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SYSTEM ARCHITECTUREcontrollers reduce server CPU usage by offloading system pollingfrom the CPU.The BMC contains nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM) storage for theSEL, sensor data records (SDRs), and asset information. The SDRarea describes sensors that may be connected to the system. Itstores information such as the sensor name, location, and thresholds.The BMC also is responsible for sending and handling events.These events can be thresholds that have been exceeded or triggerssuch as chassis intrusion. Actions to handle the events can includelogging, power cycling, or issuing an SNMP trap (IPMI 1.5 only).Several tools can be used for querying IPMI information on asystem. The OpenIPMI project is an open source initiative todevelop a suite of IPMI management utilities. It currently addressesonly Linux ® operating systems but may soon become availablefor other platforms. Intel has provided a set of reference IPMIdrivers for Microsoft ® Windows ® , Novell ® NetWare ® , and UnixWare ®operating systems.Integrating IPMI into Dell PowerEdge serversAs one of the four original IPMI promoters, Dell is committed tousing IPMI as its management interface for the Dell PowerEdge server line. Most of the current sixth-generation PowerEdgeservers—the 1650, 2600, 2650, 6600, and 6650 models—supportthe IPMI 1.0 specification. The PowerEdge 1750, 3250, 7150, and8450 also support IPMI. Dell OpenManage Server Assistant agentsuse IPMI to query server health, retrieve event logs, and performpower-control operations. The Dell Embedded Remote Assistant(ERA) and DRAC III cards communicate with a PowerEdge serverthrough the IPMB. Dell plans to support IPMI 1.5 in futureseventh- and eighth-generation PowerEdge servers.through the network or a modem. The advantage of this featureis that no agents are required on the remote system. Existingtools that already use IPMI can be easily modified to support thenew transport methods, because the message interface remainsthe same. The LAN transport uses the Remote ManagementControl Protocol (RMCP), which employs User Datagram Protocol(UDP) datagrams. The server also can automatically sendevent notifications either through the serial or LAN port as SNMPtraps, or to a pager.The IPMI 1.5 specification has added features for controlling thesystem boot order. This allows the remote system to boot to a utilitypartition or to boot through the Preboot Execution Environment(PXE). Another new feature is terminal mode, which provides aremote text-mode console that can be used for viewing the BIOSconfiguration screen or server crash dump.Furthermore, the IPMI 2.0 specification is currently under review.This version adds enhanced features for authenticating and encryptingthe LAN/serial connection.A new framework for cross-platform systems managementIPMI is an important step in the evolution of server management.It is available in a wide range of server and system platforms andcan help reduce total cost of ownership by providing a consistentinterface across systems. The large set of common commands andthe ability to manage a failed system remotely can provide powerfultools for IT administrators.Jordan Hargrave (jordan_hargrave@dell.com) is a senior software engineer at Dell. He hasa bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University.The future of IPMIDevelopment of the IPMI specification is ongoing. The IPMI 1.5specification, the latest approved specification, adds support foraccessing the BMC through the serial port or a local area network(LAN). The LAN and serial connectors can be either dedicated tothe BMC or multiplexed with the system connectors. This featureallows a server to be completely controlled from a remote systemFOR MORE INFORMATIONIntelligent Platform Management Interface:http://developer.intel.com/design/servers/ipmiOpenIPMI project:http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/openipmiSince 1999, Dell Power Solutions has been a forumfor discovering solutions in the emerging and everchangingIT landscape. The Dell Power SolutionsWeb site guides you through past and presentissues of the magazine. Search for articles, discoverupcoming topics, or subscribe online.ExploreDell Power SolutionsOnlineHTTP://WWW.DELL.COM/POWERSOLUTIONSwww.dell.com/powersolutions POWER SOLUTIONS 87