View Source: iLoIpmiComparison

Note: This page has been locked and cannot be edited.
!!!iLO vs. IPMI
!Remote Server Management
! Phil Hollenback, www.hollenback.net

!!Intro

* *IPMI*: _Intelligent Platform Management Interface_
  * Standard interface developed by Intel
  * Supported on servers from many vendors
  * This support is often in the form of a separate card attached to motherboard
    * Add-on at time of system purchase
  * Current Version is 2.0, which differs significantly from old (and installed everywhere) v1.5

* *iLO*: _Integrated Lights Out_
  * Developed by Compaq many years ago, then enhanced by HP
  * Standard on all 200- and 300- series Proliant Servers
  * Current version is 1.89

* Both
  * Separate management processor inside the system
  * As long as system is connected to power this management processor is alive
    * In IPMI this is called the _Baseboard Management Controller_ or BMC
  * Allow remote access when system is turned off or crashed

!!Setup

* *iLO*
  * BIOS for basics of net connectivity and access
  * Web Interface for everything else
    * Requires Java on the client

* *IPMI*: varies by vendor.
  * Typically basic setup performed in BIOS similar to iLO
    * network
    * admin user / password
  * Further config via IPMI interface on local machine or on the net
    * In linux all access is via [IPMITool|http://ipmitool.sourceforge.net]

!!Security

* Users
  * *iLO*
    * users can be managed in bios
    * users can be managed in web interface (iLO has built-in web server)
    * Can authenticate users via your LDAP server.
  * *IPMI*
    * Admin user can be configured in bios
    * Use =ipmitool= to add/manage additional users (if needed)
    * No built-in web browser
    * Some vendors (~SuperMicro) have added their own proprietary web interfaces

* Encryption
  * *iLO*
    * Web interface is via https
    * SSH is enabled by default and user keys can be stored in the iLO.
  * *IPMI*
    * No encryption in v1.5 (big installed base of servers)
    * SSL, etc. in v2.0

!!Network Model

* Old iLO requires separate physical network port on system
* IPMI and new iLO share primary ethernet with first ethernet port
  * Only first ethernet port
    * Can be a problem if your network driver swaps the port order
* Both have a separate MAC and IP address on shared port setup
* IPMI v2.0 and recent iLO support vlans
  * Segregate server management traffic

!!Server Power Control

Management controller can change power state of system
* hard power down (remove power to system)
* soft reset (simulate overtemp in ACPI to force system to do an OS shutdown (iLO only)
* hard reset (interrupt power to system)
* power on

Both examples performed from another system with network connectivity to test machine:

!iLO
<verbatim>
$ ssh server-ilo-address
... enter password...
</>hpiLO-> power
power: server power is currently: On

</>hpiLO-> power warm
... warm reboot of system...
</verbatim>

!IPMI
<verbatim>
$ ipmitool -I lan -H server-ipmi-address -U admin -a chassis power soft
</verbatim>

* You can flash the system status led too
  * So you can direct someone to find a machine in a rack of similar systems

!!Remote Console

* *iLO*: Ready out of the box
    * ssh to iLO address and run command =remcons=
    * or use java app in web interface
* You get the exact system console (text only), including bios
  * Have to configure OS to use text console also
    * In Linux add <code>console=ttyS1,115200n8 console=tty0</code>

* *IPMI*
  * Not official part of v1.5 standard
  * _Serial Over Lan_ is supposed to redirect serial console to a proxy server
  * Proxy server has to be running on a different system
    * [Dell proxy server for Linux|http://lists.us.dell.com/pipermail/linux-poweredge/2005-December/023974.html]
    * Then you can telnet to port 623 of that system and it translates the console display from IPMI on other server
    * Upgly hack and I've never seen it work!
  * Supposedly v2.0 defines a standard console
  * Vendors such as ~SuperMicro use java and a web server similar to iLO, but not standardized either

!! Sensors

* *iLO*
  * Can't see current fan, cpu readings
  * Will alert over snmp or in event log if values go out of spec
  * Will auto-shutdown on thermal failure

* *IPMI*
  * Direct Access to sensors:
<verbatim>
$ ipmitool -I lan -H server-ipmi-address -U admin sensor get "Ambient Temp"
Password: ...enter bmc admin user password...
 Sensor ID              : Ambient Temp (0x8)
 Entity ID             : 7.1
 Sensor Type (Analog)  : Temperature
 Sensor Reading        : 21 (+/- -124) degrees C
 Status                : ok
 Lower Non-Recoverable : na
 Lower Critical        : 3.000
 Lower Non-Critical    : 8.000
 Upper Non-Critical    : 42.000
 Upper Critical        : 47.000
 Upper Non-Recoverable : na
</verbatim>

!!Other Alternatives

! Serial Console Server

* Very reliable
* Lots of extra cabling
* Additonal hardware (console server) required
* Serial port settings are fiddly
* But very powerful with [conserver|http://www.conserver.com]

! VNC / Remote Desktop

* Only works at OS level
* Gives graphical interface
* Lots of network traffic

!!Conclusion

* IPMI is the way of the future
* iLO is being replaced by more powerful iLO 2 (which also uses IPMI) on new servers
* Server systems will probably all converge on IPMI 3 or something.

!! Further Reading

* iLO at HP: http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/ilo/index.html
* IPMI Spec: http://developer.intel.com/design/servers/ipmi/
* IPMITool for Linux: http://ipmitool.sourceforge.net
* Conserver: http://www.conserver.com
* Dell proxy server for Linux: http://lists.us.dell.com/pipermail/linux-poweredge/2005-December/023974.html
* Managing Dell Servers with IPMI: http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q04-20040204-Murphy.pdf
* Optimizing Console Redirection: http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/power/ps4q05-20040205-Hoke-OE.pdf
* This Page: http://www.hollenback.net/index.php/iLoIpmiComparison
View Source: iLoIpmiComparison

Main Categories

Search

Toolbox

RecentChanges

Favorite Categories

Views
