Question on Intel Xeon E3-1230V5 chip (no video support) with Supermicro X11SSM-F-O

[Digitaldreams]

This is a real noob question so I'm hoping someone can explain it to me. I'm going to install FreeNAS using a Xeon E3-1230V5 on a SuperMicro X11SSM-F-O. The CPU does not support graphics or video as I understand it. The board does have a serial port and IPMI. As I understand it, the video output will be displayed if I plug in a monitor. My question is how do I go about installing and configuring FreeNAS if I can't see the screen? If I use the serial port, will it display everything so I can configure and install it? Or do I have to use IPMI? If I throw in a graphics card, will connecting a monitor to it display all the initial config setup?

 

[Inxsible]

This is a real noob question so I'm hoping someone can explain it to me. I'm going to install FreeNAS using a Xeon E3-1230V5 on a SuperMicro X11SSM-F-O. The CPU does not support graphics or video as I understand it. The board does have a serial port and IPMI. As I understand it, the video output will be displayed if I plug in a monitor. My question is how do I go about installing and configuring FreeNAS if I can't see the screen? If I use the serial port, will it display everything so I can configure and install it? Or do I have to use IPMI? If I throw in a graphics card, will connecting a monitor to it display all the initial config setup?

Your board has IPMI, so you can use that to install. You don't need to connect any video cables to any port in this scenario. All you need is to plug in the Ethernet cable in the IPMI LAN port and make sure your router assigns an ip address to it.

If you want to use serial, then you'd need a serial cable.

 

[Digitaldreams]

Your board has IPMI, so you can use that to install. You don't need to connect any video cables to any port in this scenario. All you need is to plug in the Ethernet cable in the IPMI LAN port and make sure your router assigns an IP address to it.

If you want to use serial, then you'd need a serial cable.

Okay, thanks. Can I access it by just popping the IP into a web browser from my laptop on the local lan?

 

[Inxsible]

Okay, thanks. Can I access it by just popping the IP into a web browser from my laptop on the local lan?

Yes that's a start. You'd need to login, then use the console -- java or HTML5 -- (hopefully the latter) to "see" the screen. While you are there, explore the other options there. You can shutdown or cold reboot the server, check the stats in terms of temperatures, fan speed etc. and so much more. IPMI is the sh!t !!! You can even use it to upgrade your BIOS and IPMI firmware itself. It's great to have especially in a headless build.

IPMI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_Platform_Management_Interface

Here's Supermicro IPMI: Note that you might not have to futz around in the BIOS as it might be enabled already.
https://www.thomas-krenn.com/en/wiki/Supermicro_IPMI_Configuration_through_BIOS_or_Web_Interface

Another option is to use ipmiview -- which is available on many linux distributions.

 

[Digitaldreams]

Yes that's a start. You'd need to login, then use the console -- java or HTML5 -- (hopefully the latter) to "see" the screen. While you are there, explore the other options there. You can shutdown or cold reboot the server, check the stats in terms of temperatures, fan speed etc. and so much more. IPMI is the sh!t !!! You can even use it to upgrade your BIOS and IPMI firmware itself. It's great to have especially in a headless build.

IPMI: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_Platform_Management_Interface

Here's Supermicro IPMI: Note that you might not have to futz around in the BIOS as it might be enabled already.
https://www.thomas-krenn.com/en/wiki/Supermicro_IPMI_Configuration_through_BIOS_or_Web_Interface

Another option is to use ipmiview -- which is available on many linux distributions.

Awesome. I think this is the part I'm a little confused about. Will IPMI allow me to view all output from the second I power on the server, as in from POST? I understand with IPMI I can log into the server and manage it but for the initial installation, will it mimic the use of a monitor as if I had one plugged in and was watching everything boot from the second I turn it on.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[Inxsible]

Will IPMI allow me to view all output from the second I power on the server, as in from POST?

Yes.

 

[BigDave]

This is a real noob question so I'm hoping someone can explain it to me. I'm going to install FreeNAS using a Xeon E3-1230V5 on a SuperMicro X11SSM-F-O. The CPU does not support graphics or video as I understand it. The board does have a serial port and IPMI. As I understand it, the video output will be displayed if I plug in a monitor. My question is how do I go about installing and configuring FreeNAS if I can't see the screen? If I use the serial port, will it display everything so I can configure and install it? Or do I have to use IPMI? If I throw in a graphics card, will connecting a monitor to it display all the initial config setup?

That board also has an VGA output which is simply connected to a monitor with the proper video cable.
Once FreeNAS gives you an IP address (viewed from the console after the install), you can then access the GUI through your client machine using that IP address. The draw back to doing it this way is you must also have a keyboard when installing the OS.
If you perform the install from a client machine, IPMI will make use of the client keyboard
without connecting any hardware to the FreeNAS machine other than of course the ethernet cables from your switch or router.

 

[Digitaldreams]

Thanks all! Very basic stuff but tI've never bought a CPU without graphical support.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Digitaldreams]

That board also has an VGA output which is simply connected to a monitor with the proper video cable.
Once FreeNAS gives you an IP address (viewed from the console after the install), you can then access the GUI through your client machine using that IP address. The draw back to doing it this way is you must also have a keyboard when installing the OS.
If you perform the install from a client machine, IPMI will make use of the client keyboard
without connecting any hardware to the FreeNAS machine other than of course the ethernet cables from your switch or router.

After having to replace the PSU, I finally had the time last night work on the server and I am happy to report that yes, IPMI is FANTASTIC. I got everything up and running. I need to jsut now work on re-tuning FreeNAS. Thanks again for the information you provided me!