freeipmi

freeipmi [OPTION...] [SHELL-COMMAND...]

-h, --help
    Output help message and exit

-V, --version
    Output version information and exit

-v, --verbose[=LEVEL]
    Increase output verbosity (repeat for more detail)

-q, --quiet
    Suppress all output

-d, --debug[=LEVEL]
    Enable debug output

--config-file=FILE
    Specify alternate config file

--intf=INTERFACE, -I INTERFACE
    IPMI interface (e.g., lan, lanplus, open, imb)

--hostname=HOSTNAME, -H HOSTNAME
    Remote BMC hostname or IP address

--port=PORTNUM, -p PORTNUM
    Remote BMC UDP port

--username=USER, -U USER
    Remote BMC username

--password=PASSWD, -P PASSWD
    Remote BMC user password

--password-prompt
    Prompt for password

--k-g=KEY
    K_g BMC key

--k-o=KEY
    K_o user key

--driver-type=DRIVER
    Local IPMI driver (e.g., kcs, ssif)

--driver-address=ADDRESS
    Local driver address

--driver-device=FILENAME
    Local driver device file

--lanplus
    Use RAKP2/3 authentication (HMAC-SHA1)

--workaround=FLAGS
    OEM-specific workaround flags

--session-timeout=TIMEOUT
    Session timeout in seconds

--ignore-unknown-errors
    Ignore unknown/critical IPMI errors

--bypass-caveats
    Bypass caveats checks

freeipmi is a versatile, curses-based interactive shell from the FreeIPMI suite for managing Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) enabled devices. It enables direct communication with Baseboard Management Controllers (BMCs) to monitor sensors, control chassis and power states, read System Event Logs (SEL), manage Field Replaceable Units (FRU), configure users, and execute raw IPMI commands.

Launched in interactive mode by default, it offers tab completion, command history, and online help. For automation, invoke with shell commands as arguments for non-interactive use. Supports local drivers (KCS, SSIF, OpenIPMI) and remote access via LAN (including LANPLUS with cipher suites), serial-over-LAN, and more.

Features include OEM-specific workarounds, cache files for performance, session management, extensive verbosity levels, and debugging. Ideal for remote hardware monitoring, diagnostics, and control in data centers or clusters without OS dependency.

Unlike single-purpose tools like ipmi-sensors, freeipmi consolidates functionality into one interface, reducing tool sprawl.

Requires IPMI kernel modules for local access (e.g., ipmi_devintf). Remote access needs network connectivity and BMC credentials. Interactive mode requires terminal with curses support. Extensive options may require config tuning for specific hardware. Not all OEM sensors/FRUs fully supported without workarounds.

Enter interactive mode for: sensor, chassis, power, sel, fru, user, oem, raw, mc. Use help or ? COMMAND for details.

Uses cache files for SDR/SEL/FRU data to speed queries. Override with --override-oem-sdr-cache-file=PATH etc. for custom handling.

Developed as part of the FreeIPMI project started in 2003 by Anand Babu Periasamy and Al Chu to address gaps in open-source IPMI tooling. freeipmi shell added in early versions for interactive use, evolving with support for newer IPMI specs (1.5/2.0), cipher suites, and hardware workarounds. Maintained by GNU Savannah, widely used in HPC and server farms.

ipmitool(1), bmc-info(8), ipmi-sensors(8), ipmi-sel(8), ipmi-chassis(8), ipmi-power(8), ipmi-fru(8)