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Using the TMM

The TMM is a second generation of the functions that were formerly provided by the baseboard management controller hardware. It combines service processor functions, video controller, and remote presence function in a single chip.

The TMM supports the following basic systems-management features:

  • Alerts (in-band and out-of-band alerting, PET traps - IPMI style, SNMP, e-mail).
  • Automatic microprocessor disable on failure and restart in a two-microprocessor configuration when one microprocessor signals an internal error. When one of the microprocessors fail, the server will disable the failing microprocessor and restart with the other microprocessor.
  • Automatic Server Restart (ASR) when POST is not complete or the operating system hangs and the operating system watchdog timer times-out. The TMM might be configured to watch for the operating system watchdog timer and reboot the system after a timeout, if the ASR feature is enabled. Otherwise, the TMM allows the administrator to generate a nonmaskable interrupt (NMI) by pressing an NMI button for an operating-system memory dump. ASR is supported by IPMI.
  • A virtual media key, which enables remote presence support (remote video, remote keyboard/mouse, and remote storage).
  • Boot sequence manipulation.
  • Command-line interface.
  • Configuration save and restore.
  • DIMM error assistance. The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) disables a failing DIMM that is detected during POST, and the TMM lights the associated system error LED and the failing DIMM error LED.
  • Environmental monitor with fan speed control for temperature, voltages, fan failure, power supply failure, and power backplane failure.
  • Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Specification V2.0 and Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB) support.
  • Invalid system configuration (CONFIG) LED support.
  • Local firmware code flash update
  • Nonmaskable interrupt (NMI) detection and reporting.
  • Operating-system failure blue screen capture.
  • PCI configuration data.
  • Power/reset control (power-on, hard and soft shutdown, hard and soft reset, schedule power control).
  • Query power-supply input power.
  • ROM-based TMM firmware flash updates.
  • Serial over LAN (SOL).
  • Serial port redirection over telnet or ssh.
  • SMI handling
  • System event log (SEL) - user readable event log.

The TMM also provides the following remote server management capabilities through the ipmitool, a management utility program:

  • Command-line interface (IPMI Shell)

    The command-line interface provides direct access to server management functions through the IPMI 2.0 protocol. Use the command-line interface to issue commands to control the server power, view system information, and identify the server. You can also save one or more commands as a text file and run the file as a script.

  • Serial over LAN

    Establish a Serial over LAN (SOL) connection to manage servers from a remote location. You can remotely view and change the UEFI settings, restart the server, identify the server, and perform other management functions. Any standard Telnet client application can access the SOL connection.