Users Guide

Terminal Mode Commands 63
Terminal Mode Commands
This appendix provides information about terminal mode commands. Terminal mode allows you
to directly connect to the system's Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) using a serial port
connection and execute text-based commands. Two types of text commands are supported:
• A limited selection of text commands
• Standard binary IPMI 1.5 hex-ASCII commands
Use the Terminal Mode feature to perform the following tasks:
• Power the server on or off.
• Reset the server.
• Retrieve the server's health status.
• Configure and retrieve the server management subsystems boot options.
• Configure and retrieve the BMC's terminal mode configuration.
• Execute any platform supported binary command specified in the Intelligent Platform
Management Interface (IPMI) version 1.5 specification using the hex-ASCII format.
NOTE: Many of the Terminal Mode features described in this section require an extensive knowledge of
IPMI. It is strongly recommended that Terminal Mode users have an advanced understanding of IPMI
before using the commands documented in this section.
Security Information
Access to the BMC using terminal mode is governed by the proper setup of user names and
password. See "Configuring Your Managed System" for more information. A session must be
established with the BMC prior to accepting any terminal mode commands. A limited selection of
text commands and binary hex-ASCII commands that are assigned the lowest IPMI privilege level
are available prior to session establishment with the BMC.
Since the terminal mode password is sent using clear text, it is highly desirable that the terminal
mode session takes place in a secure location over a secure link by using a direct connection.