feature through RACADM and

WS-MAN. For more information, see the Lifecycle Controller Remote Services Quick Start Guide.

• Configure persistence policy for virtual addresses, initiator, and storage targets.

• Remotely configure storage devices attached to the system at run-time.

• Perform the following operations for storage devices:

– Physical disks: Assign or unassign physical disk as a global hot spare

– Virtual disks:

* Create virtual disks * Edit virtual disks cache policies * Check virtual disk consistency * Initialize virtual disks * Encrypt virtual disks * Assign or unassign dedicated hot spare * Delete virtual disks

– Controllers:

* Configure controller properties * Import or auto-import foreign configuration * Clear foreign configuration * Reset controller configuration * Create or change security keys

– PCIe SSD devices:

* Inventory and remotely monitor the health of PCIe SSD devices in the server. * Prepare the PCIe SSD to be removed

* Securely erase the data – Set the backplane mode (unified or split mode). – Blink or unblink component LEDs – Apply the device settings immediately, at next system reboot, at a scheduled time, or as a pending

operation to be applied as a batch as part of the single job.

Update

• Manage iDRAC licenses.

• Update BIOS and device firmware for devices supported by Lifecycle Controller

• Update or rollback iDRAC firmware and lifecycle controller firmware using a single firmware image.

• Manage staged updates.

• Backup and restore server profile

• Access iDRAC interface over direct USB connection.

• Configure iDRAC using Server Configuration Profiles on USB device.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

• Perform power related operations and monitor power consumption.

• Optimize system performance and power consumption by modifying the thermal settings.

• No dependency on Server Administrator for generation of alerts.

• Log event data: Lifecycle and RAC logs.

• Set email alerts, IPMI alerts, remote system logs, WS eventing logs, and SNMP traps (v1, v2c, and v3) for events and improved email alert notification.

• Capture last system crash image.

• View boot and crash capture videos.

• Out-of-band monitor and alert the performance index of CPU, memory, and I/O modules.

• Configure warning threshold for inlet temperature and power consumption.

• Use iDRAC Service Module to:

– View Operating System (OS) information – Replicate Lifecycle Controller logs to operating system logs – Automatic system recovery options – Populate Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) information – Integrate with Technical Support Report. This is applicable only if iDRAC Service Module Version

2.0 or later is installed. For more information, see Generating Tech Support Report.

– Integrate with NVMe Management for Prepare to Remove operation on a NVMe class PCIe SSD.

For more information, see Preparing to Remove PCIe SSD.

• Generate technical support report in the following ways:

– Automatic — Using iDRAC Service Module that automatically invokes the OS Collector tool. – Manual — Using OS Collector tool

Secure Connectivity

Securing access to critical network resources is a priority. iDRAC implements a range of security features that includes:

• Custom signing certificate for Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate.

• Signed firmware updates.

• User authentication through Microsoft Active Directory, generic Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Directory Service, or locally administered user IDs and passwords.

• Two-factor authentication using the Smart–Card logon feature. The two-factor authentication is based on the physical smart card and the smart card PIN.

• Single Sign-on and Public Key Authentication.

• Role-based authorization, to configure specific privileges for each user.

• SNMPv3 authentication for user accounts stored locally in the iDRAC. It is recommended to use this, but it is disabled by default.

• User ID and password configuration.

• Default login password modification.

• Set user passwords and BIOS passwords using one way hash format for improved security.

• SMCLP and Web interfaces that support 128-bit and 40-bit encryption (for countries where 128 bit is not acceptable), using the SSL 3.0 standard.

• Session time-out configuration (in seconds).

• Configurable IP ports (for HTTP, HTTPS, SSH, Telnet, Virtual Console, and Virtual Media).

NOTE: Telnet does not support SSL encryption and is disabled by default.

• Secure Shell (SSH) that uses an encrypted transport layer for higher security.

• Login failure limits per IP address, with login blocking from that IP address when the limit is exceeded.

• Limited IP address range for clients connecting to iDRAC.

• Dedicated Gigabit Ethernet adapter on rack or tower servers with Enterprise license.

New In This Release

• Set user passwords and BIOS passwords using one way hash format for improved security.

• Optimize system performance and power consumption by modifying the thermal settings.

• Update iDRAC and Lifecycle Controller firmware using a single firmware image.

• Update device firmware using TFTP or HTTP.

• Out-of-band monitor and alert the performance index of CPU, memory, and I/O modules.

• Configure warning threshold for inlet Temperature.

• Configure persistence policy for virtual addresses, initiator, and storage targets.

• View network interfaces available on host operating systems.

• Enable SNMPv3 authentication for a user to receive SNMP traps.

• Configure the SNMPv3 trap format.

• Set the warning threshold for power consumption.

• Remotely configure storage devices attached to the system at run-time.

• Perform the following operations for storage devices:

– Physical disks: Assign or unassign physical disk as a global hot spare – Virtual disks:

– Controllers:

* Configure controller properties * Import or auto-import foreign configuration * Clear foreign configuration * Reset controller configuration * Create or change security keys

– PCIe SSD devices:

* Inventory and remotely monitor the health of PCIe SSD devices in the server. * Prepare the PCIe SSD to be removed

operation to be applied as a batch as part of the single job.

• Use iDRAC Service Module to:

– Populate WMI information. – Integrate with Technical Support Report.

• Access iDRAC interface over direct USB connection.

• Configure iDRAC using configuration XML file on USB device.

• View inventory and monitor information and configure basic iDRAC settings using iDRAC Quick Sync feature and a mobile device.

• Configure video capture settings

• Generate technical support report in the following ways:

– Automatic — Using iDRAC Service Module that automatically invokes the OS Collector tool. – Manual — Using OS Collector tool

• Erase system and user data

• Six users can launch the Virtual Console at any point of time.

How To Use This User's Guide

The contents of this User's Guide enable you to perform the tasks by using:

• iDRAC Web interface — Only the task-related information is provided here. For information about the fields and options, see the iDRAC Online Help that you can access from the Web interface.

• RACADM — The RACADM command or the object that you must use is provided here. For more information, see the RACADM Command Line Reference Guide available at dell.com/support/ manuals.

• iDRAC Settings Utility — Only the task-related information is provided here. For information about the fields and options, see the iDRAC Settings Utility Online Help that you can access when you click Help in the iDRAC Settings GUI (press <F2> during boot, and then click iDRAC Settings on the System

Setup Main Menu page).

Supported Web Browsers

iDRAC is supported on the following browsers:

• Internet Explorer

• Mozilla Firefox

• Google Chrome

• Safari

For the list of versions, see the iDRAC8 Release Notes available at dell.com/support/manuals.

Managing Licenses

iDRAC features are available based on the purchased license (Basic Management, iDRAC Express, or iDRAC Enterprise). Only licensed features are available in the interfaces that allow you to configure or use iDRAC. For example, iDRAC Web interface, RACADM, WS-MAN, OpenManage Server Administrator, and so on. Some features, such as dedicated NIC or vFlash requires iDRAC ports card. This is optional on 200-500 series servers.

iDRAC license management and firmware update functionality is available through iDRAC Web interface and RACADM.

Types of Licenses

The types of licenses offered are:

• 30 day evaluation and extension — The license expires after 30 days and can be extended for 30 days. Evaluation licenses are duration based, and the timer runs when power is applied to the system.

• Perpetual — The license is bound to the service tag and is permanent.

Acquiring Licenses

Use any of the following methods to acquire the licenses:

• E-mail — License is attached to an email that is sent after requesting it from the technical support center.

• Self-service portal — A link to the Self-Service Portal is available from iDRAC. Click this link to open the licensing Self-Service Portal on the internet. Currently, you can use the License Self-Service Portal to retrieve licenses that were purchased with the server. You must contact the sales representative or technical support to buy a new or upgrade license. For more information, see the online help for the self-service portal page.

• Point-of-sale — License is acquired while placing the order for a system.

License Operations

Before you perform the license management tasks, make sure to acquire the licenses. For more information, see the Overview and Feature Guide available at dell.com/support/manuals.

NOTE: If you have purchased a system with all the licenses pre-installed, then license management is not required.

You can perform the following licensing operations using iDRAC, RACADM, WS-MAN, and Lifecycle Controller-Remote Services for one-to-one license management, and Dell License Manager for one-tomany license management:

• View — View the current license information.

• Import — After acquiring the license, store the license in a local storage and import it into iDRAC using one of the supported interfaces. The license is imported if it passes the validation checks.

NOTE: For a few features, a system restart is required to enable the features.

• Export — Export the installed license into an external storage device for backup or to reinstall it again after a part or motherboard replacement. The file name and format of the exported license is <EntitlementID>.xml.

• Delete — Delete the license that is assigned to a component if the component is missing. After the license is deleted, it is not stored in iDRAC and the base product functions are enabled.

• Replace — Replace the license to extend an evaluation license, change a license type such as an evaluation license with a purchased license, or extend an expired license.

– An evaluation license may be replaced with an upgraded evaluation license or with a purchased

license.

– A purchased license may be replaced with an updated license or with an upgraded license.

• Learn More — Learn more about an installed license, or the licenses available for a component installed in the server.

NOTE: For the Learn More option to display the correct page, make sure that *.dell.com is added to the list of Trusted Sites in the Security Settings. For more information, see the Internet Explorer help documentation.

For one-to-many license deployment, you can use Dell License Manager. For more information, see the

Dell License Manager User’s Guide available at dell.com/support/manuals.

Importing License After Replacing Motherboard

You can use the Local iDRAC Enterprise License Installation Tool if you have recently replaced the motherboard and need to reinstall the iDRAC Enterprise license locally (with no network connectivity) and activate the dedicated NIC. This utility installs a 30-day trial iDRAC Enterprise license and allows you to reset the iDRAC to change from shared NIC to dedicated NIC.

For more information about this utility and to download this tool, click here.

License Component State or Condition and Available Operations

The following table provides the list of license operations available based on the license state or condition.

Table 1. License Operations Based on State and Condition

License/ Component state or condition

Nonadministrator login

Active license Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Expired license No Yes Yes Yes Yes

License installed but component missing

NOTE: In the iDRAC Web interface, on the Licenses page, expand the device to view the Replace option in the drop-down menu.

Import Export Delete Replace Learn More

No No No No Yes

No Yes Yes No Yes

Managing Licenses Using iDRAC Web Interface

To manage the licenses using the iDRAC Web interface, go to Overview → Server → Licenses . The Licensing page displays the licenses that are associated to devices, or the licenses that are installed

but the device is not present in the system. For more information on importing, exporting, deleting, or replacing a license, see the iDRAC Online Help.

Managing Licenses Using RACADM

To manage licenses using RACADM, use the license subcommand. For more information, see the iDRAC8 RACADM Command Line Interface Reference Guide available at dell.com/support/manuals.

Licensable Features In iDRAC8

The following table provides the iDRAC8 features that are enabled based on the license purchased.

Feature iDRAC8 Basic iDRAC8 Express iDRAC8 Express

for Blades

Interfaces / Standards

IPMI 2.0 Yes Yes Yes Yes

DCMI 1.5 Yes Yes Yes Yes

iDRAC8 Enterprise

Feature iDRAC8 Basic iDRAC8 Express iDRAC8 Express

iDRAC8 Enterprise

for Blades

Web-based GUI Yes Yes Yes Yes

Racadm command line

Yes Yes Yes Yes

(local/remote)

SMASH-CLP (SSH-only) Yes Yes Yes Yes

Telnet Yes Yes Yes Yes

SSH Yes Yes Yes Yes

WSMAN Yes Yes Yes Yes

Network Time Protocol No Yes Yes Yes

Connectivity

Shared NIC Yes Yes N/A Yes

Dedicated NIC

Yes Yes Yes Yes

VLAN tagging Yes Yes Yes Yes

IPv4 Yes Yes Yes Yes

IPv6 Yes Yes Yes Yes

DHCP Yes Yes Yes Yes

Dynamic DNS Yes Yes Yes Yes

OS pass-through Yes Yes Yes Yes

Front panel USB Yes Yes Yes Yes

Security

Role-based authority Yes Yes Yes Yes

Local users Yes Yes Yes Yes

SSL encryption Yes Yes Yes Yes

IP blocking No Yes Yes Yes

Directory services (AD,

No No No Yes

LDAP)

Two-factor

No No No Yes

authentication

Feature iDRAC8 Basic iDRAC8 Express iDRAC8 Express

iDRAC8 Enterprise

for Blades

Single sign-on No No No Yes

PK authentication No Yes Yes Yes

Remote Presence

Power control Yes Yes Yes Yes

Boot control Yes Yes Yes Yes

Serial-over-LAN Yes Yes Yes Yes

Virtual Media No No Yes Yes

Virtual Folders No No No Yes

Remote File Share No No No Yes

Virtual Console No No Yes Yes

VNC connection to OS No No No Yes

Quality/bandwidth

No No No Yes

control

Virtual Console

No No Yes Yes

collaboration (6 users)

Virtual Console chat No No No Yes

Virtual Flash partitions No No No Yes

Power and Thermal

Real-time power meter Yes Yes Yes Yes

Power thresholds & alerts No Yes Yes Yes

Real-time power

No Yes Yes Yes

graphing

Historical power counters No Yes Yes Yes

Power capping No No No Yes

Power Center integration No No No Yes

Temperature monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes

2,3

Temperature graphing No Yes Yes Yes

Feature iDRAC8 Basic iDRAC8 Express iDRAC8 Express

for Blades

Health Monitoring

iDRAC8 Enterprise

Full agent-free monitoring

Predictive failure monitoring

SNMPv1, v2, and v3 (traps and gets)

Email Alerting No Yes Yes Yes

Configurable thresholds Yes Yes Yes Yes

Fan monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes

Power Supply monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes

Memory monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes

CPU monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes

RAID monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes

NIC monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes

HD monitoring (enclosure)

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Out of Band Performance Monitoring

Update

Remote agent-free update

Embedded update tools Yes Yes Yes Yes

Sync with repository (scheduled updates)

Auto-update No No No Yes

Deployment and Configuration

Embedded OS deployment tools

No No No Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes

No No No Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Feature iDRAC8 Basic iDRAC8 Express iDRAC8 Express

Embedded configuration tools

Auto-Discovery No Yes Yes Yes

Remote OS deployment No Yes Yes Yes

Embedded driver pack Yes Yes Yes Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes

for Blades

iDRAC8 Enterprise

Full configuration inventory

Inventory export Yes Yes Yes Yes

Remote configuration Yes Yes Yes Yes

Zerotouch configuration No No No Yes

System Retire/Repurpose Yes Yes Yes Yes

Diagnostics, Service, and Logging

Embedded diagnostic tools

Part Replacement No Yes Yes Yes

Server Configuration Backup

Server Configuration Restore

Easy Restore (system configuration)

Yes Yes Yes Yes

No No No Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Health LED / LCD Yes Yes Yes Yes

Quick Sync (require NFC bezel)

iDRAC Direct (front USB management port)

iDRAC Service Module (iSM)

Embedded Tech Support Report

Yes Yes N/A Yes

Yes Yes Yes Yes

Feature iDRAC8 Basic iDRAC8 Express iDRAC8 Express

for Blades

Crash screen capture No Yes Yes Yes

Crash video capture No No No Yes

Boot capture No No No Yes

Manual reset for iDRAC Yes Yes Yes Yes

Virtual NMI Yes Yes Yes Yes

OS watchdog Yes Yes Yes Yes

Embedded Health Report Yes Yes Yes Yes

System Event Log Yes Yes Yes Yes

Lifecycle Log Yes Yes Yes Yes

Work notes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Remote Syslog No No No Yes

License management Yes Yes Yes Yes

iDRAC8 Enterprise

[1] Not available with blade servers.

[2] 500 series and lower rack and tower servers require a hardware card to enable this feature; this hardware is offered at additional cost.

[3] Requires vFlash SD card media.

Interfaces and Protocols to Access iDRAC

The following table lists the interfaces to access iDRAC.

NOTE: Using more than one interface at the same time may generate unexpected results.

Table 2. Interfaces and Protocols to Access iDRAC

Interface or Protocol

iDRAC Settings Utility

iDRAC Web Interface

Description

Use the iDRAC Settings utility to perform pre-OS operations. It has a subset of the features that are available in iDRAC Web interface along with other features.

To access iDRAC Settings utility, press <F2> during boot and then click iDRAC Settings on the System Setup Main Menu page.

Use the iDRAC Web interface to manage iDRAC and monitor the managed system. The browser connects to the Web server through the HTTPS port. Data streams

Interface or Protocol

RACADM Use this command line utility to perform iDRAC and server management. You can

Description

are encrypted using 128-bit SSL to provide privacy and integrity. Any connection to the HTTP port is redirected to HTTPS. Administrators can upload their own SSL certificate through an SSL CSR generation process to secure the Web server. The default HTTP and HTTPS ports can be changed. The user access is based on user privileges.

use RACADM locally and remotely.

• Local RACADM command line interface runs on the managed systems that have Server Administrator installed. Local RACADM communicates with iDRAC through its in-band IPMI host interface. Since it is installed on the local managed system, users are required to log in to the operating system to run this utility. A user must have a full administrator privilege or be a root user to use this utility.

• Remote RACADM is a client utility that runs on a management station. It uses the out-of-band network interface to run RACADM commands on the managed system and uses the HTTPs channel. The –r option runs the RACADM command over a network.

• Firmware RACADM is accessible by logging in to iDRAC using SSH or telnet. You can run the firmware RACADM commands without specifying the iDRAC IP, user name, or password.

• You do not have to specify the iDRAC IP, user name, or password to run the firmware RACADM commands. After you enter the RACADM prompt, you can directly run the commands without the racadm prefix.

Server LCD Panel/ Chassis LCD Panel

CMC Web Interface

Lifecycle Controller Use Lifecycle Controller to perform iDRAC configurations. To access Lifecycle

Use the LCD on the server front panel to:

• View alerts, iDRAC IP or MAC address, user programmable strings.

• Set DHCP

• Configure iDRAC static IP settings.

For blade servers, the LCD is on the chassis front panel and is shared between all the blades.

To reset iDRAC without rebooting the server, press and hold the System Identification button for 16 seconds.

In addition to monitoring and managing the chassis, use the CMC Web interface to:

• View the status of a managed system

• Update iDRAC firmware

• Configure iDRAC network settings

• Log in to iDRAC Web interface

• Start, stop, or reset the managed system

• Update BIOS, PERC, and supported network adapters

Controller, press <F10> during boot and go to System Setup → Advanced

Hardware Configuration Controller User’s Guide available at dell.com/support/manuals.

→ iDRAC Settings. For more information, see Lifecycle

Telnet Use Telnet to access iDRAC where you can run RACADM and SMCLP commands.

For details about RACADM, see iDRAC8 RACADM Command Line Interface

Interface or Protocol

SSH Use SSH to run RACADM and SMCLP commands. It provides the same capabilities

IPMITool Use the IPMITool to access the remote system’s basic management features

VMCLI Use the Virtual Media Command Line Interface (VMCLI) to access a remote media

Description

Reference Guide available at dell.com/support/manuals. For details about SMCLP, see Using SMCLP.

NOTE: Telnet is not a secure protocol and is disabled by default. Telnet transmits all data, including passwords in plain text. When transmitting sensitive information, use the SSH interface.

as the Telnet console using an encrypted transport layer for higher security. The SSH service is enabled by default on iDRAC. The SSH service can be disabled in iDRAC. iDRAC only supports SSH version 2 with DSA and the RSA host key algorithm. A unique 1024-bit DSA and 1024-bit RSA host key is generated when you power-up iDRAC for the first time.

through iDRAC. The interface includes local IPMI, IPMI over LAN, IPMI over Serial, and Serial over LAN. For more information on IPMITool, see the Dell OpenManage

Baseboard Management Controller Utilities User’s Guide at dell.com/support/ manuals.

NOTE: IPMI version 1.5 is not supported.

through the management station and deploy operating systems on multiple managed systems.

SMCLP Use Server Management Workgroup Server Management-Command Line Protocol

(SMCLP) to perform systems management tasks. This is available through SSH or Telnet. For more information about SMCLP, see Using SMCLP.

WS-MAN The LC-Remote Services is based on the WS-Management protocol to do one-to-

many systems management tasks. You must use WS-MAN client such as WinRM client (Windows) or the OpenWSMAN client (Linux) to use the LC-Remote Services functionality. You can also use Power Shell and Python to script to the WS-MAN interface.

Web Services for Management (WS-Management) is a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)–based protocol used for systems management. iDRAC uses WS– Management to convey Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) Common Information Model (CIM)–based management information. The CIM information defines the semantics and information types that can be modified in a managed system. The data available through WS-Management is provided by iDRAC instrumentation interface mapped to the DMTF profiles and extension profiles.

For more information, see the following:

• Lifecycle Controller-Remote Services User’s Guide available at dell.com/ support/manuals.

• Lifecycle Controller Integration Best Practices Guide available at dell.com/ support/manuals.

• Lifecycle Controller page on Dell TechCenter — delltechcenter.com/page/

Lifecycle+Controller

• Lifecycle Controller WS-Management Script Center — delltechcenter.com/ page/Scripting+the+Dell+Lifecycle+Controller

• MOFs and Profiles — delltechcenter.com/page/DCIM.Library

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