Working on Dell DRAC CLI

Introduction

Managing modern server infrastructure requires tools that provide reliable remote access, hardware monitoring, and automated configuration capabilities. Dell PowerEdge servers include a built-in management platform called Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC), which enables administrators to manage servers independently of the operating system.

One of the most powerful features of iDRAC is RACADM (Remote Access Controller Administration), a command-line utility that allows administrators to perform server management tasks remotely. Using RACADM, you can configure BIOS settings, manage RAID controllers, control server power operations, schedule configuration jobs, and deploy standardized configurations across multiple servers without requiring physical access to the hardware.

For system administrators managing large environments, RACADM can dramatically reduce deployment time and simplify repetitive management tasks. Whether you need to perform a one-time PXE boot, update RAID settings, reboot a server remotely, or apply a configuration template to hundreds of servers, RACADM provides a fast and efficient solution.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most commonly used Dell iDRAC CLI commands and demonstrate how they can help streamline day-to-day server administration.

Commonly Used RACADM Commands

1. View the Current Boot Sequence

Display the configured BIOS boot order:

racadm get BIOS.BiosBootSettings.bootseq

Purpose:
Retrieves the current boot sequence configured in the BIOS.

2. Change the Boot Sequence

Configure the boot order according to your requirements:

racadm set BIOS.BiosBootSettings.bootseq HardDisk.List.1-1,NIC.Integrated.1-1-1

Purpose:
Sets the server to boot from the hard disk first and then the network interface card (NIC).

3. Check the One-Time Boot Device

View the next boot device configured for the server:

racadm get iDRAC.ServerBoot.FirstBootDevice

Purpose:
Displays the device that will be used for the next boot cycle.

4. Configure PXE Boot for the Next Reboot

Set the server to perform a one-time PXE network boot:

racadm set iDRAC.ServerBoot.FirstBootDevice PXE

Purpose:
Useful when deploying operating systems through network boot or provisioning tools.

5. Restart the Server

Power cycle the server remotely:

racadm serveraction powercycle

Purpose:
Reboots the server and applies pending BIOS, RAID, or firmware changes.

RAID Management Commands

6. Display All Virtual Disks

View configured RAID virtual disks:

racadm raid get vdisks

Purpose:
Displays all virtual disks configured on the RAID controller.

7. Display Physical Disks

List all physical drives connected to the RAID controller:

racadm raid get pdisks

8. Display Detailed Physical Disk Information

Retrieve additional information about installed disks:

racadm raid get pdisks -o

Purpose:
Provides detailed information such as drive health, size, status, and slot assignments.

9. Clear Existing RAID Configuration

Reset RAID configuration on the controller:

racadm raid clearconfig:RAID.Integrated.1-1

Purpose:
Deletes all existing RAID virtual disk configurations.

Warning: This operation removes RAID configurations and may result in data loss.

Job Queue Management

Many BIOS and RAID operations require jobs to be scheduled before they are applied.

10. View Job Queue

Display all pending and completed jobs:

racadm jobqueue view

11. Create a RAID Job

Create a RAID-related configuration job:

racadm jobqueue create RAID.Integrated.1-1

Purpose:
Schedules RAID changes to be applied during the next reboot.

Using iDRAC Templates for Mass Deployment

When managing hundreds or thousands of servers, manually configuring each server becomes inefficient. Dell provides XML-based iDRAC templates that allow administrators to export configurations from one server and apply them to multiple systems.

This approach ensures consistency across infrastructure deployments.

12. Export iDRAC Configuration

Export server settings to an XML template:

racadm get -t xml -f server-1.xml -l 10.10.10.2:/srv/configs

Purpose:
Exports BIOS, RAID, iDRAC, and other system settings into an XML file stored on a network share.

13. Import iDRAC Configuration

Apply the exported template to another server:

racadm set -t xml -f server-1.xml -l 10.10.10.2:/srv/configs

Purpose:
Imports previously exported settings and applies them to the target server.

This significantly reduces deployment time and minimizes configuration inconsistencies.

Benefits of Using RACADM

Using RACADM offers several advantages:

• Remote server administration without physical access
• Automated server provisioning
• BIOS and RAID configuration management
• Faster troubleshooting and maintenance
• Simplified firmware and hardware management
• Consistent server deployments using templates
• Reduced operational overhead in large environments

Conclusion

Dell iDRAC and RACADM provide administrators with powerful remote management capabilities that significantly simplify server administration. From modifying BIOS settings and managing RAID arrays to automating deployments using XML templates, RACADM helps reduce manual effort and improve operational efficiency. For organizations managing large-scale Dell PowerEdge environments, mastering RACADM commands can save countless hours while ensuring consistent and reliable server configurations across the infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is RACADM?

RACADM (Remote Access Controller Administration) is Dell’s command-line utility for managing iDRAC-enabled servers. It allows administrators to configure hardware, BIOS settings, RAID controllers, networking, and power operations remotely.

2. Do RACADM changes require a server reboot?

Some changes, such as RAID configuration updates and BIOS modifications, require a reboot and a pending job to be applied. Other settings may take effect immediately.

Use the following command to check pending jobs:

racadm jobqueue view

3. Can RACADM be used remotely?

Yes. RACADM supports remote execution against iDRAC interfaces, allowing administrators to manage servers without logging into the operating system.

Example:

racadm -r 192.168.1.100 -u root -p password getsysinfo

This retrieves system information directly from the remote iDRAC controller.

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