Redfish (specification)

Redfish (specification)
Name	Redfish
Developer	Distributed Management Task Force
Released	2014
Programming language	JSON, HTTP, OData
Operating system	Cross-platform
License	Royalty-free

Redfish (specification) is an open industry specification that defines a RESTful interface and data model for managing and controlling server (computing), storage (computer), and networking hardware in datacenter and enterprise environments. Published by the Distributed Management Task Force, Redfish uses modern web standards to provide out-of-band management features comparable to legacy interfaces such as Intelligent Platform Management Interface while integrating with infrastructure automation platforms like Ansible (software), Puppet (software), and Chef (software). The specification targets interoperability among vendors including Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo, and Cisco Systems, enabling integration with orchestration tools such as Kubernetes, OpenStack, and VMware vSphere.

Overview and Purpose

Redfish aims to standardize hardware management through a RESTful API using JSON, OData conventions, and HTTPS, providing a uniform schema for inventory, configuration, and control. The specification addresses use cases across data centers operated by organizations like Google, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Facebook where scalable programmatic control and telemetry are required. By modeling resources such as Baseboard Management Controller, blade server, storage array, and network switch with consistent URIs and actions, Redfish simplifies integration with monitoring systems like Prometheus (monitoring), Nagios, and Zabbix and orchestration frameworks including HashiCorp Terraform.

History and Development

Work on Redfish began within the Distributed Management Task Force as industry demand grew for a modern replacement for legacy management protocols including IPMI, SNMP, and proprietary BMC interfaces. The initial specification was released in 2014 with contributions from major vendors such as Intel Corporation, AMD, Dell Technologies, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Subsequent revisions expanded schema coverage to encompass Storage Networking Industry Association concepts, NVMe over Fabrics, and PCI Express topology, driven by collaborations with standards bodies like IETF and DMTF partner initiatives. Major milestones include adoption by hyperscalers, incorporation into server firmware stacks from Supermicro and ASUS, and ecosystem growth with SDKs from Microsoft and Red Hat.

Architecture and Components

Redfish defines a layered architecture comprising a protocol layer using HTTPS and OAuth 2.0-compatible flows, a data model layer based on OData and JSON Schema, and an action model for remote operations. Core resources include ServiceRoot, Managers (BMC equivalents), Systems (servers), Chassis, Fabrics, and Storage services; these align with physical constructs from Intel Xeon platforms and AMD EPYC families. Components such as Eventing, Sessions, Tasks, and Registries enable integration with event brokers like Apache Kafka and RabbitMQ, while telemetry export complements time-series databases such as InfluxDB and Graphite.

Core Features and Capabilities

Redfish provides inventory, configuration, firmware update, power control, sensor telemetry, and secure remote console capabilities for devices from vendors including Dell EMC, HPE Aruba, and Cisco UCS. It supports firmware management workflows compatible with UEFI, secure boot chains used by Trusted Platform Module deployments, and component-level actions such as power on/off, boot order configuration, and RAID management for controllers like those from Broadcom Inc.. Schema extensions permit vendor-specific properties while Registries offer discoverability analogous to IANA registries, enabling automation by platforms like SaltStack and integration with ServiceNow ITSM.

Security and Authentication

Security in Redfish is designed around transport security, authentication, authorization, and event auditing. The specification mandates TLS for confidentiality, recommends certificate management aligned with X.509 practices, and supports authentication mechanisms interoperable with enterprise identity providers including LDAP, Active Directory, and OAuth 2.0 deployments. Role-based Access Control models map to administrative roles used in ISO/IEC 27001 environments, and features such as session tokens, account management, and audit logs facilitate compliance with standards like PCI DSS and NIST SP 800-53 when deployed in regulated infrastructures.

Implementations and Adoption

Multiple firmware and software implementations exist from major server and systems vendors including Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo, Supermicro, and Cisco Systems. Open-source projects and SDKs from OpenBMC, Sushy, python-redfish, and Redfish-API-Simulator provide reference implementations for integrators and cloud operators such as Equinix Metal and DigitalOcean. Enterprises and cloud providers integrate Redfish with orchestration stacks like OpenStack Ironic, Kubernetes Cluster API, and private cloud management used by VMware, expediting bare-metal provisioning and telemetry workflows.

Compliance and Conformance Testing

Conformance testing for Redfish implementations is supported by tools and test suites developed by the Distributed Management Task Force and community projects including the Redfish Validator and Redfish Test Tool. Certification programs and interoperability events, often involving vendors like Intel Corporation, Dell EMC, and HPE Aruba, verify adherence to schema, security, and behavior requirements. Test labs leverage harnesses that simulate platforms and management controllers, analogous to interoperability testing conducted for USB Implementers Forum or PCI-SIG specifications, ensuring consistent behavior across diverse hardware ecosystems.

Category:Distributed Management Task Force specifications