What is an Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC)?

Dell EMC’s Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) is the Dell PowerEdge version of a ‘Remote Management’ tool. Remote management tools have been developed to enable their users to have greater administrative control over their devices remotely.

Dell’s iDRAC is a hardware and software component which exist on most Dell EMC 11th generation or newer PowerEdge servers. It can also be added to older Dell PowerEdge servers; but our ability to provide this is limited. If you request to have Remote Management installed on your server, and your server is a Dell EMC PowerEdge, your server will be configured with iDRAC.

When iDRAC is configured on a Dell server, the user can access the iDRAC remotely through a web-based GUI portal, through a dedicated IPv4 address configured on the iDRAC. Once you have accessed and logged in to a server’s iDRAC control panel, you can use the iDRAC portal to check the current status of your server and its hardware, to run operations/tasks on your server, and to start a remote Virtual Console.

We encourage our clients to order Remote Management with their server (thus iDRAC with a Dell server), as it allows the device’s administrator to check the status of their hardware, as it can be used to identify hardware related issues and can be used to identify the necessary information to have any faulty hardware replaced. Dell EMC’s iDRAC also allows the device’s administrator to be able to start a virtual console at any time; providing the user greater control over their device, 24/7, and replaces the need for KVMoIP devices.

The iDRAC’s available functionality is based on licensing. To access all of the iDRAC’s functions, your server must be configured with an iDRAC Enterprise license. If you purchase remote management through us, your server will be configured with an iDRAC Enterprise license as part of the package.

Please note that the iDRAC component is unique to Dell servers, so iDRAC is only available on our Dell PowerEdge servers. Servers manufactured by other companies use other forms of remote management, similar to iDRAC. Some other examples include iLO for HPE ProLiant servers and IPMI for SuperMicro servers. This means that the form of remote management provided depends on the make and model of the server.

If you have any further questions about iDRAC or Remote Management, please look through our FAQ section. If our FAQ page does not have the answer, please feel free to raise a support ticket, and we will be happy to help.