Network Settings

Proper network configuration is the foundation of remote server management. It ensures that the BMC is accessible, secure, and communicates correctly within your IT infrastructure. The BMC provides a comprehensive set of tools to manage everything from basic IP addresses to advanced features like network bonding and VLANs.

This chapter walks you through all the essential network configuration tasks.

Configuring basic IP, DNS, and hostname settings

This is the first and most critical network task. You can assign an IP address to the BMC either automatically via DHCP or manually with a static IP.

1. In the sidebar menu, navigate to Settings > Network Settings.

2. Select the network interface you want to configure (e.g., eth0).

3. Configure the settings as needed, referring to the field reference table below.

4. Click Save to apply the changes.

[Image, EXISTING, Source: 7.3: Screenshot of the Network Settings page showing IPv4 and IPv6 configurations for the eth0 interface.]

Caution: You will lose connection after changing the IP address

If you change the BMC's IP address and click save, your current web session will be disconnected immediately. You will need to close your browser tab and reconnect using the new IP address.

Field Reference

Field	Description
Hostname	The name assigned to the BMC on the network.
Link status	Indicates if the network port has an active physical connection (e.g., LinkUp).
Speed (mbps)	The negotiated speed of the network connection.
FQDN	The Fully Qualified Domain Name of the BMC (e.g., bmc.example.com).
MAC address	The unique hardware address of the network interface.
DHCP (Toggle)	Enables or disables automatic IP address assignment from a DHCP server.
IP address	The manually assigned static IPv4 or IPv6 address.
Gateway	The IP address of the network gateway or router.
Subnet mask / Prefix Length	The subnet mask (for IPv4) or prefix length (for IPv6) that defines the local network segment.
Static DNS	Allows you to manually add the IP addresses of your DNS servers.

Configuring dynamic DNS (DDNS)

Dynamic DNS (DDNS) allows the BMC to automatically update its hostname-to-IP address mapping on your DNS server. This is useful in DHCP environments where the BMC's IP address might change.

1. Navigate to Settings > Network DDNS.

2. Configure the settings as needed.

3. Click Save.

[Image, EXISTING, Source: 7.4: Screenshot of the Network DDNS configuration page.]

Field Reference

Field	Description
Send HostName	If enabled, the BMC will send its hostname during DHCP negotiation.
Send Nsupdate	If enabled, the BMC will attempt to update DNS records using the name server update protocol.
Host Name Mode	Manual allows you to define a custom hostname; Auto lets the system determine it automatically.
Static Host Name	The custom hostname to be used if Manual mode is selected.
Domain Name	The domain suffix for the BMC (e.g., corp.example.com).
DDNS Method	Register enables dynamic registration; Deregister disables it.
NS Update Enable	Allows or disallows sending name server updates for this interface.
Use TSIG	Enables secure transaction signing for DNS updates, requiring a TSIG key file upload.

Setting up network high availability

The BMC supports features to improve network reliability and redundancy.

• Network Bonding: This feature combines two physical network interfaces into a single logical one. If one physical link fails, traffic automatically fails over to the other, ensuring the BMC remains accessible. To configure it, navigate to Settings > Network Bond, enable bonding, and select the interfaces to bond.

  
• Network Link Control: This allows you to manually set the Link Speed and Duplex Mode for an interface instead of using auto-negotiation. This is typically only used for troubleshooting connectivity issues with older network equipment. You can find this under Settings > Network Link.

[Image, EXISTING, Source: 7.6: Screenshot of the Network Link configuration page.]

Field Reference (Network Bond)

Field	Description
Enable Bonding	Toggles the network bonding feature on or off.
MII Monitor (millisecond)	Sets the frequency (in ms) for checking the link status of bonded interfaces.
Bond Interface	Selects the logical bonding interface to configure (e.g., bond0).

Configuring the Network Controller Sideband Interface (NCSI)

NCSI is a protocol that allows the BMC to communicate with the server's main network interface controllers (NICs), essentially sharing the network port. This is common in 1U servers to save physical space.

Under Settings > NCSI, you can configure:

• NCSI Mode: Set to Auto Failover Mode (recommended) to automatically switch to a working channel if one fails, or Manual Switch Mode to select a specific package and channel.

[Image, EXISTING, Source: 7.7: Screenshot of the NCSI configuration page.]

Field Reference

Field	Description
NCSI Mode	Auto Failover Mode automatically selects a working package/channel if one fails. Manual Switch Modeallows you to manually select the interface.
NCSI Interface	A dropdown list of all available interfaces that support NCSI.
Package ID	The NCSI package number (typically 0-3).
Channel Number	The specific NCSI channel within a package.

Configuring VLANs

VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks) allow you to segment traffic on your network for security and organizational purposes. You can assign the BMC to a specific management VLAN.

1. Navigate to Settings > VLAN.

2. Select the base physical interface (e.g., eth0).

3. Enter the VLAN ID you want to assign (e.g., 100).

4. Click Add.

[Image, EXISTING, Source: 7.8: Screenshot of the VLAN configuration page.]

The BMC will now communicate on a new virtual interface tagged with that VLAN ID.

Pro Tip: Coordinate with your network team

Before configuring a VLAN, ensure the physical switch port that the BMC connects to is configured correctly by your network team. The port must be set up as a "tagged" or "trunk" port that allows traffic for your chosen VLAN ID. A mismatch in configuration will cause the BMC to become unreachable.