iDRAC: Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller
iDRAC is Dell's dedicated out-of-band management controller built into PowerEdge servers. It runs on its own processor and network port, letting admins power-cycle, reinstall, and monitor a server remotely even when the OS is down or the machine is powered off.
iDRAC is a system-on-chip that operates independently of the main CPU and operating system. It exposes a web UI, an SSH/IPMI interface, and the Redfish API over a dedicated Ethernet port or a shared LOM port. Through it you can mount virtual media, view the console via HTML5, read hardware sensors, and update firmware without touching the physical machine.
Feature depth depends on the license tier. iDRAC Basic ships free, iDRAC Express adds more monitoring, and iDRAC Enterprise (or Datacenter) unlocks virtual console, virtual media, and Lifecycle Controller automation. Generations track the server: iDRAC7 (12th gen), iDRAC8 (13th gen), iDRAC9 (14th–16th gen), and iDRAC10 on the 17th-gen R670/R770 (2025 onward).
When sourcing Dell PowerEdge servers from China, confirm the iDRAC license tier in writing. Many refurbished units ship with Basic only, and virtual console plus virtual media (the features you actually need for remote reinstall) require an Enterprise license that costs extra to add later.
Related
More in Remote management
- HPE iLO: Integrated Lights-OutiLO is HPE's embedded out-of-band management controller for ProLiant servers. It runs on a separate processor and network port, giving remote power control, virtual console, virtual media, and hardware health monitoring even when the host OS is offline.
- BMC: Baseboard Management ControllerA BMC is a small dedicated processor on a server motherboard that manages the hardware independently of the main CPU and OS. It monitors sensors, controls power, and provides remote access. iDRAC, iLO, and Huawei iBMC are vendor implementations of a BMC.
- IPMI: Intelligent Platform Management InterfaceIPMI is a standardized hardware management interface that lets administrators monitor and control a server through its BMC, independently of the CPU and OS. It handles sensor readings, power control, and remote console over LAN, but is now considered legacy in favor of Redfish.
- Redfish: DMTF management APIRedfish is a modern RESTful API standard from the DMTF for managing servers and datacenter hardware. It uses HTTPS and JSON to expose inventory, sensors, power control, and firmware updates, and is the intended replacement for the older IPMI protocol.
Need a build that gets this right? Tell us the workload and get an EXW Dalian quote the same business day.
Request a quote