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Accessing the BMC Controller web interface

The BMC Controller supports static and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) IPv4 addressing. The BMC Controller is initially configured to attempt to obtain an address from a DHCP server, and if it cannot, it uses the static IPv4 address.

The BMC Controller also supports IPv6, but it does not have a fixed static IPv6 IP address by default. For initial access to the BMC Controller in an IPv6 environment, you can either use the IPv4 IP address or the IPv6 link-local address. The BMC Controller generates a unique link-local IPv6 address, using the IEEE 802 MAC address by inserting two octets, with hexadecimal values of 0xFF and 0xFE in the middle of the 48-bit MAC as described in RFC4291 and flipping the 2nd bit from the right in the first octet of the MAC address. For example if the MAC address is 08-94-ef-2f-28-af, the link-local address would be as follows:
fe80::0a94:efff:fe2f:28af
When you access the BMC Controller, the following IPv6 conditions are set as default:
  • Automatic IPv6 address configuration is enabled.
  • IPv6 static IP address configuration is disabled.
  • DHCPv6 is enabled.
  • Stateless auto-configuration is enabled.

The BMC Controller provides the choice of using a dedicated systems-management network connection (if applicable) or one that is shared with the server. The default connection for rack-mounted and tower servers is to use the dedicated systems-management network connector.

The dedicated systems-management network connection on most servers is provided using a separate 1Gbit network interface controller. However, on some systems the dedicated systems-management network connection may be provided using the Network Controller Sideband Interface (NCSI) to one of the network ports of a multi-port network interface controller. For information and any limitations on the implementation of the management port on your system, see your system documentation.

Note
A dedicated systems-management network port might not be available on your server. If your hardware does not have a dedicated network port, the shared setting is the only BMC Controller setting available.