Baseboard Management Controller (BMC)¶
Latest generation of servers (e.g. rp3410/rp3440) and workstations (e.g. C8000) have a BMC (baseboard management controller) that is active when the system is powered.
Note
Please note that most older parisc machines don’t have a BMC, but instead a GSP, see Guardian Service Processor.
How to access the C8000 workstation¶
When attached to the serial console, you can press ESC ( and you will be able to interact with the BMC:
ESC (
cli>help
CLI Commands:
C [<passwordstring>] - Change Password
CON - Display Console selection
FPL - Read Forward Progress Log
H - Help (this text)
I <ipmi command data> - Send any IPMI message
req fmt: rsSA netfnlun chk1 rqSWID rqSeq cmd [data] chk2
resp fmt: rqSWID netfnlun chk3 rsSa rqSeqrsLun cmd ccode [data] chk4
INFO - Display BMC FW Revision
IPMI <ipmi command data> - Send any IPMI message
req fmt: netfnlun cmd [data]
resp fmt: ccode [data]
P [0,1] - Power Control
Q - Quit/Logout
RS [s] - Reset System [and switch to sys console]
SD - Read SDR Repository
SE - Read System Event Log
TOC [s] - Send an INIT/TOC [and switch to sys console]
cli>
This most useful for being able to remotely reboot (RS command) and power on/off (P command) the system. Pressing ESC ) “reconnects” one to the system’s serial console.
The C8000 supports IPMI, and presumably a lot of these same things can be done over the built-in e1000 LAN interface once configured.
Thanks to Matt Turner <mattst88@gmail.com> for above info.
How to access rp3410/rp3440 iLO¶
Use telnet to connect to the BMC, which is called iLO (integrated Lights Out). You may use this iLO MP (HP Integrity) Advanced License Key: 32Q8Y-XZVGQ-4SGJB-4KY3R-M9ZBN which allows you to configure SSH and Web-SSL access, sadly only with today outdated cyphers, which are due to security issues not any longer supported by todays browsers or ssh clients.
DB25 to 3x DB9 serial console/ups/remote cable¶
Some HP servers use a 25 pin female connector for BMC. This port shares three ports: The serial console, a remote port and a UPS port. Often these cables are missing, so here’s the pinout if you want to make one.
DB25 Pin |
DB9 Cable |
DB9 Pin |
Name |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
|||
2 |
Console |
3 |
TXD |
3 |
Console |
2 |
RXD |
4 |
Console |
7 |
RTS |
5 |
Console |
8 |
CTS |
6 |
UPS |
6 |
DSR |
7 |
Console |
5 |
GND |
8 |
UPS |
1 |
DCD |
9 |
Remote |
3 |
TXD |
10 |
Remote |
7 |
RTS |
11 |
Remote |
4 |
DTR |
12 |
Remote |
2 |
RXD |
13 |
Remote |
8 |
CTS |
14 |
UPS |
3 |
TXD |
15 |
UPS |
7 |
RTS |
16 |
UPS |
5 |
GND |
17 |
UPS |
2 |
RXD |
18 |
UPS |
8 |
CTS |
19 |
|||
20 |
UPS |
4 |
DTR |
21 |
Remote |
5 |
GND |
22 |
UPS |
9 |
RI |
23 |
Remote |
1 |
DCD |
24 |
Remote |
6 |
DSR |
25 |
Remote |
9 |
RI |
Reading IPMI data in Linux¶
When running Linux, you may use the ipmitool command to read IMPI data out of the BMC:
root@c8000:~# ipmitool sdr
Chassis Intrus | 0x00 | ok
Chassis Open | 0x00 | ok
Power Button | 0x00 | ok
Power Button | 0x00 | ok
Clear CMOS Jmpr | 0x00 | ok
Safe Mode Jmpr | 0x00 | ok
Clr Passwd Jmpr | 0x00 | ok
Rsvd Jmpr | Not Readable | ns
Rsvd2 Jmpr | Not Readable | ns
Watchdog Timer | Not Readable | ns
Cooling 2 (CPU) | 0x01 | ok
Cooling 3 (Mem) | 0x01 | ok
Cooling 4 (Disk) | 0x01 | ok
Wake-on-LAN | Not Readable | ns
Missing Device | Not Readable | ns
Power Supply | 0x01 | ok
Power Control | 0x01 | ok
Pwr Pod 0 Fault | 0x00 | ok
Pwr Pod 1 Fault | 0x00 | ok
Battery Voltage | 0x00 | ok
Over-Voltage | 0x00 | ok
Power Good | 0x00 | ok
Ambient Temp | 17 degrees C | ok
Processor 0 Temp | 76 degrees C | ok
Processor 1 Temp | 78 degrees C | ok
Chassis Fan Tach | disabled | ns
CPU0 Fan Tach | disabled | ns
CPU1 Fan Tach | disabled | ns
Memory Fan Tach | disabled | ns
Disk Fan Tach | disabled | ns
Chassis Fan | 0x00 | ok
CPU0 Fan | 0x00 | ok
CPU1 Fan | 0x00 | ok
Memory Fan | 0x00 | ok
Disk Fan | 0x00 | ok
ACPI State | 0x01 | ok
TOC Interrupt | 0x00 | ok
SDR Time Set | 0x00 | ok
SEL Time Set | 0x00 | ok
Intrnl Watchdog | Not Readable | ns
In Lpv00338_rx2600_zx6000.pdf you can find a chapter with a
broader description of the BMC.