This section explains the Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) device driver support for Windows.
Microsoft Windows supports the Open Systems Adapter (OSA) and Microsoft Windows Installer (MSI) IPMI device drivers. If you are using Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows 2008, or Windows PE 2.0 or later, you do not have to install an external (OSA or MSI) IPMI device driver. Microsoft integrates the IPMI device driver with the operating system. The ASU 2.3.0 and later supports these operating systems. To support the integrated device driver, a new Lenovo mapping layer is required, which is embedded in the ASU 2.3.0 or later.
If you want to use the Microsoft IPMI device driver and you have previously installed the Lenovo mapping layer, you must remove the mapping layer. The mapping layer embedded within the ASU conflicts with the externally-installed mapping layer previously required to support the OSA and MSI IPMI device drivers.
The Microsoft IPMI device driver is automatically installed with Windows 2008 and WinPE 2.0 or later. However, it is not installed by default with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2. For instructions about installing the Microsoft IPMI device driver on Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, see Installing the Microsoft IPMI device driver.