freebsd-stable Digest, Vol 120, Issue 5

[Julian Elischer]

>>has anyone used IPMI (BMC) with x346 and FreeBSD successful?
>>> Today i've configured with bmc_cfg.exe all BMC options and when server
>>> is in DOS mode i can log in to it and reboot it. But when FBSD stand
>>> up connection to BMC is lost.
>>> In IBM help desk some technicans told me: "BMC works only on linux and
>>> windows because on BSD IBM can't earn money". But i don't belive it,
>>> i've searched google for IPMI for FBSD and found two projects:
>>> 1. http://sourceforge.net/projects/ipmi-bsd/ - but it stopped in July 18, 2002.
>>> 2. http://www.gnu.org/software/freeipmi/ - it looks like it stopped in
>>> 2004-10-25.
>>> 
>>> Or mabye there are some other project? If anybody of you uses IPMI on
>>> FBSD please share your knowledge.
>>>
>>    
>>
> Sorry, I can't help you with IPMI on FreeBSD, but ...
>
>Sorry, I can't help you with IPMI on FreeBSD, but ...
>  
>

I have run the openIPMI code on freeBSD with success.
But only on the Intell servers.

The intel servers use a versin of the intel ethernet chips that
have a back door into them specifically for the BMC to use
and work pretty much regardless of whether the OS is using them or not.

The broadcom chips as used in the x386 don't seem to have this and if 
the OS resets
the chip the BMC loses access to it. What is needed is some way to tell 
the bge (I think
it is the gig version, if not the bfe) driver to leave the chip alone if 
it finds it.

one clue may be see if it's the probe that does it or does it just stop 
working when you
ifconfig the interface?

>>> Or mabye there is something else which can help me if system hangs to
>>> reboot machine.
>>> 
>>    
>>
>Of course there are other methods of accessing the box if it has a problem.
>Take an old fashioned console server. Deactivate the IPMI stuff in your 
>xSeries and search in the BIOS for redirecting the BIOS to serial Port.
>Actually you can do everything with a good console server from remote 
>(I'd suggest cyclades console servers).
>Additionally you can connect a Power Switch to the console server on one 
>side and on the other the xSeries to this manageble power strip.
>I used the cyclades console server + cyclades power strip and can do an 
>easy ssh to the serial port of the server. If the server crashes _hard_ 
>I can do a CTRL+p on the console and get a power management menu.
>Then I just say Power Off and Power On and off the server goes :)
>
>So... why IPMI ?
>  
>


IPMI lets you power down the server too.
the IPM servers with the broadcom chips are however a
problem that has yet to be solved.  Linux somehow knows not to reset the 
device
but I have not looked into how it knows this.


>hope that helps a bit ;)
>- Marian
>