[Beowulf] impressions of Super Micro IPMI management cards?

[Stuart Midgley]

We use them all the time as well, and it has to be said, they are  
flaky as hell.

Sometimes commands work, sometimes they don't.  Currently we have  
about 5 IPMI cards we can't communicate with.  Another couple we  
can't get on the web interface with but can issue commands to using  
FreeIPMI.

Their inability to function correctly really becomes apparent when  
you loose your water chiller and your automated process starts  
issuing power-off commands... and then when you get in, you discover  
that some nodes are still up and your machine room is really really hot.

Having said that, we have yet another bios update to apply... perhaps  
they will work correctly after we get it on?


>
> Chris, I use Supermicro IPMI all the time.
> Working with it today, actually.
> They can do what you ask - power control, access to the BIOS via a
> serial console etc.
>
> They have a choice of either 'piggybacking' on the first on-board NIC,
> or of using a separate mini-USB style cable and a separate port which
> clips into the rear of the server.
> We tend to use the 'piggyback' variety.
>
-- 
Dr Stuart Midgley
sdm900 at gmail.com