{"id":657,"date":"2016-07-09T20:43:56","date_gmt":"2016-07-09T15:13:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/?p=657"},"modified":"2026-09-05T10:39:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T05:09:06","slug":"working-on-dell-drac-cli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pheonixsolutions.com\/blog\/working-on-dell-drac-cli\/","title":{"rendered":"Working on Dell DRAC CLI"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n

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)<\/strong>, which enables administrators to manage servers independently of the operating system.<\/p>\n

One of the most powerful features of iDRAC is RACADM (Remote Access Controller Administration)<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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Commonly Used RACADM Commands<\/h2>\n

1. View the Current Boot Sequence<\/strong><\/p>\n

Display the configured BIOS boot order:<\/p>\n

racadm get BIOS.BiosBootSettings.bootseq<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nRetrieves the current boot sequence configured in the BIOS.<\/p>\n
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2. Change the Boot Sequence<\/strong><\/p>\n
Configure the boot order according to your requirements:<\/p>\n
racadm set BIOS.BiosBootSettings.bootseq HardDisk.List.1-1,NIC.Integrated.1-1-1<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nSets the server to boot from the hard disk first and then the network interface card (NIC).<\/p>\n
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3. Check the One-Time Boot Device<\/strong><\/p>\n
View the next boot device configured for the server:<\/p>\n
racadm get iDRAC.ServerBoot.FirstBootDevice<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nDisplays the device that will be used for the next boot cycle.<\/p>\n
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4. Configure PXE Boot for the Next Reboot<\/strong><\/p>\n
Set the server to perform a one-time PXE network boot:<\/p>\n
racadm set iDRAC.ServerBoot.FirstBootDevice PXE<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nUseful when deploying operating systems through network boot or provisioning tools.<\/p>\n
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5. Restart the Server<\/strong><\/p>\n
Power cycle the server remotely:<\/p>\n
racadm serveraction powercycle<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nReboots the server and applies pending BIOS, RAID, or firmware changes.<\/p>\n
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RAID Management Commands<\/h2>\n
6. Display All Virtual Disks<\/strong><\/p>\n
View configured RAID virtual disks:<\/p>\n
racadm raid get vdisks<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nDisplays all virtual disks configured on the RAID controller.<\/p>\n
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7. Display Physical Disks<\/strong><\/p>\n
List all physical drives connected to the RAID controller:<\/p>\n
racadm raid get pdisks<\/code><\/pre>\n
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8. Display Detailed Physical Disk Information<\/strong><\/p>\n
Retrieve additional information about installed disks:<\/p>\n
racadm raid get pdisks -o<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nProvides detailed information such as drive health, size, status, and slot assignments.<\/p>\n
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9. Clear Existing RAID Configuration<\/strong><\/p>\n
Reset RAID configuration on the controller:<\/p>\n
racadm raid clearconfig:RAID.Integrated.1-1<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nDeletes all existing RAID virtual disk configurations.<\/p>\n
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Warning:<\/strong> This operation removes RAID configurations and may result in data loss.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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Job Queue Management<\/h2>\n
Many BIOS and RAID operations require jobs to be scheduled before they are applied.<\/p>\n
10. View Job Queue<\/strong><\/p>\n
Display all pending and completed jobs:<\/p>\n
racadm jobqueue view<\/code><\/pre>\n
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11. Create a RAID Job<\/strong><\/p>\n
Create a RAID-related configuration job:<\/p>\n
racadm jobqueue create RAID.Integrated.1-1<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nSchedules RAID changes to be applied during the next reboot.<\/p>\n
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Using iDRAC Templates for Mass Deployment<\/strong><\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
This approach ensures consistency across infrastructure deployments.<\/p>\n
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12. Export iDRAC Configuration<\/strong><\/p>\n
Export server settings to an XML template:<\/p>\n
racadm get -t xml -f server-1.xml -l 10.10.10.2:\/srv\/configs<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nExports BIOS, RAID, iDRAC, and other system settings into an XML file stored on a network share.<\/p>\n
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13. Import iDRAC Configuration<\/strong><\/p>\n
Apply the exported template to another server:<\/p>\n
racadm set -t xml -f server-1.xml -l 10.10.10.2:\/srv\/configs<\/code><\/pre>\n
Purpose:<\/strong>
\nImports previously exported settings and applies them to the target server.<\/p>\n
This significantly reduces deployment time and minimizes configuration inconsistencies.<\/p>\n
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Benefits of Using RACADM<\/h2>\n
Using RACADM offers several advantages:<\/p>\n