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Working from Home? Use IPMI

Updated: May 5

SANBlaze 1U servers have an integrated IPMI controller that gives users great flexibility when working remotely. This allows for the system to be Powered OFF, ON and Reset remotely. It can also give you access to the VGA console and the serial port with a few minor tweaks to the default SANBlaze boot settings.




Here are the steps to connect and use the IPMI controller on the SANBlaze system.


1) Ensure that you have the required resources:

  • Full access to the SANBlaze system that needs to be controlled

  • Access to another Linux system or a PC to run the IPMI session from

2) Verify the IPMI configuration

  • Login/SSH into the SANBlaze system

  • Enter the following command: IPMICFG-Linux.x86_64 -m Example output:

  • IP=192.168.100.115 (IP address of the IPMI interface)

  • MAC=AC:1F:6B:4C:9B:7F (MAC address of the interface)

  • Set your desired IPMI Password

Note: As of 5/18/20 SANBlaze has set the password to SANBlaze! at the factory. Prior to this the password was the Supermicro default ADMIN. To set the IPMI password:

IPMICFG-Linux.x86_64 -user setpwd 2 SANBlaze!

3) Configure the system to enable serial port access from IPMI controller:

Note: only needed if you want to connect to the serial port for debug purposes.

  • Login/SSH into the SANBlaze system

  • Make the following changes to /etc/grub2.cfg AND /etc/grub.conf using your favorite editor:

Replace ttyS0 with ttyS1

Replace 19200 with 115200

  • Save the files and reboot the system

4) Run IPMI from a Linux system

  • You will now need to log into a different Linux system to start the IPMI session to the SANBlaze system you need to monitor

  • Login to the second Linux system

  • To connect to the IPMI controller enter the command below:

ssh -l ADMIN 192.168.100.115 (password is what was set above)


  • To Power OFF, ON, and Reset use the following commands.

stop /system1/pwrmgtsvc1

start /system1/pwrmgtsvc1

reset /system1/pwrmgtsvc1


To Enable the Serial over LAN connection

For connecting to the Serial port, you can use the IPMI tool from the separate Linux host.


1) Login to the second Linux system

ipmitool -I lanplus -H 192.168.100.115 -U ADMIN -P SANBlaze! sol activate

Supported escape sequences:

~. - terminate connection

~^Z - suspend ipmitool

~^X - suspend ipmitool, but don't restore tty on restart

~B - send break

~? - this message

~~ - send the escape character by typing it twice

(Note that escapes are only recognized immediately after newline.)

vlun-x11-155 login:

Login as root/SANBlaze 2. Set the logging level to see debug information by entering the following command:

echo 7 > /proc/sys/kernel/printk

Using the IPMI Controller from a Windows PC

There are two options.

  1. Using the web browser.

  • Enter the IP address from the “IPMICFG-Linux.x86_64 -m” command above into the Web browser.


  • After logging in you will be presented with this screen.



As you can see from above, you have options to Power On, Power Down, and Reset on this page.


If you click in the Console Preview you will be prompted to download launch.jnlp a Java Applet that, when opened, will give you access to the console.



2) The other option is to download the IPMI tool from the supermicro web site


  • Install the IPMI package.


  • Launch the application.


  • Discover/scan for devices by entering the range of IP addresses to scan for.

  • Add devices to the IPMI Domain.

  • Select the IPMI address.

  • Login ADMIN and Password that was set above.



  • Select KVM Console

  • This will open the console session for the system

So there you have it - an easy way to work from home without missing a beat.

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