Fanctl - A Simple Shell Script For Dell Server Fan Control

Fanctl is a shell script designed for homelabbers and enthusiasts to provide more granular, automatic control over Dell PowerEdge server fan speeds. By leveraging IPMI integration with Dell iDRAC, Fanctl adjusts fan speeds based on CPU temperature thresholds, ensuring optimal cooling and noise reduction.

Features

• Automated fan speed control based on CPU temperature thresholds
• IPMI integration with Dell iDRAC
• Logging of temperature and fan speed changes
• Graceful handling of script termination
• Automatic fallback to iDRAC fan control if temperature exceeds safe limits

Demo

Installation

0. Install required dependencies for your distribution:

   Debian/Ubuntu:

   sudo apt install ipmitool bc

   CentOS/RHEL:

   sudo yum install ipmitool bc

   Arch Linux:

   sudo pacman --needed -S ipmitool bc

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/UpperCenter/fanctl.git
cd fanctl

2. Make the script executable:

chmod +x fan_control.sh

3. Configure iDRAC settings:

   • Enable IPMI Over LAN in iDRAC:
     • Log into the iDRAC web interface
     • Navigate to Network > Services
     • Enable "IPMI Over LAN"
     • Click Apply

4. Adjust script variables: Open the script in a text editor and modify the following variables as needed:

   • IPMI_HOST: Your iDRAC IP address or FQDN (Required)
   • IPMI_USER: iDRAC username (Required)
   • IPMI_PASS: iDRAC password (Required)
   • TEMP_THRESHOLD_*: Temperature thresholds for fan speed adjustments (Optional)
   • CHECK_INTERVAL: Time between temperature checks (in seconds) (Optional but Recommended)
   • LOG_FILE: Path to the log file (Optional)
   • TEMP_MAX: Maximum safe temperature threshold (Optional)

Usage

Run the script with:

./fan_control.sh

For long-term use, consider setting up the script as a systemd service or running it in a screen/tmux session.

Important Notes

• This script takes control of your server's fans. Use at your own risk and monitor temperatures closely when first implementing.
• Ensure your iDRAC firmware is up to date before using this script.
• The script requires root privileges or a user with sufficient permissions to execute IPMI commands.
• If the script terminates unexpectedly, it will attempt to return fan control to iDRAC before exiting.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome. Please create a pull request detailing your changes and additions. Note that this is a small side project and likely won't get a ton of attention going forward.

Authors & Contributors

• @UpperCenter

License

MIT