BASEBOARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

• US 20140344431A1
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aspen Technology (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Aspen Technology (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: LU, Chung-Yen, HSU, FU-CHOU, HUANG, HUNG-JU
• Application Number:
  US13/895,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344431A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures

Abstract

A baseboard management system suitable for use in a high density server system is provided. The baseboard management system comprises: a plurality of baseboard management controller (BMC) node respectively located on the servers; and, a main BMC coupled to a network and to the BMC nodes through a communication link for executing a management software; wherein each BMC node is connected with a corresponding host processor and with server board peripherals individually on a corresponding server; and wherein the main BMC in cooperation with the BMC nodes is used to manage the servers remotely.

Claims

1. A baseboard management system applied in a server system having a plurality of servers, comprising:

a plurality of baseboard management controller (BMC) nodes respectively located on the servers; and

a main BMC coupled to a network and to the BMC nodes through a communication link for executing a management software;

wherein each BMC node is connected with a corresponding host processor and with server board peripherals individually on a corresponding server; and

wherein the main BMC in cooperation with the BMC nodes is used to manage the servers remotely.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the communication link is a serial communication link.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the serial communication link is one of an USB connection, a PCIe connection, a LAN connection, an Optical Fiber connection and a privately defined connection.

4. The system according to claim 1, which allows another BMC node located at another server to be dynamically added through the communication link without rebooting the baseboard management system when the communication link has a hot-plugging capability.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each BMC node comprises:

a server management unit for enabling communication and exchanging information with the corresponding host processor and the server board peripherals on a corresponding server; and

a first link interface coupled to the server management unit for establishing the communication link with the main BMC.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the main BMC comprises:

a main processor;

a flash controller;

a DRAM controller;

a network controller for communicating with the network through a network port; and

a second link interface for establishing the communication link with the BMC nodes;

wherein the main processor, the flash controller, the DRAM controller, the network controller, and the second link interface are coupled to each other.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the main BMC further comprises:

a chassis management unit for performing management operations on a chassis board by gathering information through specified interfaces;

wherein the main processor, the flash controller, the DRAM controller, the network controller, the second link interface and the chassis management unit are coupled to each other.