Using the IPMI with Dedicated Servers
Find out how to log on to your server without the use of external software
Last updated 16th November 2022
Objective
With the IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface) console, you can access your Dedicated Server directly, without needing to use any external software (e.g. a terminal or PuTTY). This guide will explain how to boot this console.
Please note that you may also see the term KVM (Keyboard Video and Mouse) used for this solution, particularly for VPS products.
Requirements
- Access to the OVHcloud Control Panel
This feature might be unavailable or limited on servers of the Eco product line.
Please visit our comparison page for more information.
Instructions
You can access the IPMI using several different methods, the Java applet (recommended), the KVM tool from a web browser (recommended but only available for the latest servers) or the browser (Serial over LAN).
To enable one of these methods, log in to your OVHcloud Control Panel. In the Bare Metal Cloud section, select your server from Dedicated Servers and click on the IPMI tab.
Access via the Java applet
You will need to ensure that Java is installed on your desktop for the Java applet to work. If you do not have Java installed, go to the official page to do so.
In the IPMI section of the OVHcloud Control Panel, click on From a Java applet (KVM):
Download the file kvm.jnlp when you are prompted to do so, and run it:
You will then land on the login page, where you will be prompted to enter your root credentials, as you would need to when logging in via a terminal or external software application:
You can now manage your server.
Access via the KVM tool from a web browser (only for the latest servers)
In the IPMI section of the OVHcloud Control Panel, click on Via your web browser (KVM).
Activation takes a few seconds. You will receive a message confirming that the IPMI connection is available.
Click on Access the console (KVM) to open the console in your web browser.
Access via your browser, using Serial over LAN (SoL)
Although we would recommend that you log in via the Java applet, you can also access the IPMI using Serial over LAN. To do so, click on From your browser in the IPMI section of the OVHcloud Control Panel:
It may take several minutes to access the IPMI using SoL, which is why we would recommend using the applet instead.
Test and reboot the IPMI
Your IPMI may stop responding. If you cannot access it, you can test it first by clicking on Test the IPMI, and checking the result of the diagnostic:
If everything appears to be normal, as per our example, you may be experiencing a local technical issue (internet connection, local desktop). If the IPMI encounters any issues, you can reboot it by clicking Reboot the IPMI.
It will take several minutes for the IPMI to reboot.
Installing an OS using IPMI v1
OVHcloud does not guarantee the functionality of any operating systems installed via IPMI. This route should only be taken by an experienced server administrator.
To begin, open IPMI in a Java applet from the OVHcloud Control Panel. Then, click Device from the menu bar and select Redirect ISO from the drop-down menu.
Next, select the ISO you wish to use from your local computer's file system. Once you have selected your ISO, press the Ctrl Alt Del button in the top-right corner of the screen to reboot the server. Press the appropriate F key to access the boot options.
You may need to use the soft keyboard for inputs to register in IPMI. To access this, click the Keyboard option from the menu bar at the top of the window. Then, select Soft Keyboard from the dropdown menu and click Show.
Select the UEFI Virtual CDROM 1.00 option from the boot menu to start the server from the ISO attached previously.
Complete the steps required to install the operating system. Do not forget to remove the ISO from the "Redirect ISO" option.
Installing an OS using IPMI v2
OVHcloud does not guarantee the functionality of any operating systems installed via IPMI. This route should only be taken by an experienced server administrator.
To begin, open IPMI in a Java applet from the OVHcloud Control Panel. Then, click Virtual Media and select Virtual Storage.
From the new screen, select ISO File from the "Logical Drive Type" drop-down menu. Next, click Open Image and navigate to your ISO file. Finally, click Plug-in and OK to finish.
In order to be able to boot from our ISO file, we need to access the BIOS and switch our boot options. To do so, select Power Control and click Set Power Reset.
You may need to use the soft keyboard for inputs to register in IPMI. To access this, click the Virtual Media option from the menu bar at the top of the window. Then, select Virtual Keyboard from the drop-down menu.
During the bootup process, press the DEL key when prompted to access the BIOS. You may also press the F11 key and navigate to the BIOS by selecting the option Enter Setup.
In the BIOS navigate to the Boot tab and change the UEFI Boot Order #1 to UEFI USB CD/DVD:UEFI: CDROM virtual ATEN YSOJ.
Lastly, press the F4 key to save your changes and restart the server.
Installing an OS using web browser KVM (only for the latest servers)
OVHcloud does not guarantee the functionality of any operating systems installed via IPMI. This route should only be taken by an experienced server administrator.
In the OVHcloud Control Panel, open the KVM web browser console.
Here you have access to the same information and functionalities as in in the Java-based IPMI modules.
Be sure to execute the next steps at a good pace. The process might be cancelled if there are longer pauses between actions.
Click on the Browse File button and select your image file.
Click on Start Media. This will prepare the ISO for the installation process.
The file size displayed is not the actual size. This is normal, since the file is not fully uploaded in this step.
Click on Power and select Reset Server from the drop-down menu.
Wait for the boot selection screen to appear and press the appropriate key to enter the boot menu (F11 in this example).
In the boot menu, select the optical drive (UEFI: AMI Virtual CDROM0 in this example) and press Enter.
The ISO file will now be uploaded, then the server will boot from the file.
Go further
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