Windows Integrity nPartition Guide

Introduction
Management interface options
Chapter 1
16
Management interface options
You can manage nPartitions remotely using one of two management interfaces:
Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) and Web-Based Enterprise
Management infrastructure (WBEM). This section provides a brief overview of these
interfaces.
Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI)
On cell-based HP Integrity servers, the management processor supports the Intelligent
Platform Management Interface (IPMI). IPMI is an industry-standard interface that
defines common, message-based interfaces to platform management hardware and
common records for describing devices and their characteristics. The IPMI specification
supports extensions, such as the nPartition and server complex management features
introduced by HP. On cell-based servers, the management processor supports two of the
communication paths defined by the IPMI specification: Block Transfer and IPMI
over LAN.
IPMI Block Transfer (IPMI BT)
IPMI Block Transfer (IPMI BT) provides a communication path between the MP and the
operating system running on an nPartition. IPMI BT uses the MP device driver and a
hardware buffer on each cell to establish a private path (using the block transfer
hardware on the core cell) from each nPartition to the MP. On Windows, the device
driver that provides the IPMI BT interface is called the “HP Health Driver”.
The nPartition Configuration Privilege setting allows you to control the access of a
user managing an nPartition on a complex. To set the nPartition Configuration
Privilege, run the PARPERM command at the MP. The nPartition Configuration Privilege
has two settings:
Unrestricted The default, which allows the user to manage other nPartitions in the
complex.
Restricted Restricts use of the IPMI BT interface to the following capabilities:
• Retrieving information about the server, including everything
displayed by Partition Manager and the parstatus command.
• Changing the local nPartition’s Partition Configuration Data.
• Manipulating any of the attention indicators (LEDs).
• Powering cells and I/O chassis belonging to the local nPartition.
The nPartition Configuration Privilege does not restrict deallocation of processors across
nPartition boundaries. When the nPartition Configuration Privilege is restricted, some
management tasks require IPMI over LAN instead.
IPMI over LAN
IPMI over LAN enables the management tool to communicate directly (without going
through an nPartition) with the MP via its LAN port. To enable IPMI LAN access to the
MP, use the SA command at the MP Command menu. The MP accepts IPMI requests at
its LAN port only if the request is accompanied by the correct password. To set the
IPMI password use the SO command at the MP Command menu.