IPMI & Redfish¶

Info

This page is about the server-side emulation (if you want to manage PiKVM using ipmitool or so). If you want to use the PiKVM Web UI to manage the server using IPMI (that is, as an IPMI client), see GPIO functions with IPMI plugin.

IPMI BMC¶

IPMI is an old protocol for remote server management. It can be useful for managing a large number of machines with PiKVM. Its advantage is that it is supported by many enterprise systems.

Warning

Although PiKVM supports the IPMI protocol, we strongly recommend that you DO NOT USE IT outside of trusted networks due to the protocol's insecurity. Use Redfish or KVMD API instead of it. Also IPMI can not work with 2FA.

To enable IPMI BMC follow these steps:

Switch the filesystem to the RW-mode:
```
# rw
```
Setup IPMI account in file /etc/kvmd/ipmipasswd.
Enable kvmd-ipmi daemon:
```
# systemctl enable --now kvmd-ipmi
```
Switch the filesystem back to the RO:
```
# ro
```

Here some examples (on the remote PC):

$ ipmitool -I lanplus -U admin -P admin -H pikvm power status
$ ipmitool -I lanplus -U admin -P admin -H pikvm power on

IPMI SoL¶

IPMI supports the ability to get console access to the server using Serial-over-LAN. PiKVM can act as a proxy for your server's COM port.

Warning

Although PiKVM supports the IPMI protocol, we strongly recommend that you DO NOT USE IT outside of trusted networks due to the protocol's insecurity. Use Redfish or KVMD API instead of it.

To use this feature, you will need a USB-COM adapter that you need to connect to the PiKVM. The COM port of the adapter need to be connected to the server. As with IPMI BMC, you need to configure kvmd-vnc and add the following configuration to /etc/kvmd/override.yaml:

ipmi:
    sol:
        device: /dev/ttyUSB0  # Path of your USB-COM adapter
        speed: 115200

After enabling kvmd-ipmi, all requests that it receives over the network regarding the COM port will be forwarded to your server. For example:

$ ipmitool -I lanplus -U admin -P admin -H pikvm sol activate

Redfish¶

Redfish is a more modern server management protocol designed to replace IPMI. It is based on HTTP and fixes many security issues. If possible, we recommend using it instead of IPMI, or using the KVMD API.

There're not special actions required to use Redfish. In addition, Redfish will use regular PiKVM credentials. But for systems that have been upgraded to KVMD 2.0 (not a clean image installation), you will probably need to edit the /etc/kvmd/nginx/kvmd.ctx-server.conf file to add these lines at the end:

location /redfish {
      proxy_pass http://kvmd;
      include /etc/kvmd/nginx/loc-proxy.conf;
      auth_request off;
}

Info

Don't be confused by the parameter auth_request off. KVMD performs authorization on its own. The only open HTTP entrypoint is /redfish/v1, which returns a static document and does not change the state of the PiKVM. It's safe.

If there is a file in your system after the update /etc/kvmd/nginx/kvmd.ctx-server.conf.pacnew you can just move it:

# mv /etc/kvmd/nginx/kvmd.ctx-server.conf.pacnew /etc/kvmd/nginx/kvmd.ctx-server.conf

Warning

Be careful not to lose your local changes if you have done anything with this file before.

To access the Redfish API, use HTTP Basic Auth. Also you can use the redfishtool:

$ redfishtool -S Never -r pikvm root
$ redfishtool -S Never -u admin -p admin -r pikvm Systems
$ redfishtool -S Never -u admin -p admin -r pikvm Systems reset ForceOff