View DELL Service Tag and Express Service Code From Linux and Windows

When you call DELL customer support for any help, they will ask for either Service Tag or Express Service Code. You also need service tag to download drivers and documentations from DELL support website. 
When you have physical access to the system, you can easily identify the service tag affixed on the body of the server. DELL support site shows the exactly location of the service tag and express code stickers for various DELL equipments.

When you don’t have physical access to the server, you can get the same information remotely from the OS level. Using Windowsor Linuxcommand line you can easily get DELL service tag as explained below.

1. Get DELL Service Tag on remote Windows system

Login to the Windows remote-host using VNC or remote desktop connection. Use WMIC on Windows to get service tag as shown below.

C:\>wmic bios get serialnumber
SerialNumber
ABCDEF1

Following WMIC command will give make and model number along with service tag.

C:\>wmic csproduct get vendor,name,identifyingnumber
IdentifyingNumber    Name                Vendor
ABCDEF1              PowerEdge 2950      Dell Inc.

If VNC or remote desktop connection to the remote-host is not available,  execute the following from the local-host to get the service tag of the remote-host.

C:\>wmic /user:administrator /node:remote-host bios get serialnumber
SerialNumber
ABCDEF1
[Note: Replace remote-host with the machine name of your remote-host.]

2. Get DELL Service Tag on remote Linux system

Login to the Linux remote-host using SSH. Use dmidecode on Linux to get service tag as shown below.

You need to use the dmidecode command to find out various serial numbers including Dell servers service tag. This command is used to analyse BIOS DMI data. If this command is not install type the following command to install it:

# yum -y install dmidecode

Command To Find Out Dell Service Tag

Once installed type the following command to find out Dell service tag:
# dmidecode | grep -i serial
OR
# dmidecode -t 1
Sample outputs:

# dmidecode 2.9
SMBIOS 2.6 present.
Handle 0x0100, DMI type 1, 27 bytes
System Information
 Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
 Product Name: PowerEdge T110
 Version: Not Specified
 Serial Number: XYZABC
 SKU Number: Not Specified
 Family:

The following command will only display service tag:
# dmidecode -s system-serial-number

How Do I Find Out Dell Service Tag Remotely?

You need to ssh into remote Dell server and type the same command:
$ ssh root@remote.dell.server.example.com
OR
$ ssh root@202.54.1.1
And type the above command:
# dmidecode -s system-serial-number
OR just pass the dmidecode command line option to ssh itself:
$ ssh root@remote.dell.server.example.com dmidecode -s system-serial-number

3. Get DELL Express Service Code From Service Tag

Service Tag is a base-36 integer.  Once you have the Service Tag, you can calculate express service code yourself. Express Service Code is base-10 decimal integer of Service Tag. Dell uses express service code mainly for their support call-routing. When you call dell support, their automated call-routing system may ask you to enter express service code, which you can easily enter in your telephone, as it is just a bunch of numbers, instead of characters.

Use the following online tools to find express service code from service tag and vice-versa.

• Creativyst Dell-Number Widget
• Dell PC service tag/code converter from PowerDog Industries

If you own systems other than DELL, such as HP, IBM, Sony, Toshiba, Acer etc., how do you find out serial number? Does the same method explained above works for you (or)Do you use a different method to identify serial numbers?