[Discuss] BMC Alerts

[feenberg at nber.org (Daniel Feenberg)]

We have several new Tyan systems with ipmi compatible remote control 
modules called "bmc"s. We can use them to turn the systems on and off, and 
monitor fans and temperatures and do other things via a web browser.

But the BMCs also have "alerts" and the CMOS setup menu shows alerts 
numbered 1 through 15 that can be enabled or disabled, but with no 
indication of what would trigger any particular alert if it were enabled.

I suppose I would want to be alerted if the machine hung, or overheated, 
but how would I instruct the bmc to do that? Do different maladies have 
well-known asigned numbers? Or are alerts passed from the OS (in which 
case they are not of much use, since the main thing I would want to be 
alerted to is a failure of the OS).

I have the manual for the BMC, but it doesn't cover how alerts are 
generated.

   http://www.tyan.com/manuals/S7016_Pilot%202_UG_v100.pdf

Daniel Feenberg