HOWTO: Set up iDRAC on a Dell Server

Setting up iDRAC on a Dell Server is one of the many processes where we facilitate support to our customers.

With it, you can perform diagnostics on a server even if you can’t log into it or if it’s powered off.

One of our technicians has found the best practice for setting up iDRAC on Dell Servers. Here’s how you can complete the task:

Note: You do not have to restart the server in order to configure this. Use Dell OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA), which should be installed on your server anyway as standard procedure.

iDRAC Solution:

1. System>Main System Chassis>Remote Access
2. At the top, click on the “Configuration” Tab.
3. Set the iDrac’s static IP address on the LAN.
4. Be sure to create a DHCP Exclusion (not a reservation) and record it somewhere for future use.
   1. The use of Exclusion instead of reservation is necessary because if the DHCP server is on that particular machine and not working properly, then there’s a problem.
   2. You could set the iDRAC to DHCP if you have to ship it somewhere and aren’t sure what IP to use.
5. If the iDRAC is the Enterprise version, then it has a dedicated NIC port labelled on the back.
   1. If not, you can specify which interface to use.
   2. You can choose an unused “LOM” (LAN on Motherboard) interface and use that even if it is a disabled interface in the Windows OS and has no assigned IP address.
6. Go to Users and set the password for the Root user (click the number on the left).
7. Put the IP address, machine name (and function) and username/password in LastPass.
8. Log in with a web browser.

For more information about why Dell is one of our partners, visit our certified Partners Page.

For more general information about Dell, visit the link below:

https://www.dell.com/en-us