Re: [Freeipmi-devel] [SPAM] - RE: Retrieving BIOS information via IPMI - Email found in subject

[Al Chu]

On Tue, 2014-01-07 at 17:13 -0500, Vinny Vallarine wrote:
> Sorry, totally left that out.  Now, 
> 
> ./bmc-info -h 192.168.123.72 -u ADMIN -p ADMIN --get-system-info

Try adjusting the privilege level of the tool. e.g.

-l operator
-l admin

Al

> Returns:
> 
> ipmi_cmd_get_system_info_parameters_system_firmware_version_first_set: 
> privilege level insufficient
> 
> I assumed "ADMIN" (default) should be all I would need but does not seem so. 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob Swindell [mailto:address@hidden 
> Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2014 5:02 PM
> To: Vinny Vallarine; Al Chu
> Cc: address@hidden
> Subject: RE: [SPAM] - RE: [Freeipmi-devel] Retrieving BIOS information via 
> IPMI - Email found in subject
> 
> Did you try with the  "--get-system-info" option? The value you're looking 
> for is "System Firmware Version", not "Firmware Revision".
> 
> -Rob
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vinny Vallarine [mailto:address@hidden
> Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2014 11:41 AM
> To: Rob Swindell; Al Chu
> Cc: address@hidden
> Subject: RE: [SPAM] - RE: [Freeipmi-devel] Retrieving BIOS information via 
> IPMI - Email found in subject
> 
> Rob, thanks for the info.  I've been able to verify that running:
> 
> ./bmc-info -h 192.168.123.72 -u ADMIN -p ADMIN returns:
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Device ID             : 32
> Device Revision       : 1
> Device SDRs           : unsupported
> Firmware Revision     : 2.34
> Device Available      : yes (normal operation)
> IPMI Version          : 2.0
> Sensor Device         : supported
> SDR Repository Device : supported
> SEL Device            : supported
> FRU Inventory Device  : supported
> IPMB Event Receiver   : supported
> IPMB Event Generator  : supported
> Bridge                : unsupported
> Chassis Device        : supported
> Manufacturer ID       : Super Micro Computer Inc. (10876)
> Product ID            : 1591
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> Unfortunately, "Firmware Revision     : 2.34" is the firmware of the "BMC".  
> I've confirmed this logging into the BIOS directly and looking through the 
> screens. 
> 
> Any additional ideas would be appreciated.  I'll continue to look through 
> things...
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Vinny
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob Swindell [mailto:address@hidden
> Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 7:31 PM
> To: Al Chu; Vinny Vallarine
> Cc: address@hidden
> Subject: [SPAM] - RE: [Freeipmi-devel] Retrieving BIOS information via IPMI - 
> Email found in subject
> 
> The IPMI "Get System Info Parameters" command  (IPMI 2.0, section 22.14b) 
> allows a remote management console/utility/library to query the "System 
> Firmware version". This version information would be the primary "BIOS" 
> version (legacy or UEFI) on a server.
> 
> The Free-IPMI "bmc-info" command used with the "--get-system-info" option can 
> be used to query the BMC and display this detail if it's available.  While 
> this command is not vendor-specific, not all BMC vendors may implement 
> support for this IPMI command or this specific "System Info Parameter" (1).
> 
> Of course there are underlying Free-IPMI library functions available to 
> exercise this command and return the data to an application.
> 
> -Rob
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: address@hidden [mailto:address@hidden On Behalf Of Al Chu
> Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 11:38 AM
> To: Vinny Vallarine
> Cc: address@hidden
> Subject: Re: [Freeipmi-devel] Retrieving BIOS information via IPMI
> 
> Yes, if you look at the tool bmc-info, you'll see it output various 
> firmware/system information.  Underneath the covers, these are calls to 
> various IPMI device queries.
> 
> Al
> 
> On Mon, 2014-01-06 at 14:20 -0500, Vinny Vallarine wrote:
> > Ah, interesting.  So if the Vendor(s) we're interfacing with use the same 
> > rev number for all their device firmware, I may be able to simply query for 
> > the IPMI firmware version number, correct?  Assuming this is part of the 
> > IPMI spec?
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Al Chu [mailto:address@hidden
> > Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 12:50 PM
> > To: Vinny Vallarine
> > Cc: address@hidden
> > Subject: RE: [Freeipmi-devel] Retrieving BIOS information via IPMI
> > 
> > On Mon, 2014-01-06 at 12:41 -0500, Vinny Vallarine wrote:
> > > Thanks Al.  
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > I'd be content at the moment to be able to retrieve the BIOS version 
> > > number.  Sounds like something as simple as that would be Vendor 
> > > specific, correct?
> > 
> > Yes & no.
> > 
> > My recollection is that nothing in the IPMI spec allows you to specifically 
> > retrieve the "BIOS" version.  However, many vendors flash all of their 
> > device firmware (BIOS + IPMI firmware, etc.) with the same image.  So many 
> > of the device/system versions retrieved via IPMI may in fact be identical 
> > to the BIOS version. 
> > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > We're interfacing with SuperMicro main boards. I know they have 
> > > specific tools to do exactly what I need to do so I'm assuming 
> > > they've added the needed extensions.
> > > 
> > 
> > You may be in luck.  There is an extensions for Supermicro firmware 
> > versions in ipmi-oem.  However, again, it's not necessarily the BIOS 
> > version.
> > 
> > Al
> > 
> > > 
> > > I'll check out your suggestions to see what is configurable and what 
> > > the vendors have added.
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > Thanks,
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > Vinny
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Al Chu [mailto:address@hidden
> > > Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 12:24 PM
> > > To: Vinny Vallarine
> > > Cc: address@hidden
> > > Subject: Re: [Freeipmi-devel] Retrieving BIOS information via IPMI
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > Hi Vinny,
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > The IPMI specification does not support the ability to 
> > > retrieve/modify BIOS options per se.  The IPMI specification does 
> > > allow modification of various motherboard parameters, many of which 
> > > may happen to be readable/modifiable/managed by the BIOS.
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > So if you are looking to use IPMI for querying the BIOS, it really 
> > > depends on what you would like to query.  Not everything in the BIOS 
> > > will be queryable.
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > For example, the chassis subsection of IPMI allows the configuration 
> > > of a number of boot options.  Many of these configuration options 
> > > are likely in the BIOS (see ipmi-chassis-config tool to get an idea 
> > > of what is configurable).  General device information is available 
> > > through various device queries and that may also be in the BIOS (see 
> > > bmc-info tool for examples of info that is available).  I believe 
> > > some vendors support reading of the SEL in the BIOS for hardware 
> > > analysis (see tool ipmi-sel for example).
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > As an aside, various vendors have added extensions to IPMI to 
> > > retrieve/set BIOS settings, but these are on a vendor by vendor 
> > > (many times motherboard by motherboard) basis.  If you look through 
> > > the tool ipmi-oem, you can see what some vendors have supported.
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > If one of the tools supports what you would like to do, then we can 
> > > perhaps dig into the API from that point.
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > Al
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > On Mon, 2014-01-06 at 10:20 -0500, Vinny Vallarine wrote:
> > > 
> > > > My company is looking for an IPMI package that we can interface
> > > with.
> > > 
> > > > I’ve just downloaded your freeIPMI package.  What we need to do is
> > > 
> > > > query multiple machines and retrieve their BIOS revision numbers 
> > > > as
> > > 
> > > > well as specific BIOS settings.  I’ve looked through your
> > > 
> > > > documentation but don’t see an API that would allow me to do that
> > > via
> > > 
> > > > your libraries.  Could you let me know how this can be done 
> > > > through
> > > 
> > > > your libraries?  I’m looking for the interface/methods that I can
> > > call
> > > 
> > > > to accomplish this.
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > >  
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > Thanks,
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > >  
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > >  
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > Vincent Vallarine
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > Innovative Defense Technologies, LLC
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > 401.741.4571 (Mobile)
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > address@hidden
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > www.idtus.com
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > >  
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > 
> > > > Freeipmi-devel mailing list
> > > 
> > > > address@hidden
> > > 
> > > > https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/freeipmi-devel
> > > 
> > > --
> > > 
> > > Albert Chu
> > > 
> > > address@hidden
> > > 
> > > Computer Scientist
> > > 
> > > High Performance Systems Division
> > > 
> > > Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
> > > 
> > >  
> > > 
> > > 
> > --
> > Albert Chu
> > address@hidden
> > Computer Scientist
> > High Performance Systems Division
> > Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
> > 
> --
> Albert Chu
> address@hidden
> Computer Scientist
> High Performance Systems Division
> Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Freeipmi-devel mailing list
> address@hidden
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/freeipmi-devel
-- 
Albert Chu
address@hidden
Computer Scientist
High Performance Systems Division
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory