idrac_ctl

This repo consist two parts. A generic redfish implementation that consumed by idrac_ctl. Right now i'm moving redfish implementation out of idrac ctl.

Standalone command line tool provide option to interact with Dell iDRAC via Redfish REST API and execute typical workflow. It supports both asynchronous and synchronous options to interact with iDRAC.

Update. After going deeper in redfish specification. I recognize that I already implemented major portion of specs. Thus, I will probably de-couple redfish and idrac_ctl will be a plugin.

• boot from remote location via http/https
• boot from remote NFS/CIFS
• optimize bios setting for real time workload.
• basic option related to job and management. apply/reset pending changes.
• query any object that IDRAC exposes via REST interface. firmware/driver/status/metrics
• manage volumes
• manage raid
• manage boot source
• manage secure boot / UEFI
• and much more..

Examples directory contains typical examples. Project on https://pypi.org/manage/project/idrac-ctl/releases/

Overview

This tool provides an option to interact with Dell iDRAC via the command line and execute almost every workflow you can do via Web UI. The idrac_ctl, by default, outputs everything in JSON, so you can easily pass it to any other tools to filter. Some commands provide an option to filter on action or specific fields, and s is still ongoing work. The tool developed in extendability mind. Each command registered dynamically. It sufficiently indicates the import statement in init to load the custom command.

Initial steps

Set the environment variable, so you don't need to pass each time.

export IDRAC_IP=MY_IP
export IDRAC_PASSWORD=MY_PASSWORD
export IDRAC_USERNAME=root
# root is default.

Install

pip install idrac_ctl

# and run it as standalone app

idrac_ctl --help

Manual install

Make sure you are using python >= 3.10

Make sure you are using 3.10 conda install -n py310 python=3.10

git clone https://github.com/spyroot/idrac_ctl.git
cd idrac_ctl
pip install -r requirements.txt
python idrac_ctl.py --help

Please note i'm still trying to optimize the root menu for easy consumption. For now, all subcommands are in root, hence format idrac_ctl command optional args

List of subcommands.

main command          list of idrac_ctl commands
    attr                command fetch the attribute view
    attr-clear-pending  command clear attribute pending values
    bios                command fetch the bios information
    bios-change         command change bios values
    bios-clear-pending  command clear bios pending values
    bios-registry       command query bios registry
    boot                command fetch the boot source
    boot-clear-pending  command clear boot source pending values
    boot-one-shot       command change one shoot boot
    boot-option         command fetch the boot options
    boot-settings       command fetch the boot setting and pending
    boot-source-enable  command enable the boot on a particular device.
    boot-source-get     command fetch the boot source for device/devices
    boot-source-list    command fetch the boot source list
    change-boot-order   command change boot order
    chassis             command query chassis services
    chassis-reset       command reset chassis
    current_boot        command fetch the boot source for device/devices
    dell-lc-svc         command query dell-lc services
    eject_vm            command eject the virtual media
    firmware            fetch the firmware view
    firmware_inventory  fetch the firmware inventory view
    get_vm              fetch the virtual media
    insert_vm           command insert virtual media
    job                 command fetch a job
    job-rm              command delete a job
    job-rm-all          command delete all jobs
    job-watch           command watch a job
    jobs                command fetch a list of jobs
    jobs-dell-service   command query jobs services
    jobs-service        command query jobs services
    manager             fetch the attribute view
    oem-actions         command get supported dell os oem actions
    oem-attach          command attach network iso
    oem-attach-status   command get attach status
    oem-boot-netios     command boot from network iso
    oem-detach          command detach network iso
    oem-disconnect      command disconnect network iso
    oem-net-ios-status  command get network iso status
    oem-net-iso-task    command get supported dell os oem actions
    pci                 command fetch the pci device or function
    query               command query based on resource.
    raid                fetch the bios information
    reboot              reboots the system
    service-api-rs-status
                        command fetch service api status
    service-api-status  command fetch service api status
    storage-controllers
                        command fetch the storage information
    storage-convert-noraid
                        command converts raid disk under controller to none raid
    storage-convert-raid
                        command converts none raid disk under controller to raid
    storage-drives      command fetch the storage drives information
    storage-get         command fetch the storage information
    storage-list        command fetch the storage devices
    system              command fetch the system view.
    system-export       command exports system configuration
    system-import       command import system configuration
    task                command fetch task.
    task-get            command fetch task
    tasks-list          command fetch tasks list
    volume-get          command query volume from storage device.
    volume-init         command initialize volume..
    volumes             fetch the virtual disk data

From a system we can view all compute system action and attributes.

idrac_ctl system

trimmed output

{
    "@odata.context": "/redfish/v1/$metadata#ComputerSystem.ComputerSystem",
    "@odata.id": "/redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1",
    "@odata.type": "#ComputerSystem.v1_16_0.ComputerSystem",
    "Actions": {
        "#ComputerSystem.Reset": {
            "[email protected]": [
                "On",
                "ForceOff",
                "ForceRestart",
                "GracefulRestart",
                "GracefulShutdown",
                "PushPowerButton",
                "Nmi",
                "PowerCycle"
            ],
            "target": "/redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1/Actions/ComputerSystem.Reset"
        }
    },
    "AssetTag": "",
    "Bios": {
        "@odata.id": "/redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1/Bios"
    },

If you pass for the same command --deep flag, it will recursively walk for each action and collect a unified view.

Basic BIOS manipulation.

For example, we want to disable the memory test, disable the os watch timer, disable the C state, and enable SRIOV. Create a spec file and run. Note that many BIOS changes require a host reset. Therefore, if you have pending changes, these changes must either be applied or reset. Similarly, when you apply, change must be applied.

You can pass --commit --reboot, where commit will commit, i.e., apply change --reboot post-commit.

Example change bios from JSON spec.

idrac_ctl bios-change --from_spec ./my_test.spec.json on-reset

{
        "Attributes": {
                "MemFrequency": "MaxPerf",
                        "MemTest": "Disabled",
                        "OsWatchdogTimer": "Disabled",
                        "ProcCStates": "Disabled",
                        "SriovGlobalEnable": "Enabled"
        }
}

Example change bios from JSON spec, commit and reboot.

idrac_ctl bios-change --from_spec ./my_test.spec.json --show on-reset --commit --reboot

Example --show the flag. It will generate the final spec command will generate.

idrac_ctl bios-change --from_spec ./my_test.spec.json --show on-reset

Compare values.

Before applying the change, you might want to check the current value. For example first we fetch current values for ProcCStates and SysMemSize

idrac_ctl bios --filter ProcCStates,SysMemSize

By default, output colorize if you need pass or pipe to jq or any other tools user --nocolor flag.

python idrac_ctl.py --nocolor bios --filter ProcCStates,SysMemSize | jq '.data'

{
  "ProcCStates": "Disabled",
  "SysMemSize": "768 GB"
}

You can also create query in json file and query many servers at same time.

Create query.json

[
  "ProcCStates",
  "SysMemSize"
]

idrac_ctl --nocolor bios --from_file bios_query.json | jq '.data'

## More advanced example. 

Let say we need boot one shot from ISO file from HTTP link and start
unattended kickstart installation.

First, check if any virtual media is already attached and check the device id.
```bash
idrac_ctl get_virtual_media

If you need to eject virtual media

python idrac_ctl.py eject_virtual_media --device_id 1

Now insert virtual media. If you fancy you can start local HTTP listener and pass your IP.

idrac_ctl insert_virtual_media --uri_path http://10.241.7.99/ubuntu-22.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso --device_id 1

Confirm that virtual media inserted

idrac_ctl get_virtual_media

We see image attached from get_virtual_media

[
        {
            "@odata.context": "/redfish/v1/$metadata#VirtualMedia.VirtualMedia",
            "@odata.id": "/redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1/VirtualMedia/1",
            "@odata.type": "#VirtualMedia.v1_4_0.VirtualMedia",
            "Actions": {
                "#VirtualMedia.EjectMedia": {
                    "target": "/redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1/VirtualMedia/1/Actions/VirtualMedia.EjectMedia"
                },
                "#VirtualMedia.InsertMedia": {
                    "target": "/redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1/VirtualMedia/1/Actions/VirtualMedia.InsertMedia"
                }
            },
            "ConnectedVia": "URI",
            "Description": "iDRAC Virtual Media Instance",
            "Id": "1",
            "Image": "http://10.241.7.99/ubuntu-22.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso",
            "ImageName": "ubuntu-22.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso",
            "Inserted": true,
            "MediaTypes": [
                "CD",
                "DVD",
                "USBStick"
            ],
            "[email protected]": 3,
            "Name": "VirtualMedia Instance 1",
            "Password": null,
            "TransferMethod": "Stream",
            "TransferProtocolType": "HTTP",
            "UserName": null,
            "WriteProtected": true
        }
]

Set BIOS boot in one shot. In this setting on reboot, we will boot from CD-ROM when installation is complete. BIOS will boot OS from the default location. i.e., whatever is first on the list.

idrac_ctl boot_one_shot --device Cd
# note Cd is default anyway
# --uefi_target if we need indicate UEFI device id.

Now reboot a host.

python idrac_ctl.py reboot --reset_type PowerCycle
python idrac_ctl.py reboot --reset_type GracefulRestart

Note in my example, we didn't use UEFI. If you need to use UEFI. First, get UEFI ids

idrac_ctl boot_source

Each device has a UefiDevicePath key. You can pass this key to insert media action if you need to boot from UEFI.

{
  "@odata.context": "/redfish/v1/$metadata#BootOption.BootOption",
  "@odata.id": "/redfish/v1/Systems/System.Embedded.1/BootOptions/NIC.Slot.8-1",
  "@odata.type": "#BootOption.v1_0_4.BootOption",
  "BootOptionEnabled": true,
  "BootOptionReference": "NIC.Slot.8-1",
  "Description": "Current settings of the Legacy Boot option",
  "DisplayName": "NIC in Slot 8 Port 1: IBA ICE Slot D800 v2500",
  "Id": "NIC.Slot.8-1",
  "Name": "Legacy Boot option",
  "UefiDevicePath": "BBS(0x80,IBA ICE Slot D800 v2500)"
}

Note

idrac_ctl boot_one_shot --uefi_target

Export/Import system configuration

The export config, by default, will create a task and wait for completion. So will see the status bar progress. If we don't want to wait, we can pass --the async flag.
In this setting, each request to iDRAC send asynchronously, and we don't want results for job completion.

idrac_ctl system-export --filename system.json
idrac_ctl system-import --config system.json

If we don't need to wait, we can pass --async. It will create a job, but it will not wait for a job to complete.

idrac_ctl export --filename system.json

idrac_ctl export --filename system.json --async

This command will output job_id that we can use with job --job_id to get a job status

{
    "job_id": "JID_745386566338"
}

You can later fetch a result of job.

idrac_ctl  job --job_id JID_745386566338

Example attaching ISO from CIFS share and using Dell OEM API.

Install Samba, in my case I share /var/www/html/ which I also use for nginx

sudo apt install samba
systemctl status smbd --no-pager -l
sudo systemctl enable --now smbd
sudo ufw allow samba
sudo usermod -aG sambashare $USER
sudo systemctl start --now smbd

echo "[sambashare]
    comment = Samba on www
    path = /var/www/html/
    read only = no
    browsable = yes" >> /etc/samba/smb.conf

sudo systemctl restart smbd

Now we can mount. Note in my case I use default username vmware and password 123456.

idrac_ctl oem-attach --ip_addr $CIFS_SERVER --share_name sambashare --remote_image ubuntu-22.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso

Now we can check status.

idrac_ctl oem-attach-status
{
    "DriversAttachStatus": "NotAttached",
    "ISOAttachStatus": "Attached"
}

python idrac_ctl.py oem-net-ios-status
{
    "HostAttachedStatus": "Attached",
    "HostBootedFromISO": "No",
    "IPAddr": "10.241.7.99",
    "ISOConnectionStatus": "ConnectionUp",
    "ImageName": "ubuntu-22.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso",
    "ShareName": "sambashare",
    "UserName": "vmware"
}

Example changing BIOS values

First, obtain a list of all possible attributes and values that BIOS supports. Note many values we can't change. Keep attention to the read-only flag.

Also, note if a reboot is required or not.

idrac_ctl bios-registry --attr_list

For example attribute PowerCycleRequest.

idrac_ctl bios-registry --attr_name PowerCycleRequest

[
    {
        "AttributeName": "PowerCycleRequest",
        "CurrentValue": null,
        "DisplayName": "Power Cycle Request",
        "DisplayOrder": 10008,
        "HelpText": "Specifies how the system reacts when system transitions to S5 state.  When set to None, the transition to S5 is normal.  When set to Full Power Cycle, the system will temporarily be forced into a lower power state, similar to removing and replacing AC.",
        "Hidden": false,
        "Immutable": false,
        "MenuPath": "./MiscSettingsRef",
        "ReadOnly": false,
        "ResetRequired": true,
        "Type": "Enumeration",
        "Value": [
            {
                "ValueDisplayName": "None",
                "ValueName": "None"
            },
            {
                "ValueDisplayName": "Full Power Cycle",
                "ValueName": "FullPowerCycle"
            }
        ],
        "WarningText": null,
        "WriteOnly": false
    }
]

We can also query for a BIOS attributes that we can change.

Save result to a file and find value that you need change.

idrac_ctl bios-registry --filter-read_only -f bios.json

In my case I disable Mem Test and enabled MmioAbove4Gb

idrac_ctl bios-change  --attr_name MemTest,MmioAbove4Gb --attr_value Disabled,Enabled

Please use the [GitHub issue] tracker (https://github.com/spyroot/idrac_ctl/issues) submit bugs or request features.

More example TBD.