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Patent · US2019065172A1 · A1 · US

Technologies for configuration-free platform firmware

(11) Publication number
US2019065172A1
(21) Application number
15/858,748
(22) Filing date
2017-12-29
(30) Priority date
2017-08-30
(43) Publication date
2019-02-28
(51) IPC
G06F 8/65; H04L 45/02; H04L 47/41; H04L 47/52; H04L 47/762; H04L 49/111
(52) CPC
  • G06F Electric digital data processing: 9/5088, 1/183, 1/20, 11/3006, 11/3409, 11/3442, 11/3466, 12/0623, 13/1657, 13/1668, 13/28, 13/30, 13/4022, 13/4221, 15/161, 15/7807, 15/7867, 21/105, 2200/201, 2201/86, 2201/885, 8/65, 9/44, 9/4856, 9/505, 9/5061, 9/5072
  • B25J Manipulators; chambers provided with manipulation devices: 15/0014
  • G06N Computing arrangements based on specific computational models: 3/063
  • G06Q Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes; systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not otherwise provided for: 10/0631, 30/0283
  • H04L Transmission of digital information, e.g. telegraphic communication: 41/044, 41/0816, 41/082, 41/0896, 41/5019, 41/5025, 43/065, 43/0876, 43/16, 47/25, 47/762, 47/83, 49/40, 63/0428, 67/10, 67/1008, 67/34, 69/16
  • H04Q Selecting: 1/10
  • H05K Printed circuits; casings or constructional details of electric apparatus; manufacture of assemblages of electrical components: 7/1489, 7/1498, 7/18, 7/20209, 7/20736
  • Y02D Climate change mitigation technologies in information and communication technologies [ICT], i.e. information and communication technologies aiming at the reduction of their own energy use: 30/00
(73) Assignee
INTEL CORP
(72) Inventors
NACHIMUTHU MURUGASAMY K; KUMAR MOHAN J
(54) Title
Technologies for configuration-free platform firmware
(57) Abstract

Technologies for managing configuration-free platform firmware include a compute device, which further includes a management controller. The management controller is to receive a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device and access the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request.

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Claims (1)

  1. A compute device comprising a management controller to: receive a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device; and access the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request. 2. The compute device of claim 1, wherein: the system configuration request comprises a request to configure the system configuration parameter and a new value for the system configuration parameter; and to receive the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises to receive a system configuration request to configure a system configuration parameter. 3. The compute device of claim 2, wherein the management controller is further to: determine if the system configuration request is valid, and configure, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is valid, the system configuration parameter. 4. The compute device of claim 3, wherein to determine if the system configuration request is valid comprises to determine if the new value of system configuration parameter does not exceed a predefined threshold. 5. The compute device of claim 3, wherein to determine if the system configuration request is valid comprises to determine if the new value of the system configuration parameter can be implemented on the compute device based on a hardware configuration of the compute device. 6. The compute device of claim 3, wherein the management controller is further to reject, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is not valid, the new value of system configuration parameter of the compute device requested to be configured based on the system configuration request. 7. The compute device of claim 1, wherein the system configuration parameter comprises a firmware variable of the compute device. 8. The compute device of claim 1, wherein to receive the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises to receive a system configuration request to read a system configuration parameter, and the system configuration request comprises a request to read the system configuration parameter of the compute device. 9. The compute device of claim 1, wherein the management controller is further to determine a current value of the system configuration parameter. 10. The compute device of claim 1, wherein to receive the system configuration request comprises to receive a system configuration request from a processor of the compute device. 11. The compute device of claim 1, wherein the management controller is further to determine whether the system configuration request is received from a management server communicatively coupled to the compute device via a network. 12. The compute device of claim 11, wherein to access the system to configure the system configuration parameter comprises to configure the system configuration parameter via a web interface. 13. One or more machine-readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a compute sled cause the compute device to: receive a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device; and access the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request. 14. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein: the system configuration request comprises a request to configure the system configuration parameter and a new value for the system configuration parameter; and to receive the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises to receive a system configuration request to configure a system configuration parameter. 15. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, in response to being executed, cause the compute device to: determine if the system configuration request is valid, and configure, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is valid, the system configuration parameter. 16. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein to determine if the system configuration request is valid comprises to determine if the new value of system configuration parameter does not exceed a predefined threshold. 17. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein to determine if the system configuration request is valid comprises to determine if the new value of the system configuration parameter can be implemented on the compute device based on a hardware configuration of the compute device. 18. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the management controller is further to reject, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is not valid, the new value of system configuration parameter of the compute device requested to be configured based on the system configuration request. 19. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the system configuration parameter comprises a firmware variable of the compute device. 20. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein to receive the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises to receive a system configuration request to read a system configuration parameter, and the system configuration request comprises a request to read the system configuration parameter of the compute device. 21. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, in response to being executed, cause the compute device to determine a current value of the system configuration parameter. 22. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein to receive the system configuration request comprises to receive a system configuration request from a processor of the compute device. 23. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the management controller is further to determine whether the system configuration request is received from a management server communicatively coupled to the compute device via a network. 24. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 23, wherein to access the system to configure the system configuration parameter comprises to configure the system configuration parameter via a web interface. 25. A compute device comprising: means for receiving a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device; and means for accessing the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request. 26. A method comprising: receiving, by a compute device, a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device; and accessing, by a compute device, the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein: the system configuration request comprises a request to configure the system configuration parameter and a new value for the system configuration parameter; and receiving the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises receiving, by the compute device, a system configuration request to configure a system configuration parameter. 28. The method of claim 27 further comprising: determining, by the compute device, if the system configuration request is valid, and configuring, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is valid and by the compute device, the system configuration parameter.

Description

Conventional systems store system configuration parameters as firmware variables in a platform non-volatile memory (e.g., in BIOS flash memory). In the conventional systems, the operating system (OS) is trusted and is thus able to set system configuration parameters directly. Conventional systems may provide direct access protection to writing or configuring system configuration parameters using a system management interrupt (SMI) raised to the central processing unit (CPU) of the system.

The concepts described herein are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying figures. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Where considered appropriate, reference labels have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of at least one embodiment of a data center for executing workloads with disaggregated resources; FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram of at least one embodiment of a pod of the data center of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of at least one embodiment of a rack that may be included in the pod of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a side plan elevation view of the rack of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rack of FIG. 3 having a sled mounted therein; FIG. 6 is a is a simplified block diagram of at least one embodiment of a top side of the sled of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a simplified block diagram of at least one embodiment of a bottom side of the sled of FIG. 6;

Citations (1)

  • US10726131B2
Record as JSON 
{
  "publication_number": "US2019065172A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Technologies for configuration-free platform firmware",
  "abstract": "Technologies for managing configuration-free platform firmware include a compute device, which further includes a management controller. The management controller is to receive a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device and access the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A compute device comprising a management controller to: receive a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device; and access the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request. 2. The compute device of claim 1, wherein: the system configuration request comprises a request to configure the system configuration parameter and a new value for the system configuration parameter; and to receive the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises to receive a system configuration request to configure a system configuration parameter. 3. The compute device of claim 2, wherein the management controller is further to: determine if the system configuration request is valid, and configure, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is valid, the system configuration parameter. 4. The compute device of claim 3, wherein to determine if the system configuration request is valid comprises to determine if the new value of system configuration parameter does not exceed a predefined threshold. 5. The compute device of claim 3, wherein to determine if the system configuration request is valid comprises to determine if the new value of the system configuration parameter can be implemented on the compute device based on a hardware configuration of the compute device. 6. The compute device of claim 3, wherein the management controller is further to reject, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is not valid, the new value of system configuration parameter of the compute device requested to be configured based on the system configuration request. 7. The compute device of claim 1, wherein the system configuration parameter comprises a firmware variable of the compute device. 8. The compute device of claim 1, wherein to receive the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises to receive a system configuration request to read a system configuration parameter, and the system configuration request comprises a request to read the system configuration parameter of the compute device. 9. The compute device of claim 1, wherein the management controller is further to determine a current value of the system configuration parameter. 10. The compute device of claim 1, wherein to receive the system configuration request comprises to receive a system configuration request from a processor of the compute device. 11. The compute device of claim 1, wherein the management controller is further to determine whether the system configuration request is received from a management server communicatively coupled to the compute device via a network. 12. The compute device of claim 11, wherein to access the system to configure the system configuration parameter comprises to configure the system configuration parameter via a web interface. 13. One or more machine-readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a compute sled cause the compute device to: receive a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device; and access the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request. 14. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein: the system configuration request comprises a request to configure the system configuration parameter and a new value for the system configuration parameter; and to receive the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises to receive a system configuration request to configure a system configuration parameter. 15. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, in response to being executed, cause the compute device to: determine if the system configuration request is valid, and configure, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is valid, the system configuration parameter. 16. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein to determine if the system configuration request is valid comprises to determine if the new value of system configuration parameter does not exceed a predefined threshold. 17. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein to determine if the system configuration request is valid comprises to determine if the new value of the system configuration parameter can be implemented on the compute device based on a hardware configuration of the compute device. 18. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the management controller is further to reject, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is not valid, the new value of system configuration parameter of the compute device requested to be configured based on the system configuration request. 19. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the system configuration parameter comprises a firmware variable of the compute device. 20. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein to receive the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises to receive a system configuration request to read a system configuration parameter, and the system configuration request comprises a request to read the system configuration parameter of the compute device. 21. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of instructions stored thereon that, in response to being executed, cause the compute device to determine a current value of the system configuration parameter. 22. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein to receive the system configuration request comprises to receive a system configuration request from a processor of the compute device. 23. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the management controller is further to determine whether the system configuration request is received from a management server communicatively coupled to the compute device via a network. 24. The one or more machine-readable storage media of claim 23, wherein to access the system to configure the system configuration parameter comprises to configure the system configuration parameter via a web interface. 25. A compute device comprising: means for receiving a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device; and means for accessing the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request. 26. A method comprising: receiving, by a compute device, a system configuration request to access a system configuration parameter of the compute device; and accessing, by a compute device, the system configuration parameter in response to a receipt of the system configuration request. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein: the system configuration request comprises a request to configure the system configuration parameter and a new value for the system configuration parameter; and receiving the system configuration request to access the system configuration parameter comprises receiving, by the compute device, a system configuration request to configure a system configuration parameter. 28. The method of claim 27 further comprising: determining, by the compute device, if the system configuration request is valid, and configuring, in response to a determination that the system configuration request is valid and by the compute device, the system configuration parameter."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Conventional systems store system configuration parameters as firmware variables in a platform non-volatile memory (e.g., in BIOS flash memory). In the conventional systems, the operating system (OS) is trusted and is thus able to set system configuration parameters directly. Conventional systems may provide direct access protection to writing or configuring system configuration parameters using a system management interrupt (SMI) raised to the central processing unit (CPU) of the system.\n\nThe concepts described herein are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the accompanying figures. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Where considered appropriate, reference labels have been repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of at least one embodiment of a data center for executing workloads with disaggregated resources; FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram of at least one embodiment of a pod of the data center of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of at least one embodiment of a rack that may be included in the pod of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a side plan elevation view of the rack of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rack of FIG. 3 having a sled mounted therein; FIG. 6 is a is a simplified block diagram of at least one embodiment of a top side of the sled of FIG. 5; FIG. 7 is a simplified block diagram of at least one embodiment of a bottom side of the sled of FIG. 6;",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 9/5088",
    "B25J 15/0014",
    "G06F 1/183",
    "G06F 1/20",
    "G06F 11/3006",
    "G06F 11/3409",
    "G06F 11/3442",
    "G06F 11/3466",
    "G06F 12/0623",
    "G06F 13/1657",
    "G06F 13/1668",
    "G06F 13/28",
    "G06F 13/30",
    "G06F 13/4022",
    "G06F 13/4221",
    "G06F 15/161",
    "G06F 15/7807",
    "G06F 15/7867",
    "G06F 21/105",
    "G06F 2200/201",
    "G06F 2201/86",
    "G06F 2201/885",
    "G06F 8/65",
    "G06F 9/44",
    "G06F 9/4856",
    "G06F 9/505",
    "G06F 9/5061",
    "G06F 9/5072",
    "G06N 3/063",
    "G06Q 10/0631",
    "G06Q 30/0283",
    "H04L 41/044",
    "H04L 41/0816",
    "H04L 41/082",
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    "H04L 41/5019",
    "H04L 41/5025",
    "H04L 43/065",
    "H04L 43/0876",
    "H04L 43/16",
    "H04L 47/25",
    "H04L 47/762",
    "H04L 47/83",
    "H04L 49/40",
    "H04L 63/0428",
    "H04L 67/10",
    "H04L 67/1008",
    "H04L 67/34",
    "H04L 69/16",
    "H04Q 1/10",
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    "H05K 7/20209",
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    "Y02D 30/00"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 8/65",
    "H04L 45/02",
    "H04L 47/41",
    "H04L 47/52",
    "H04L 47/762",
    "H04L 49/111"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "INTEL CORP"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "NACHIMUTHU MURUGASAMY K",
    "KUMAR MOHAN J"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-12-29",
  "publication_date": "2019-02-28",
  "priority_date": "2017-08-30",
  "application_number": "US-201715858748-A",
  "family_id": "65434219",
  "citations": [
    "US10726131B2"
  ]
}

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