Introduction

Managing a few servers manually is relatively straightforward. However, in modern enterprise environments where infrastructure can consist of hundreds or even thousands of Dell PowerEdge servers, manual administration quickly becomes inefficient, time-consuming, and error-prone.

This is where Dell Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) and its RACADM (Remote Access Controller Administration) command-line utility become invaluable.

RACADM allows administrators to perform remote server management without requiring physical access or even a running operating system. Whether you need to change BIOS settings, configure RAID, modify the boot sequence, reboot a server, or deploy standardized configurations across an entire data center, RACADM provides a powerful automation interface.

In this article, we’ll explore the most useful RACADM commands that every system administrator, DevOps engineer, and infrastructure engineer should know.

Commonly Used RACADM Commands

1. Display the Current Boot Sequence

View the BIOS boot order configured on the server.

racadm get BIOS.BiosBootSettings.bootseq

Example output:

HardDisk.List.1-1,NIC.Integrated.1-1-1

This command is useful for verifying the boot order before making changes.

2. Change the Boot Sequence

Configure the server to boot from the hard disk first, followed by the network adapter.

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

Typical boot priorities include:

  • Hard Disk
  • PXE (Network Boot)
  • Optical Drive
  • USB Device

After changing BIOS settings, you may need to create a configuration job and reboot the server.

3. View the One-Time Boot Device

Check which device will be used during the next reboot.

racadm get iDRAC.ServerBoot.FirstBootDevice

This is commonly used before operating system installations.

4. Configure PXE Boot for the Next Restart

Set the next boot to use the network (PXE).

racadm set iDRAC.ServerBoot.FirstBootDevice PXE

After the next successful boot, the server automatically returns to its permanent boot order.

This is especially useful when:

  • Installing VMware ESXi
  • Installing Linux
  • Installing Windows Server
  • Performing network-based recovery

5. Restart the Server

Power cycle the server remotely.

racadm serveraction powercycle

This command is useful after:

  • BIOS changes
  • RAID configuration changes
  • Firmware updates
  • Pending jobs

6. View RAID Virtual Disks

Display all configured virtual disks.

racadm raid get vdisks

Useful information includes:

  • RAID level
  • Capacity
  • Status
  • RAID controller

7. View Physical Disks

List all physical disks.

racadm raid get pdisks

Display detailed information:

racadm raid get pdisks -o

Additional information includes:

  • Disk slot
  • Model
  • Capacity
  • Firmware
  • Health
  • State
  • Media type

8. Clear Existing RAID Configuration

Remove all RAID configurations from the controller.

racadm raid clearconfig:RAID.Integrated.1-1

⚠️ Warning: This operation deletes the RAID configuration. Ensure backups are available before running this command.

9. View Pending Jobs

Display all scheduled jobs.

racadm jobqueue view

Examples include:

  • BIOS jobs
  • RAID jobs
  • Firmware updates
  • Lifecycle Controller jobs

10. Create a RAID Job

Schedule RAID configuration changes.

racadm jobqueue create RAID.Integrated.1-1

Most RAID operations require a job before they become active.

Export and Import iDRAC Configuration (XML Templates)

One of the most powerful RACADM features is configuration templates.

Instead of manually configuring every server, configure one “golden” server and export its settings.

Export Configuration

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

This exports the server configuration to an XML file and stores it on an NFS share.

Import Configuration

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

This applies the exported configuration to another server.

Using templates ensures:

  • Consistent BIOS settings
  • Identical RAID configuration
  • Standardized networking
  • Faster deployment
  • Reduced configuration errors

Conclusion

Dell iDRAC RACADM is one of the most powerful tools available for managing Dell PowerEdge servers remotely. From simple tasks such as viewing the boot order to advanced operations like RAID management and mass deployment through XML templates, RACADM significantly reduces administrative effort and improves operational consistency.

For organizations managing large server fleets, learning RACADM is more than just a convenience—it is an essential skill. By integrating RACADM into your automation workflows, you can minimize manual intervention, standardize server configurations, accelerate deployments, and respond to infrastructure issues more efficiently.

Whether you’re a System Administrator, Infrastructure Engineer, or DevOps professional, mastering RACADM will help you build reliable, scalable, and well-managed server environments.

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