Method and apparatus to create single firmware image for multiple server platforms

• US 8,627,054 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Ayanam, Varadachari Sudan, Parthiban, Baskar
• Primary Examiner(s): Bae, Ji H
• Application Number:
  US12/981,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20120173858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

According to one aspect, a computer-implemented method for managing a computer system is disclosed. In one embodiment, the computer system includes a processor that is programmed to cause the computer system to perform specific functions. The functions include: initializing a management controller operating on a management platform; detecting preloaded identification data containing a predetermined manufacturer-specific platform identifier; if no preloaded identification data is detected, determining the platform identifier based on GPIO settings, firmware data, EEPROM data, and/or sensor detection; detecting preloaded hardware data containing operating parameters for hardware components operating on the management platform and operatively coupled to the management controller; if no preloaded hardware data is detected, determining the operating parameters according to the platform identifier; causing the management controller to initialize the hardware components according to the platform identifier and operating parameters; and, flashing initialization data containing the platform identifier and operating parameters to a system memory.

Claims

1. A management controller-implemented method, the management controller managing a host computer system, the method comprising:

initiating, at a processor of the management controller, execution of a first management platform by executing a boot loader that is configured to load the first management platform;

detecting, at the management controller, whether sensor data exists in firmware data of the management controller and whether a predetermined manufacturer-specific platform identifier identifying a management platform exists in a non-volatile memory location of the management controller;

in response to the condition that no sensor data and no platform identifier is detected, determining the platform identifier based on at least one of GPIO pin settings on the management controller, information received from BIOS of the host computer, and detection of one or more sensors each unique to a respective particular management platform;

selecting a set of sensor data from a configuration file based on the determined platform identifier; and

loading the first management platform and initializing the first management platform with the selected set of sensor data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the management controller is a baseboard management controller of the managed host computer having a plurality of hardware components, the plurality of hardware components operating on the first management platform and communicatively coupled to the baseboard management controller, and the baseboard management controller communicatively coupled to a remote management computer that is operative to control functions performed by the management controller and communicate data associated with operations of the plurality of hardware components via at least one network connection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the platform identifier based on GPIO pin settings comprises reading predetermined strapping values from at least one dedicated GPIO pin of the management controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting whether the platform identifier exists in a non-volatile memory location comprises reading the platform identifier from stored data in an EEPROM device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the platform identifier based on detection of the one or more unique sensors is performed if the platform identifier cannot be determined based on at least one of GPIO pin settings and the information received from the BIOS.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the platform identifier based on detection of the one or more unique sensors comprises detecting at least one active sensor that is operatively coupled to the management controller and that is operative to monitor the operation of at least one of a plurality of hardware components based on operating parameters.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one active sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, power status sensor, and network interface sensor.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining the platform identifier based on the detected at least one active sensor, wherein each of a plurality of different manufacturer-specific platform identifiers is definable by a particular configuration of sensors.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the host computer system comprises a plurality of hardware components, the plurality of hardware components comprising a network interface and the host computer is managed by a remote management computer running a management client application, via network communication link coupled to the management computer and the network interface.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

copying the selected sensor data to the firmware data of the management controller.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

writing the determined platform identifier to the non-volatile memory location of the management controller.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a programmable processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to perform functions comprising:

initiating, at a processor of the management controller, execution of a first management platform by executing a boot loader that is configured to load the first management platform;

detecting, at the management controller, whether sensor data exists in firmware data of the management controller and whether a predetermined manufacturer-specific platform identifier identifying a management platform exists in a non-volatile memory location of the management controller;

in response to the condition that no sensor data and no platform identifier is detected, determining the platform identifier based on at least one of GPIO pin settings on the management controller, information received from BIOS of the host computer, and detection of one or more sensors each unique to a respective particular management platform;

selecting a set of sensor data from a configuration file based on the determined platform identifier; and

loading the first management platform and initializing the first management platform with the selected set of sensor data.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein detecting the platform identifier based on GPIO pin settings comprises reading predetermined strapping values from at least one dedicated GPIO pin of the management controller.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein detecting whether the platform identifier exists in a non-volatile memory location comprises reading the platform identifier from stored data on an EEPROM device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein determining the platform identifier based on detection of the one or more unique sensors is performed if the platform identifier cannot be determined based on at least one of GPIO pin settings and the information received from the BIOS.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein determining the platform identifier based on detection of the one or more unique sensors comprises detecting at least one active sensor that is operatively coupled to the management controller and that is operative to monitor the operation of at least one of a plurality of hardware components based on operating parameters.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the at least one active sensor comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, power status sensor, and network interface status sensor.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising determining the platform identifier based on the detected at least one active sensor, wherein each of a plurality of different manufacturer-specific platform identifiers is definable by a particular configuration of sensors.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer system comprises a plurality of hardware components, the plurality of hardware components comprising a network interface and the host computer is managed by a remote management computer running a management client application, via a network connection operatively connected to the host computer and the management controller.

20. A computer system, comprising:

a management controller;

a system memory comprising a firmware;

a plurality of hardware components operating on a first management platform and operatively coupled to the management controller; and

a programmable processor that is programmed to cause the computer system to;

initiate execution of the first management platform by executing a boot loader from the firmware, the boot loader being configured to load the first management platform;

detect whether sensor data exists in firmware data of the management controller and whether a predetermined manufacturer-specific platform identifier identifying a management platform exists in a non-volatile memory location of the management controller;

in response to the condition that no sensor data and no platform identifier is detected, determine the platform identifier based on at least one of GPIO pin settings on the management controller, information received from BIOS of the host computer, and detection of one or more sensors each unique to a respective particular management platform;

select a set of sensor data from a configuration file based on the determined platform identifier; and

load the first management platform and initializing the first management platform with the selected set of sensor data.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the programmable processor is programmed to copy the selected sensor data to the firmware data of the management controller.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the programmable processor is programmed to write the determined platform identifier to the non-volatile memory location of the management controller.

23. The computer system of claim 20, wherein detecting the platform identifier based on GPIO pin settings comprises reading predetermined strapping values from at least one dedicated GPIO pin of the management controller.

24. The computer system of claim 20, wherein detecting whether the platform identifier exists in a non-volatile memory location comprises reading the platform identifier from stored data on an EEPROM device.

25. The computer system of claim 20, wherein determining the platform identifier based on detection of the one or more unique sensors comprises detecting a plurality of sensors that are active to monitor the condition of the plurality of hardware components.

26. The computer system of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of sensors operatively coupled to the management controller and that are operative to monitor conditions of the plurality of hardware components.

27. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of hardware components comprises at least one of a power management module, network interface, and cooling fan.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, power status sensor, network interface sensor, and cooling status sensor.

29. The computer system of claim 26, wherein the platform identifier is definable by configuration data corresponding to active sensors, the configuration data comprising at least one of the number, arrangement, and operating parameters of the sensors, and wherein determining the platform identifier comprises matching the configuration data with a corresponding stored one of a plurality of different defined platform identifiers.