How to Install IPMItool on Centos 7/8 & Ubuntu 18.04/20.04

August 27, 2020

Introduction

IPMItool is used to access the capabilities of IPMI – the Intelligent Platform Management Interface, a system interface that manages and monitors out-of-band computer systems. It is a command prompt that controls and configures IPMI-supported devices.

In this tutorial, learn how to install IPMItool on a Linux based CentOS or Ubuntu system and get started with IPMI commands.

IPMItool installation and commands cheat sheet

Note: To learn more about IMPI, read our Comprehensive Guide to Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI).


Prerequisites

  • A user account with sudo privileges
  • Access to the command line/ terminal window
  • A Linux CentOS or Ubuntu system

Installing IPMItool on RedHat or CentOS with yum

Installing IPMItool is a simple two-step process of downloading the software package and enabling the ipmitool access.

Step 1: Install IPMItool

1. Before you start, make sure to update system repositories with:

yum update

2. Install IPMItool on a CentOS or RedHat system by running the command:

yum install OpenIPMI ipmitool

Wait for the installation to complete. The output should indicate that OpenIPMItool and IPMItool have been installed. You should see the version number of the software installed.

version of impi tool displayed

Step 2: Enable the Service

Once you have completed the installation, enable ipmitool access by running the command:

/sbin/chkconfig ipmi on

Note: Learn more on how to use Linux chkconfig command.

Enabling the ipmitool account

Then start the ipmitool service with the command:

service ipmi start

Installing IPMItool on Ubuntu with apt

1. First, update Ubuntu’s package repository by running:

sudo apt update

2. Install IPMItool on Ubuntu by using the following command:

sudo apt install ipmitool
example of installing impi tool on ubuntu

Your Ubuntu system should start the ipmi daemon automatically.

IPMItool Commands Cheat Sheet

General IPMItool Commands

IPMItool CommandDescription
ipmitool helpShows help info for IPMItool
ipmitool mc infoChecks firmware version
ipmitool mc reset [warm/cold]Resets the management controller
ipmitool fru printDisplays field-replaceable-unit details

Sensor Output IPMItool Commands

Sensor Output CommandDescription
ipmitool sdr listList all sensor names on the system. Each sensor will be mapped to its corresponding sensor number
ipmitool sdr type listList all sensor types on the system.
ipmitool sdr type FanList all fan type sensors on the system.
ipmitool sdr type "Power Supply"List all power supply type sensors on the system.
ipmitool sdr type Temperature List all temperature type sensors on the system.

Chassis Commands

Chassis IPMItoll CommandsDescription
ipmitool chassis status ipmitool chassis identify []Turns on front panel identify light
ipmitool [chassis] power softA soft-shutdown via acpi
ipmitool [chassis] power cycleA combination of a hard power off, 1-second wait, then power on
ipmitool [chassis] power offA hard power off
ipmitool [chassis] power onA hard power on
ipmitool [chassis] power resetA hard reset

Modify Boot Device Commands

Modify Boot DeviceDescription
ipmitool chassis bootdev pxeModify the boot order to boot pxe first
ipmitool chassis bootdev cdromModify the boot order to boot cdrom first
ipmitool chassis bootdev bios Modify the boot order to boot bios first

Logging IPMItool Commands

Logging IPMItools CommandsDescription
ipmitool sel infoReturns general information on system event logs
ipmitool sel listReturns a list of system event logs
ipmitool sel elistReturns a list of system event logs cross-referenced with sensor data logs
ipmitool sel get IDReturns detailed information on a particular event log (use event ID to specify which log)
ipmitool sel clearClear event logs

Conclusion

This article showed you how to install IPMItool on your CenotOS or Ubuntu Linux system. You can now get started with IPMI and its command prompt using the commands above as a reference sheet. Our dedicated server hosting offers full control, including IMPI support.

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Sofija Simic
Sofija Simic is an experienced Technical Writer. Alongside her educational background in teaching and writing, she has had a lifelong passion for information technology. She is committed to unscrambling confusing IT concepts and streamlining intricate software installations.
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