The Dell iDRAC6 - Part 1 - iDRAC6 Configuration Utility

The Dell iDRAC or the integrated Dell Remote Access Controller is the core of the remote management of a Dell Server.  This is one of the main differences and advantages of buying a server over a very well equipped Consumer Motherboard and making it into a server. A remote management tool allows us to do many functionalities that have often been limited to us unless we're right next to the PC, The iDRAC gives us access to everything you see scroll on the computer screen before it loads the Operating System (OS).  Each generation of Dell Servers has come with advancements in the iDRAC system. My r510 has the iDRAC6 which were used with the 11g or 11th generation server, My T130 has an iDRAC8 because it's an 13g server from dell.

However to use the iDRAC you must first configure how to find it through your network.  This is where the iDRAC6 Configuration Utility comes into play that you see on your boot screens when your server first starts up.  It's one of the quickest checks your system does during booting and the last one it does on my system before booting into your OS.  Be prepared to hit Ctrl + E as soon as your virtual drives are found.  Lets see what those choices are.


Most Dell Servers come from the factory with the iDRAC Express.  If you do not have the Enterprise Hardware chip, the iDRAC shares a connection/port with the Ethernet LOM1.   However on occasion you can buy a server off eBay without the iDRAC Express chip in it, or it could have gone bad.  Below is a picture of both the iDRAC Express and the iDRAC Enterprise.  Keep in mind the iDRAC Enterprise is is just a piece of hardware up until 12th (ie an r720) and 13th (ie an r730) generation servers which are using the iDRAC7 and iDRAC8 respectively. If you're using the iDRAC 7 or iDRAC 8 you need both the hardware and a license key for full functionality.  You can also not use the iDRAC Enterprise without the Express card installed onto your motherboard.  Needless to say you can't use the iDRAC Express with a working express card as well.  If you are using a server with the front LCD screen you can also set up the iDRAC values.  If after clicking setup you see BMC and not DRAC you do not have the iDRAC Express Card functioning.

*snagged from ebay/google images

*nom nom - Look for the Wrench for iDRAC port

Our goal with this post is to configure the iDRAC quickly and leave things that can be Auto, on Auto. This is to help remove the possibility of user error, because when you're first learning your server you're trying to remove your own idiocy being the problem as much as possible.  When you've gotten this running, you can always change the settings as you see fit.  Below is a copy of my starting settings and the choices available. If there are multiple choices in bold, my choice is the first listed.

*If you see " - blue " in the below descriptions this is because the option is unchangeable or unchangeable without changing another option in the configuration utility

*Menu Traversal can be done with a combination of Enter to go into subcategories, Arrow keys to scroll through categories, Arrow right to scroll through options for each category, and ESC to go back to previous window.  Be careful with ESC, it does not cancel what you've selected to go back to the previous saved settings.

The Dell iDRAC6 1.59? - even though
Firmware revision 1.41.13 - yeah it's probably ancient, government surplus
Primary Backplane Firmware Revision 1.10

iDRAC6 Lan - On - Enable access to the server iDRAC system over a network.
IPMI Over LAN - OFF - IPMI commands are basically the CLI (command line interface) for controlling your system.  If you want to get this hardcore, you'll need to be next to the system sending it commands.

LAN Parameters

• General
• NIC Selection - Dedicated / Shared / Shared with Failover LOM2 - My dell r510 has the standalone enterprise chip.  In order to manage my r510 I must have an ethernet cord hooked into the rj-45 port on this chip. It is the port separated from the other rj-45 ports. However, I was able to get a t130 with the Enterprise standalone card but not the enterprise license for free "incase I ever wanted to upgrade in the future"
• Active LOM - LOM 1 - not sure why this says LOM1 since I'm using dedicated - blue
• Max Address - XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX - blue
• VLAN Enable - Off - I have a consumer router without vlans to configure so OFF
• VLAN ID - 0001 - blue -  vlan 0001 is always a default for systems.
• Vlan Priority - Priority 0 - blue
• Register iDRAC6 Name - Off - Off turns below blue
• iDRAC6 Name - <Enter> - blue - your default iDRAC6 name is idrac-DellServiceTag 
• Domain Name from DHCP - Off
• Domain Name - <Enter>
• Host Name String - <Enter> - not sure what this one means
• Lan Alert Enabled - Off
• Alert Policy Entry 1 - Enabled
• Alert Desintation 1 - 0.0.0.0 - blue

*If you see " - blue " in the descriptions this is because the option is unchangeable or unchangeable without changing another option in the configuration utility

• IPv4
• IPv4 - Enabled
• RMCP+ Encryption Key - <Enter> - not sure what this means
• IPv4 Address Source - DHCP / Static - I've chosen DHCP which makes below blue
• IPv4 Address - 192.168.1.103 - blue as expected with DHCP
• Subnet Mark - 255.255.255.0 - blue as expected with DHCP
• Default Gateway - 192.168.1.1 - blue - on your own computer at comand prompt type ipconfig to determine your default gateway. Dell default is 192.168.0.1, Linksys is 192.168.1.1. don't let this catch you
• DNS Servers from DHCP - Off 
• DNS Server 1 - 0.0.0.0 - if leaving above off, you can change this to google's 8.8.8.8
• DNS Server 2 - 0.0.0.0- if leaving above off, you can change this to google's 8.8.4.4

• IPv6 - dis
• IPv6 - Disabled
• IPv6 stuff we're not addressing

• Advanced Lan Configurations
• Auto-Negotiate - Enabled
• LAN Speed Setting - 100Mbps - blue, 11g series is 100Mbps, 12g can be 1gig
• LAN Duplex Setting - Full Duplex - blue

Virtual media Configuration - *I don't have this and don't know about it, it allows you to store the settings on a flash card.

• Virtual Media - Detached / Attached / Auto-Attached
• Vflash Configuration
• vFlash - Dusabled
• initialize vFlash - <Enter>

Smart Card Logon - *I don't have this and don't know about it

• Smart Card Logon - Disabled

System Services - *I have this and don't know about it, I believe this turns on F10 as a boot choice

• System Services - Enabled
• Cancel System Services - No
• Collect System Inventory on Restart - Disabled

LCD Configuration

• LCD Line 1 - Ambient Temp / System Power / Asset Tag / User-Defined String / Model Number / None / idrac6 IPv4 address / Idrac6 Mac Address / Host Name / Service Tag / iDRAC IPv6 address / 
• User-Defined String - <Enter> - user define what LCD shows.
• LCD System Power Units - Watt
• LCD Ambiet Temp Units - F / C
• LCD Error Display - Simple
• LCD Remote KVM Indication - Enable / Disabled
• LCD Front Panel Access - View and Modify / View Only / Disabled

Lan User Configuration

• Auto-Discovery - Disabled
• Provisioning Server - <Enter>
• Account Access - Enabled
• IPMI LAN Priviledge - Admin
• Account User Name - root
• Enter Password - BLANK - the default password for root is calvin
• Confirm Password - BLANK - the default password for root is calvin

Reset to Defualt

System Event Log Menu

• Takes ~10 seconds to load the log file with 112 records in it.
• Traverse the options with Left and right Arrow, 
• Starts at most current and goes backward

When done hit escape and Choose from the standard bios options

• Save Changes and Exit - You'll want this one after all your work
• Discard Changes and Exit
• Return to Setup

After you've made your setting if you're using DHCP, log into your router to see what IP address your iDRAC has been assigned.  You'll need this to log into the iDRAC to operate the functions of the server like turning it on when you're not around, seeing temperatures, power usage graphs etc.  If you're lucky enough to have an enterprise edition of iDRAC you can use the remote console and not need to plug a keyboard/monitor into your server.  Unless you hate JAVA like I do, the console runs off of it... you've been warned.

For reference 

HP has its own version the iLO, iLO2, iLO3  the Integrated Lights-Out.
IBM has the IMM, the Integrated Management Module for remote management.
HP does not have seperate editions like Enterprise and Express and allows remote console by default. IBM I believe does as well without additional purchases, not positive though on these.

Notice anything I've missed or have questions? Write a comment below and I can update the guide accordingly.