Overview

When a user assigns the same Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) address as the management interface IP, there will be intermittent network loss to both the IPMI and the management interface, which will cause intermittent access issues. This article provides relevant information regarding this scenario.

Resolution

If an IP address is assigned to both the management interface and IPMI, as with any IP address conflict, the below issues will arise:

• Intermittent access to WebUI: most of the time, when trying to log in o the webpage, it fails. However, occasionally, you can reach the login page.
• Attempts to connect via SSH fails with the following error:
  
  Network Error - Connection Refused.
  
  
• Ping works fine, and there are no dropped packets.

Because of the IP conflict, packets on the network will not know whether if they should go to the management interface or the IPMI interface. On occasion, it will choose one or the other. In both cases, devices on the network will register an IP conflict. An IP conflict in this manner is the same as an IP conflict on any other network device, complete with the network side effects that happen.

To resolve this issue, and since both the WebUI and CLI (command-line interface) are inaccessible, you need console access (either by a console cable or a monitor and keyboard) to change the management or IPMI address to a separate IP. This is done using theint eth1 ip address [IP]command.