The integrated management module (IMM) is a second generation
of the functions that were formerly provided by the baseboard management
controller hardware. It combines service processor functions, video
controller, and remote presence function in a single chip.
The IMM supports the following basic systems-management
features:
- Alerts (in-band and out-of-band alerting, PET traps - IPMI style,
SNMP, e-mail).
- Auto Boot Failure Recovery (ABR).
- Automatic microprocessor disable on failure and restart in a two-microprocessor
configuration when one microprocessor signals an internal error. When
one of the microprocessors fail, the server will disable the failing
microprocessor and restart with the other microprocessor.
- Automatic Server Restart (ASR) when POST is not complete or the
operating system hangs and the operating system watchdog timer times-out.
The IMM might be configured to watch for the operating system watchdog
timer and reboot the system after a timeout, if the ASR feature is
enabled. Otherwise, the IMM allows the administrator to generate a
nonmaskable interrupt (NMI) by pressing an NMI button on the LCD system
information display panel (if available) for an operating-system memory
dump. ASR is supported by IPMI.
- A virtual media key, which enables remote presence support (remote
video, remote keyboard/mouse, and remote storage).
- Boot sequence manipulation.
- Command-line interface.
- Configuration save and restore.
- DIMM error assistance. The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
(UEFI) disables a failing DIMM that is detected during POST, and the
IMM lights the associated system error LED and the failing DIMM error
LED.
- Environmental monitor with fan speed control for temperature,
voltages, fan failure, power supply failure, and power backplane failure.
- Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Specification
V2.0 and Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB) support.
- Invalid system configuration (CONFIG) LED support.
- LCD system information display panel (if available) reports errors
that occur with fans, power supplies, microprocessor, hard disk drives,
and system errors.
- Local firmware code flash update
- Nonmaskable interrupt (NMI) detection and reporting.
- Operating-system failure blue screen capture.
- PCI configuration data.
- Power/reset control (power-on, hard and soft shutdown, hard and
soft reset, schedule power control).
- Query power-supply input power.
- ROM-based IMM firmware flash updates.
- Serial over LAN (SOL).
- Serial port redirection over telnet or ssh.
- SMI handling
- System event log (SEL) - user readable event log.
The IMM also provides the following remote server management
capabilities through the ipmitool, a management utility program:
Command-line interface (IPMI Shell)
The command-line
interface provides direct access to server management functions through
the IPMI 2.0 protocol. Use the command-line interface to issue commands
to control the server power, view system information, and identify
the server. You can also save one or more commands as a text file
and run the file as a script.
Serial over LAN
Establish a Serial over LAN (SOL)
connection to manage servers from a remote location. You can remotely
view and change the UEFI settings, restart the server, identify the
server, and perform other management functions. Any standard Telnet
client application can access the SOL connection.