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Intelligent Platform Mangement Interface ( IPMI)
IPMI stands for Intelligent Platform Management Interface. IPMI is an open standard hardware
manageability interface specification. It provides an architecture that defines how unique device can all
communicate with the CPU in a stadard way.
With IPMI, the CPU has only one thing to communicate with-the IPMI Event Log. The CPU only has to "ask"
what has changed since the last time it asked. Every device communicates directly, through IPMI, to the
Event Log, which is used to record, in a consistent way, all status events for the unique device. This
simplifies the agent-handling routine. The system only needs a single agent, and it will not need to be
changed when you move from five devices to manage, for example, to six. And the system doesn't need to
change the way to CPU checks the Event Log when a new device is added to the system; it always checks
in the same way, whether there is one device or a hundred. With IPMI, use of the CPU is minimized, so
overall system performance improves.
There are four elements of IPMI: Intelligent Platform Management Interface, Intelligent Platform
Management Bus, Intellignet Chassis Management Bus, and Baseboard Management Controller. Detailed
description of each element listed below.
Intelligent Platform Management Interface ( IPMI )
IPMI is the specification for the management controller command sets, including command sets for
sensors, event logs, and sensor data record access, as well as the specification for the data formats,
including sensor data records, event log entries, and FRU inventory information. IPMI is also the name used
for the overall standardization effort.
Intelligent Platform Management Bus ( IPMB)
2
IPMB is the I
C-based, multi-master bus used for intra-chassis communication with "satellite"
management controllers. Here sensor devices and cards with IPMI bus access can be added to the IPMI
standard.
Intelligent Chassis Management Bus ( ICMB )
ICMB is the RS-485 based inter-chassis management bus, based on IPMB. It is used for common chassis
and emergency management functions, including power and reset control, chassis status, events, and
FRU inventory.
Baseboard Management Controller (BMC)
BMC is used to monitor baseboard temperatures and voltages, and to manage the system event log and
non-volatile storage for sensor data records. It provides a system software interface to the Intelligent
Platform Mangement Bus.
1
The description of IPMI and IPMI elements is copied from IPMI's white paper, published by HEWLETT PACKARD,
in February 1998.
Chapter 1
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