Learn how to access your dedicated server directly through the IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface) console without depending on the operating system connectivity state.
Requirements
- access to the OVHcloud Control Panel
Topics:
- Access the IPMI console
- Test and reboot the IPMI
- Installing an OS
- Rebooting a server into the BIOS menu
Instructions
Access the IPMI console
You can access the IPMI using several different methods1. SSH keys stored on the server will not be used for these connections. Here is a summary:
| Method Name | Short Name | Description | Copy-Paste | Virtual ISO reader² | Use Case Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KVM³ via web browser | HTML KVM | Redirection of the video screen to an HTML canvas, exactly as if you were physically connecting a keyboard/mouse via USB and a screen via VGA to your dedicated server. | ❌ | ⚠️⁴ | - Troubleshoot a boot issue on your dedicated server. |
| KVM³ via Java applet | Java KVM | Same as HTML KVM, except that it uses Java applet rather than HTML canvas. | ❌ | ✅ | - Troubleshoot a boot issue on your dedicated server. - Perform a manual installation of a specific OS (not in the catalog)⁵. |
| SoL⁶ via web browser | JavaScript SoL | Redirection of a serial connection to the web browser, exactly as if you were physically connecting a serial console via RS-232 to your dedicated server. | ✅ | ❌ | - Troubleshoot a network issue: get system logs and manipulate configuration files. |
| SoL⁶ via SSH | SSH SoL | Same as JavaScript SoL, except redirection is done to an SSH gateway. You then connect via your preferred SSH client to a remote SSH server that converts SSH commands to serial commands to the dedicated server. | ✅ | ❌ | - Same as JavaScript SoL but from a machine without any graphical interface. |
1 Depending on your dedicated server hardware compatibility (some methods will not be shown in the OVHcloud Control Panel).
2 Feature that enables the user to mount an ISO image stored locally on your machine to your remote dedicated server so you can install an OS via IPMI.
3 KVM = Keyboard Video and Mouse
4 Depending on your dedicated server hardware compatibility: use Java KVM instead if not compatible.
5 If the OS you want to install is not in the list of operating systems available with OVHcloud Bare Metal servers, please note that you can also use a custom image: See Bring Your Own Image (BYOI) / Bring Your Own Linux (BYOLinux), a comparison sheet for more details.
⁶ SoL = 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/KVM tab.
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 Remote KVM section, click From a Java applet (KVM).
Download the kvm.jnlp file when prompted and run it.
You will then land on the login page, where you will be prompted to enter your credentials, as you would need to when logging in via a terminal or external software application:
In the Remote KVM section, click Via your web browser
(KVM).
Activation can take a few seconds, usually no longer than a minute. You will receive a message confirming that the IPMI connection is available. Click Access
the console (KVM) to open the console in your web browser.
In the Serial over LAN (SoL) section, click Add SSH key.
In the pop-up window, enter the public key you want to use. Then click Launch
SoL session via SSH.
When the session is ready, a success message and a URI will appear so you can connect to the dedicated server via Serial via SSH. Copy that URI to the clipboard.
For more details about creating SSH key pairs, see this guide.
In the Serial over LAN (SoL) section, click From your
browser (SOL).
Go to console (SoL) button.You can now manage your server.
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 results of the diagnostic.
If everything appears to be normal, 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
OVHcloud does not guarantee the functionality of any operating systems installed via IPMI. This route should only be taken by an experienced server administrator.
64-bit versions of Java can prevent the Redirect ISO/Redirect CDROM menus from opening and cause JViewer to crash.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In the OVHcloud Control Panel, open the KVM web browser console.
Here you have access to the same information and functionalities as in the Java-based IPMI modules.
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.
Rebooting a server into the BIOS menu
You might want to access the BIOS when configuring or troubleshooting your server. A convenient way to achieve this is by using the tool ipmiutil (refer to the project page for more information).
When the server is in rescue mode and you have logged in, install it with the following commands:
Then reboot the server with this command:
Afterwards, access the IPMI console in your OVHcloud Control Panel. You should see the server's BIOS menu displayed.
Go further
For more information and tutorials, please see our other Dedicated Servers support guides or explore the guides for other OVHcloud products and services.
If you need training or technical assistance to implement our solutions, contact your sales representative or click on this link to get a quote and ask our Professional Services experts for a custom analysis of your project.