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SVx41HDI Series Server Remote Control: Instruction Guide
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Appendix D: The IPMI Upgrade Option
Background
To offer a more complete remote server control solution, the SVx41HDI offers an optional
power management feature that allows remote hardware restarts and the ability to power the a
managed computer on and off. You may be able to take advantage of this feature if the computer
you are managing supports IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface). Note that only
one managed computer can use this feature at any one time.
Managed Computer Requirements
The managed computer must support the IPMI standard version 1.5 to use this option. Most
popular server motherboards now support the IPMI standard. To determine if your computer
supports this IPMI, consult its documentation for more information.
IPMI is used to configure and control a device on the motherboard called the BMC (Baseboard
Management Controller) using a dedicated serial port. Once the computer is configured for
IPMI management, the serial port on the managed computer is normally reserved by the BIOS
solely for that purpose and cannot be accessed or recognized by the operating system. It is
therefore unlikely that a serial port provided by an add-in card will be able to act as an IPMI port,
so you must use a serial port integrated on the motherboard of the managed computer. If the
computer you are managing only has a single serial port, you must add an additional port (or
ports) via an add-in card if you need a serial port for other purposes (i.e. modem). Enabling
IPMI support usually requires enabling options in the managed computer’s BIOS setup software,
and the instructions will vary considerably from make to make and model to model. Normally, a
password will be created by the BIOS that allows the IPMI feature to be accessed; this password
is exclusive to the IPMI feature and does not correspond to a password or account in the
managed computer’s operating system.
If the Managed Computer Does Not Support IPMI
If the managed computer you wish to monitor with the SVx41HDI does not support IPMI,
StarTech.com offers a non-IPMI solution that also works via serial port and acts as a power
concentrator and a power management device: the 8 Outlet Serial Power Console and Switch
(PM815NAS). For more information about this product, visit www.startech.com or contact
your local StarTech.com dealer.