How to Configure Host BMC Settings in VMM

 

Updated: May 13, 2016

Applies To: System Center 2012 SP1 - Virtual Machine Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager, System Center 2012 - Virtual Machine Manager

You can use the following procedure to configure Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) settings for a managed host in Virtual Machine Manager (VMM). If a computer is configured for out-of-band management through a BMC, you can power the host on and off by using the VMM console. The BMC settings are also used for power optimization.

Note

For more information about power optimization, see Configuring Dynamic Optimization and Power Optimization in VMM.

Prerequisites

To complete this procedure, the host must have a BMC installed that supports one of the following out-of-band management protocols:

  • Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) versions 1.5 or 2.0

  • Data Center Management Interface (DCMI) version 1.0

  • System Management Architecture for Server Hardware (SMASH) version 1.0 over WS-Management (WS-Man)

Although it is not a required prerequisite, you can create a Run As account before you begin this procedure. (You can also create the account during the procedure.) The Run As account must have permissions to access the BMC.

For example, create a Run As account that is named BMC Administrator.

Note

You can create Run As accounts in the Settings workspace. For more information about Run As accounts, see How to Create a Run As Account in VMM.

To configure BMC settings

  1. Open the Fabric workspace.

  2. In the Fabric pane, expand Servers, and then click All Hosts.

  3. In the Hosts pane, click the host that you want to configure.

  4. On the Host tab, in the Properties group, click Properties.

  5. In the Host Name Properties dialog box, click the Hardware tab.

  6. Under Advanced, click BMC Setting.

  7. To enable out-of-band management, do the following:

    1. Select the This physical machine is configured for OOB management with the following settings check box.

    2. In the This computer supports the specified OOB power management configuration provider list, click the out-of-band management protocol that the BMC supports.

    3. In the BMC address box, enter the IP address of the BMC.

    4. In the BMC port box, accept the default. VMM automatically populates the box with the port number for the selected out-of-band management protocol.

    5. Next to the Run As account box, click Browse, click a Run As account that has permissions to access the BMC, and then click OK.

      Note

      If you do not already have a Run As account, click Browse, and then in the Select a Run As Account dialog box, click Create Run As Account.

      For example, if you created the Run As account that is described in the Prerequisites section of this topic, click BMC Administrator.

    6. When you are finished, click OK.

To power a computer on or off through VMM

  1. Open the Fabric workspace.

  2. In the Fabric pane, expand Servers, and then click All Hosts.

  3. In the Hosts pane, click the host that you want to configure.

  4. On the Host tab, in the Host group, click Power On or Power Off. (Additional options that are available with out-of-band power management include Shutdown and Reset.)

    Note

    • If BMC settings are not configured, these settings will not be available.
    • Information about power on and power off events is available in the BMC logs. To view BMC log information for a host, open the host properties, click the Hardware tab, and then under Advanced, click BMC Logs.
    • On HP computers, after the System Even Log is full, logging of new events stop and BMC logs display older events only.

See Also

Managing VMware ESX Hosts in VMM Overview