Get power status over ipmi from zabbix

Question

I am now looking for a way how to monitoring a server hardware such as fans/power supplies/etc.. The problem is, we have very dynamic environment - servers are automatically powered on/off - even several times a day, depending on load.

I created tetmplates for our supermicro servers (we have just 3-4 types of them, so they are very specific) that contains fan speed check (0 means fan is dead). However, everytime I turn off the server fan speed is also 0.

So I am now searching how to get power status (or any other indicator that server is running) over ipmi to send a zabbix alert only if the server is running.

Over ipmi is unortunately the requirement, because we monitor this way some servers that we don't have an access to.

I'd like to avoid writing a script that will run something like: ipmitool power status. Zabbix has an amaizing ipmi integration, so I'd like to use it as much as possible.

ipmitool sensor returns:

root@virt1:~# ipmitool sensor
System Temp      | 28.000     | degrees C  | ok    | -9.000    | -7.000    | -5.000    | 75.000    | 77.000    | 79.000
CPU Temp         | 0x0        | discrete   | 0x0000| na        | na        | na        | na        | na        | na
FAN 1            | 8355.000   | RPM        | ok    | 400.000   | 585.000   | 770.000   | 29260.000 | 29815.000 | 30370.000
FAN 2            | 8355.000   | RPM        | ok    | 400.000   | 585.000   | 770.000   | 29260.000 | 29815.000 | 30370.000
FAN 3            | 8725.000   | RPM        | ok    | 400.000   | 585.000   | 770.000   | 29260.000 | 29815.000 | 30370.000
FAN 4            | na         | RPM        | na    | na        | na        | na        | na        | na        | na
CPU Vcore        | 1.144      | Volts      | ok    | 0.640     | 0.664     | 0.688     | 1.344     | 1.408     | 1.472
+3.3VCC          | 3.280      | Volts      | ok    | 2.816     | 2.880     | 2.944     | 3.584     | 3.648     | 3.712
+12 V            | 12.031     | Volts      | ok    | 10.494    | 10.600    | 10.706    | 13.091    | 13.197    | 13.303
DIMM             | 1.544      | Volts      | ok    | 1.152     | 1.216     | 1.280     | 1.760     | 1.776     | 1.792
+5 V             | 5.216      | Volts      | ok    | 4.096     | 4.320     | 4.576     | 5.344     | 5.600     | 5.632
+5VSB            | 5.056      | Volts      | ok    | 4.096     | 4.320     | 4.576     | 5.344     | 5.600     | 5.632
VBAT             | 3.232      | Volts      | ok    | 2.816     | 2.880     | 2.944     | 3.584     | 3.648     | 3.712
+3.3VSB          | 3.280      | Volts      | ok    | 2.816     | 2.880     | 2.944     | 3.584     | 3.648     | 3.712
AVCC             | 3.280      | Volts      | ok    | 2.816     | 2.880     | 2.944     | 3.584     | 3.648     | 3.712
Chassis Intru    | 0x0        | discrete   | 0x0000| na        | na        | na        | na        | na        | na
PS Status        | 0x1        | discrete   | 0x01ff| na        | na        | na        | na        | na        | na
root@virt1:~#

Solution 1

One idea could be querying power ON/OFF sensor. It is a discrete sensor, see https://www.zabbix.com/documentation/2.2/manual/config/items/itemtypes/ipmi there is an example how to analyze a state of discrete sensor.

If power ON/OFF sensor is not possible to monitor, you can read analog voltage sensors, for example, "+5V" (or few more voltage sensors). If voltage is near zero, the server is probably switched off (or power supply has failed).

Solution 2

In the default installation of Zabbix 2.2, there are two templates: "Template IPMI Intel SR1530" and "Template IPMI Intel SR1630". Both of them contain a "Power" item, which queries the value of "power" sensor, and it seems to be what you need. If not, please describe the issue you are facing with that sensor.

Comments

[Kromey]

Can you not simply ping the server to determine alive/dead? You say IPMI is the requirement, but then say it's because you don't have access to the server -- but surely you can do a simple ping?

[Yarik Dot]

They are sometimes in VLAN zabbix doesn't have an access to. :( And we also sometimes don't know the IP address of that server. I appresiate your help

[Kromey]

Ah, understood. Afraid I can't help then, but good luck!

[Yarik Dot]

This is a good idea! However, power sensor is not available everywhere :(. What I am aiming at is to get the infromation of: ipmitool power status.

[asaveljevs]

@YarikDot: One way to move forward with this question might be to paste the output of "ipmitool sensor". For instance, in my case it lists "Power Unit" sensor.

[Yarik Dot]

I've updated the main post.