Discussion:
[Ipmitool-devel] How do I find information on a PCI device using ipmitool over the network?
Steve M
2015-02-03 00:44:31 UTC
Permalink
Hi,

I've been having quite a time trying to use ipmitool to discover and monitor a PCI device in my server. Using an IBM server going through IMM over the network using ipmitool, I can't seem to be able to get any information on the PCI devices in the server. The ipmitool only returns basic information on the system such as the BMC, chassis, power supplies, fans, etc. No information on the devices plugged into the PCI slots.

I've tried basic commands like "fru print", "sdr elist", etc. and haven't been able to get any information from the devices in the PCI slots.

Just hoping someone has had experience using ipmitool to be able to get information from the devices in the PCI slots.

Specifically, I would like to get the FRU information as well as device ID, I2C slave address, etc. for accessing the PCI device.

Thanks for any information that you can provide...
Hank Bruning
2015-02-03 11:04:34 UTC
Permalink
What model IBM server ? If it is the POWER architecture?

There might not be any electrical connection between the PCI connector pins
that the SMBus and the BMC. Neither the PCI spec or the IPMI spec require
that the PCI Bus's SMBus is connected to the BMC. It is up to the server
vendor if they what to add value by connecting the PCI SMBus to to the BMC.

On the PCI card the SMBus is also optional. It is possible to have a
motherboard that connects the BMC to the PCI slosts but the PCI cards do
not implement the SMBus.

To debug this you might try this:
1) Examine the server vendor documentation and see if the PCI SMBus has an
electrical path to the BMC. Thr SMBus might only be routed to a CPU that
runs the BIOS or what ever IBM uses for that.
2) Find out if the PCI card implements the SMBus
3) Ensure that the SMBus is operating. The PCI Bus can be powered off but
the SMBus can be powered on and still operate. You did not mention if the
main CPU is powered on. If it is not there would be a IPMI OEM command to
power on/off the PCI bus or power is supplied to the PCI and SMBus when the
CPUs are turned on by the BMC.
Hank

On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 7:44 PM, Steve M <***@outlook.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I've been having quite a time trying to use ipmitool to discover and
> monitor a PCI device in my server. Using an IBM server going through IMM
> over the network using ipmitool, I can't seem to be able to get any
> information on the PCI devices in the server. The ipmitool only returns
> basic information on the system such as the BMC, chassis, power supplies,
> fans, etc. No information on the devices plugged into the PCI slots.
>
> I've tried basic commands like "fru print", "sdr elist", etc. and haven't
> been able to get any information from the devices in the PCI slots.
>
> Just hoping someone has had experience using ipmitool to be able to get
> information from the devices in the PCI slots.
>
> Specifically, I would like to get the FRU information as well as device
> ID, I2C slave address, etc. for accessing the PCI device.
>
> Thanks for any information that you can provide...
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Dive into the World of Parallel Programming. The Go Parallel Website,
> sponsored by Intel and developed in partnership with Slashdot Media, is
> your
> hub for all things parallel software development, from weekly thought
> leadership blogs to news, videos, case studies, tutorials and more. Take a
> look and join the conversation now. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net/
> _______________________________________________
> Ipmitool-devel mailing list
> Ipmitool-***@lists.sourceforge.net
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ipmitool-devel
>
>
Steve M
2015-02-06 22:51:50 UTC
Permalink
Hi Hank,

Thanks for the reply. The IBM server that we have is an x3850 X5 with Intel processors, so I do not think it is the POWER architecture that you mentioned.

>From my understanding, the BMC and devices on the SMBus should be able to communicate in AUX power (power to main CPU is off, OS is not running). So, from the IMM port, the BMC should still be able to communicate via IPMI while the main power is off. I've tried with both the power off (AUX) and power on (OS up and running).

I've heard that our device in the PCI slot should be able to communicate with the BMC in AUX power mode, so I think it should be available to the BMC. The main issue I have is how to communicate with the device from outside the server. Hence, I've been looking into IPMI and the IMM management port using IPMI.

Do you happen to know how I might bridge IPMI to SMBus or I2C to get to the PCI device? I noticed that there is a "raw" command in IPMI. Also, there appears to be a "Send Message" and "Get Message" command that is supposed to bridge between channels. Not sure if these avenues will help me, though...

You are right, in that I need to make sure the IBM server is even allowing the communication between the BMC and the device in the PCI slot. From what I've seen so far, it looks like it may not, but then again it could just be that I don't know how to "bridge" from the outside protocol (IPMI) to the internal bus.

Thanks for the help,
Steve


Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2015 06:04:34 -0500
Subject: Re: [Ipmitool-devel] How do I find information on a PCI device using ipmitool over the network?
From: ***@jblade.com
To: ***@outlook.com
CC: ipmitool-***@lists.sourceforge.net

What model IBM server ? If it is the POWER architecture?

There might not be any electrical connection between the PCI connector pins that the SMBus and the BMC. Neither the PCI spec or the IPMI spec require that the PCI Bus's SMBus is connected to the BMC. It is up to the server vendor if they what to add value by connecting the PCI SMBus to to the BMC.

On the PCI card the SMBus is also optional. It is possible to have a motherboard that connects the BMC to the PCI slosts but the PCI cards do not implement the SMBus.

To debug this you might try this:
1) Examine the server vendor documentation and see if the PCI SMBus has an electrical path to the BMC. Thr SMBus might only be routed to a CPU that runs the BIOS or what ever IBM uses for that.
2) Find out if the PCI card implements the SMBus
3) Ensure that the SMBus is operating. The PCI Bus can be powered off but the SMBus can be powered on and still operate. You did not mention if the main CPU is powered on. If it is not there would be a IPMI OEM command to power on/off the PCI bus or power is supplied to the PCI and SMBus when the CPUs are turned on by the BMC.
Hank

On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 7:44 PM, Steve M <***@outlook.com> wrote:



Hi,

I've been having quite a time trying to use ipmitool to discover and monitor a PCI device in my server. Using an IBM server going through IMM over the network using ipmitool, I can't seem to be able to get any information on the PCI devices in the server. The ipmitool only returns basic information on the system such as the BMC, chassis, power supplies, fans, etc. No information on the devices plugged into the PCI slots.

I've tried basic commands like "fru print", "sdr elist", etc. and haven't been able to get any information from the devices in the PCI slots.

Just hoping someone has had experience using ipmitool to be able to get information from the devices in the PCI slots.

Specifically, I would like to get the FRU information as well as device ID, I2C slave address, etc. for accessing the PCI device.

Thanks for any information that you can provide...



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Dmitry Bazhenov
2015-02-10 10:37:55 UTC
Permalink
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Steve M
2015-02-12 19:53:56 UTC
Permalink
Hi Dmitry,

Thanks for the reply. Its looking more and more bleak for accessing the PCI device this way.

Thanks,
Steve


Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 15:37:55 +0500
From: ***@pigeonpoint.com
To: ipmitool-***@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: Re: [Ipmitool-devel] How do I find information on a PCI device using ipmitool over the network?






Hello, Steve,



IPMI defines the Master Write-Read command to access
non-intelligent devices on private I2C buses (or on IPMB).

Refer to the specification for more information.



Note, that the "raw" command in the ipmitool may be used to
construct corresponding Master Write-Read requests.



For correct work you need to provide the private bus number (which
the IPMC allocates for PCI-SMbus).



It is possible that the IPMC does not allocate the private bus
number, thus making interaction with the device not feasible.



But if it allocates one, and the PCI device itself is powered
enough to interact via SMBus, it may work.

Regards,
Dmitry
07.02.2015 3:51, Steve M ÐÉÛÅÔ:




Hi Hank,



Thanks for the reply. The IBM server that we have is an x3850
X5 with Intel processors, so I do not think it is the POWER
architecture that you mentioned.



From my understanding, the BMC and devices on the SMBus should
be able to communicate in AUX power (power to main CPU is off,
OS is not running). So, from the IMM port, the BMC should still
be able to communicate via IPMI while the main power is off.
I've tried with both the power off (AUX) and power on (OS up and
running).



I've heard that our device in the PCI slot should be able to
communicate with the BMC in AUX power mode, so I think it should
be available to the BMC. The main issue I have is how to
communicate with the device from outside the server. Hence,
I've been looking into IPMI and the IMM management port using
IPMI.



Do you happen to know how I might bridge IPMI to SMBus or I2C to
get to the PCI device? I noticed that there is a "raw" command
in IPMI. Also, there appears to be a "Send Message" and "Get
Message" command that is supposed to bridge between channels.
Not sure if these avenues will help me, though...



You are right, in that I need to make sure the IBM server is
even allowing the communication between the BMC and the device
in the PCI slot. From what I've seen so far, it looks like it
may not, but then again it could just be that I don't know how
to "bridge" from the outside protocol (IPMI) to the internal
bus.



Thanks for the help,

Steve






Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2015 06:04:34 -0500

Subject: Re: [Ipmitool-devel] How do I find information on a
PCI device using ipmitool over the network?

From: ***@jblade.com

To: ***@outlook.com

CC: ipmitool-***@lists.sourceforge.net









What model IBM server ? If it is the POWER
architecture?



There might not be any electrical connection
between the PCI connector pins that the SMBus
and the BMC. Neither the PCI spec or the IPMI
spec require that the PCI Bus's SMBus is
connected to the BMC. It is up to the server
vendor if they what to add value by connecting
the PCI SMBus to to the BMC.




On the PCI card the SMBus is also optional. It is
possible to have a motherboard that connects the
BMC to the PCI slosts but the PCI cards do not
implement the SMBus.




To debug this you might try this:


1) Examine the server vendor documentation and see if
the PCI SMBus has an electrical path to the BMC. Thr
SMBus might only be routed to a CPU that runs the BIOS
or what ever IBM uses for that.


2) Find out if the PCI card implements the SMBus


3) Ensure that the SMBus is operating. The PCI Bus can be
powered off but the SMBus can be powered on and still
operate. You did not mention if the main CPU is powered
on. If it is not there would be a IPMI OEM command to
power on/off the PCI bus or power is supplied to the PCI
and SMBus when the CPUs are turned on by the BMC.


Hank




On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 7:44 PM,
Steve M <***@outlook.com>
wrote:



Hi,



I've been having quite a time trying to use ipmitool
to discover and monitor a PCI device in my server.
Using an IBM server going through IMM over the
network using ipmitool, I can't seem to be able to
get any information on the PCI devices in the
server. The ipmitool only returns basic information
on the system such as the BMC, chassis, power
supplies, fans, etc. No information on the devices
plugged into the PCI slots.



I've tried basic commands like "fru print", "sdr
elist", etc. and haven't been able to get any
information from the devices in the PCI slots.



Just hoping someone has had experience using
ipmitool to be able to get information from the
devices in the PCI slots.



Specifically, I would like to get the FRU
information as well as device ID, I2C slave address,
etc. for accessing the PCI device.



Thanks for any information that you can provide...







------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dive into the World of Parallel Programming. The Go
Parallel Website,

sponsored by Intel and developed in partnership with
Slashdot Media, is your

hub for all things parallel software development, from
weekly thought

leadership blogs to news, videos, case studies,
tutorials and more. Take a

look and join the conversation now. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net/

_______________________________________________

Ipmitool-devel mailing list

Ipmitool-***@lists.sourceforge.net

https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ipmitool-devel















------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dive into the World of Parallel Programming. The Go Parallel Website,
sponsored by Intel and developed in partnership with Slashdot Media, is your
hub for all things parallel software development, from weekly thought
leadership blogs to news, videos, case studies, tutorials and more. Take a
look and join the conversation now. http://goparallel.sourceforge.net/





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