Use IPMI to power cycle a server. This application uses a simple curses UI for taking inputs.

power-ipmi-curses.py

import curses
import pyipmi
from pyipmi import make_bmc
from pyipmi.bmc import LanBMC
from pyipmi.server import Server

def get_param( prompt_string ):
     ''' Takes a single input from the user after printing the prompt string. '''
     screen.clear()
     screen.border( 0 )
     screen.addstr( 2, 2, prompt_string )
     screen.refresh()
     input = screen.getstr( 2, 2 + len( prompt_string ), 60 )
     return input

while True:
    screen = curses.initscr()
    screen.clear()
    screen.border( 0 )
    screen.addstr( 2, 4, "Press 1 to power on the machine" )
    screen.addstr( 3, 4, "Press 2 to power off the machine" )
    screen.addstr( 4, 4, "Press q to exit this program." )
    screen.refresh()

    x = screen.getch()
    if x == ord( 'q' ):
         break

    mode = 0
    mode = 0 if x == ord( '1' ) else 1
    
    hostname = get_param( "Enter the server's IP address: " )
    username = get_param( "Enter your username: " )
    password = get_param( "Enter your password:" )
    
    bmc = make_bmc( LanBMC, hostname=hostname, username=username, password=password )
    server = Server( bmc )

    try:
         if mode:
              screen.addstr( 10, 10, "Powering off the server." )
              server.power_off()
         else:
              screen.addstr( 10, 10, "Powering on the server." )
              server.power_on()
    except pyipmi.IpmiError, e:
         # Ensuring that the program exists gracefully even if
         # the command is not executed succesfully.
         curses.endwin()
         print "A problem occurred while communicating to the server. " \
               "Is IPMI configured correctly on it?"
         break

    curses.endwin()
    print "The server is in state: %s" % server.is_powered