How to Install an OS with IPMI

IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface) is an important tool for any server administrator. With IPMI, you can access the server as if you were physically sitting in front of it with full KVM (i.e., Keyboard, Video, Mouse) access. Also, you can install an OS outside of the OVHcloud templates. This tutorial explains how to access your server using IPMI from a Java applet and how to install an ISO file on it.

Note: Although IPMI can be accessed from macOS, there are some compatibility issues. As a result, it is recommended to use a system running either Windows or Linux.

Note: IPMI is not available for GAM2 servers

Prerequisites

• Getting Started with IPMI

Topics

• Installing an OS Utilizing IPMI v1
• Installing an OS Utilizing IPMI v2

Note: Depending on the motherboard of your server, there are two different versions of IPMI. If v1 does not apply to you, skip ahead to Installing an OS utilizing IPMI v2.

Installing an OS Utilizing IPMI v1

Warning: 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 as described in the article Getting Started with IPMI. 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.

Note: 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 Utilizing IPMI v2

Warning: 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 as described in the article Getting Started with IPMI. Then, click Virtual Media and select Virtual Storage.

From the new screen, select ISO File from the Logical Drive Type drop-down. 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.

Note: 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: ATEN Virtual CDROM YSOJ.

Lastly, press the F4 key to save your changes and restart the server.

Conclusion

IPMI is an important tool for an experienced server administrator. Whether you need to access the BIOS, install a custom OS, or just access your server directly from the OVHcloud Manager, IPMI will allow you to accomplish your most important tasks.