StarTech.com SV11151PEXT Disk Control Menu, Background, Host Computer Requirements

Instruction Manual

Disk Control Menu

Aside from status information, there are only three buttons in this window. Insert and Eject will simulate that action, and only one option is enabled at any time, based on the current state of the emulated disk. USB Replug can be used to force the host to recognize the disk. It is not needed unless the host OS or hardware does not recognize it automatically.

Using the IPMI Feature

Background

To offer a more complete remote server control solution, the SV1115IPEXT offers a power management feature that allows remote hardware restarts and the ability to power the host computer on and off. You may be able to take advantage of this feature if the host computer you are managing supports IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface).

Host Computer Requirements

The host computer must support the IPMI standard version 1.5 to use this option. Most popular server motherboards now support the IPMI standard. To determine if your computer supports this IPMI, consult its documentation for more information.

IPMI is used to configure and control a device on the motherboard called the BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) using a dedicated serial port. Once the computer is configured for IPMI management, the serial port on the host computer is normally reserved by the BIOS solely for that purpose and cannot be accessed or recognized by the operating system. It is therefore unlikely that a serial port provided by an add-in card will be able to act as an IPMI port, so you must use a serial port integrated on the motherboard of the host computer. If the computer you are managing only has a single serial port, you must add an additional port (or ports) via an add-in card if you need a serial port for other purposes (i.e. modem). Enabling IPMI support usually requires enabling options in the host computer’s BIOS setup software, and the instructions will vary considerably from make to make and model to model. Normally, a password will be created by the BIOS that allows the IPMI feature to be accessed; this password is exclusive to the IPMI feature and does not correspond to a password or account in the host computer’s operating system.

If the Host Computer Does Not Support IPMI

If the host computer you are managing with the SV1115IPEXT does not support IPMI, StarTech.com offers a non-IPMI solution that also works via serial port and acts as a power concentrator and a power management device: the 8 Outlet Serial Remote Power Switch (PM815NAS). For more information about this product, visit www.startech.com or

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