CN111427602A - Method for upgrading firmware on line of intelligent platform management controller of VPX case - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for upgrading firmware of an intelligent platform management controller of a VPX chassis on line. The invention relates to the field of intelligent control, in particular to a method for upgrading firmware on line by an intelligent platform management controller of a VPX case. The method for upgrading the firmware of the intelligent platform management controller of the VPX case without power-off or JTAG tools is provided. The VPX case comprises a main control module and a plurality of functional modules, wherein the main control module and the functional modules are provided with intelligent platform management controllers; in the work of the invention, the existing VPX chassis framework is utilized, and the corresponding firmware online upgrading function is added to the WEB management interface, the chassis management controller and the intelligent platform management controller through the IPMI transmission protocol, so that the IPMC firmware can be upgraded after the interface is simply clicked, and the upgrading process is simple, convenient and fast without detaching a module.

Description

Method for upgrading firmware on line of intelligent platform management controller of VPX case

Technical Field

The invention relates to the field of intelligent control, in particular to a method for upgrading firmware on line by an intelligent platform management controller of a VPX case.

Background

The VPX case is a general name of various cases conforming to VPX management specifications, the cases comprise 4U, 8U and other different specifications and sizes, and the VPX case can provide a standardized management framework and an interface and realize the functions of hierarchical system configuration management and online fault diagnosis.

Generally, a VPX chassis includes a fan module, a power module, a main control module, and other functional modules, each of which includes an IPMC (i.e., an intelligent platform management controller). In the prior use process, the firmware upgrading of the IPMC needs to be connected to a debugging bottom plate by virtue of a JTAG downloader, and the firmware upgrading can be completed only by pulling out the module and inserting the module into the debugging bottom plate after the chassis is powered off. Therefore, the traditional IPMC firmware upgrading process is very complicated, the workload of maintenance personnel is large during batch operation, and meanwhile, in some special occasions, the chassis needs to be powered on continuously, so that the firmware upgrading work cannot be finished.

Disclosure of Invention

Aiming at the problems, the invention provides a method for upgrading firmware on line by an intelligent platform management controller of a VPX case without power-off and JTAG tools.

The technical scheme of the invention is as follows: the VPX case comprises a main control module and a plurality of functional modules, wherein the main control module and the functional modules are provided with intelligent platform management controllers;

the method comprises the following steps:

s1, connecting the main control module and the intelligent platform management controllers on the plurality of functional modules with two paths of intelligent platform management buses respectively;

s2, connecting the intelligent platform management controller on the main control module with the processor on the main control module through a serial port to form a chassis management controller;

s3, establishing a WEB management interface running on the main control module processor, wherein the WEB management interface performs data interaction with the chassis management controller through a simple network management protocol;

s4, the WEB management interface transmits the firmware to the main control module through the network, then sends an update command to the case management controller, and the case management controller reads the firmware, divides the firmware and sends the firmware to the intelligent platform management controller of the corresponding functional module through the intelligent platform management bus;

and S5, completing online upgrading.

In step S2, the chassis management controller communicates with the intelligent platform management controller via IPMI protocol.

In step S2, the intelligent platform management controller on the main control module not only processes the IPMI message of the main control module, but also is responsible for transferring the IPMI messages of other function modules.

In step S3, the WEB management interface is configured to read IPMI data of the main control module and other function modules, display the IPMI data on the interface, and send an independent control command, and the WEB management interface is provided with functions of firmware selection, slot selection, browsing, and updating.

In step S4, the transmission of the firmware between the chassis management controller and the intelligent platform management bus is completed through the IPMI protocol, the communication mode is a question-and-answer mode, and the integrity of the data needs to be verified every time the data communication is performed;

when the data of any party fails to be checked, 3 times of retransmission are needed, if the 3 times of repetition are all failures, the data transmission is interrupted and the updating is cancelled.

In step S1, the Flash modules in the main control module and the intelligent platform management controllers on the plurality of function modules include a bootstrap area, a program running area, a program storage area, and a length and flag area.

When the intelligent platform management controller is upgraded on line, firstly, a bootstrap program area is operated, the length of the bootstrap program area and the mark of the mark area are checked, if the mark needs to be updated, all data in the program storage area are copied to the program operation area, and the upgrading of the firmware is completed.

In the work of the invention, the existing VPX chassis framework is utilized, and the corresponding firmware online upgrading function is added to the WEB management interface, the chassis management controller and the intelligent platform management controller through the IPMI transmission protocol, so that the IPMC firmware can be upgraded after the interface is simply clicked, and the upgrading process is simple, convenient and fast without detaching a module.

Drawings

Figure 1 is a bus schematic of a VPX chassis of the present invention,

figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a WEB management interface,

figure 3 is a customized IPMI protocol,

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the area divided by the Flash module in the intelligent platform management controller,

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a firmware upgrade.

Detailed Description

As shown in fig. 1 to 5, each board card (i.e., the main control module and the plurality of function modules) of the intelligent chassis of the VPX architecture includes an IPMC (i.e., an intelligent platform management controller), each IPMC has a unique IPMB address and is connected to two IPMBs (i.e., an intelligent platform management bus), wherein the IPMC of the main module is further connected to a processor (CPU) on the main control module via a serial port (UART). The CHMC (chassis management controller) runs on a processor (CPU) on the main control module and communicates data with the IPMC through a standard IPMI protocol. The IPMC on the main control module is also responsible for transferring the IPMI messages of other boards besides processing the IPMI messages of the main control module.

Wherein, the plurality of functional modules comprise a power supply module, a fan module, a calculation module and the like.

An independent WEB management interface is also operated on a processor (CPU) on the main control module, and the data interaction with the CHMC is realized through a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), wherein the data interaction comprises reading IPMI data of each board card and displaying the IPMI data on the interface and sending an independent control command.

The invention designs IPMC firmware online upgrading function blocks on a WEB management interface, wherein the IPMC firmware online upgrading function blocks comprise firmware selection, slot position selection and the like, and as shown in figure 2.

A user only needs to use a network cable to connect to the main control module, the IP of the main control module is opened in the browser, a WEB management interface can be opened, the firmware selection and the slot position selection are completed by clicking a browsing button, and finally the upgrading of the IPMC firmware is completed by clicking an updating button.

The WEB management interface transmits the firmware to the main control module through a network, sends an update command to the CHMC after the update command is finished, the CHMC reads the firmware, divides the firmware, and sends the firmware into the IPMC of the corresponding board card through the IPMB according to the size of 1 Kbyte.

Assuming that the firmware (typically xxx. bin) is 23.5 kbytes in size, the CHMC will divide it into 24 shares by 1 kbyte in size. The CHMC sends 1K data, waits for IPMC to reply, then sends 1K data, and then waits for IPMC to reply, and the steps are repeated, so that 24 times of data frame transmission are completed, and all data are sent to the IPMC.

Because the firmware transmission uses the IPMB (i.e. I2C communication mode), in order to ensure the data transmission is complete and error-free, the firmware transmission is completed by sending a plurality of data frame transmissions. When each data frame transmits 1K data, the IPMC must check the integrity of the data, if the IPMC passes the checking, the IPMC replies OK, otherwise, the data transmitted this time is discarded, the CHMC repeatedly transmits the current 1K data frame, and after three times of retransmission, if all the data are failed, the updating is abandoned.

The firmware transmission between the CHMC and the IPMB is completed through a self-defined IPMI protocol, the communication mode is a question-and-answer mode, the integrity of data needs to be checked every time data communication is performed, and the protocol format is shown in FIG. 3.

The standard IPMI protocol has no protocol in the aspect of firmware transmission, a custom protocol is designed, and the specific content is custom according to the standard IPMI protocol format. The standard IPMI protocol format comprises a receiving address, data head check, frame number, data tail check and the like, specific data content needs to be redefined, and the CHMC and the IPMC only need to transmit and analyze data according to a self-defined protocol.

When the data of any party fails to be checked, 3 times of retransmission are needed, if the 3 times of repetition are all failures, the data transmission is interrupted and the updating is cancelled.

To realize the function of upgrading the firmware online, the Flash module of the IPMC is first divided into several blocks, including 4 blocks including a boot program area, a program running area, a program storage area, and a length and flag area, as shown in fig. 4 (the size of each area can be adjusted according to the size of actual use).

A bootstrap area: the entry where the IPMC software program runs,

program execution area: IPMI message and response are completed in the region,

program storage area: the IPMC stores the firmware received with the upgrade in this area,

length and mark area: the IPMC stores the length of the firmware received with the upgrade and the update flag in this area.

The IPMC receives the firmware data sent by the CHMC, stores the data in the program storage area after verification is completed, responds according to the IPMI protocol, writes the received length data and the update mark of the firmware into the length and mark area after the last frame of data is received, and resets the IPMC.

Resetting the IPMC to restart, firstly running the boot program, checking the length and the flag of the flag area by the boot program, and if the flag needs to be updated, copying all the data in the program storage area to the program running area to complete the upgrading of the firmware, where the flow is shown in fig. 5.

The invention designs a self-defined IPMI transmission protocol by utilizing the existing VPX chassis framework and IPMB, adds a corresponding firmware online upgrading function to a WEB management interface, CHMC and IPMC software, realizes that the IPMC firmware can be upgraded after simple click operation is carried out on the interface, and is simple, convenient and fast without detaching a module in the upgrading process.

Claims (7)

1. A VPX chassis comprises a main control module and a plurality of functional modules, wherein the main control module and the functional modules are provided with intelligent platform management controllers;

the method is characterized by comprising the following steps:

s1, connecting the main control module and the intelligent platform management controllers on the plurality of functional modules with two paths of intelligent platform management buses respectively;

s2, connecting the intelligent platform management controller on the main control module with the processor on the main control module through a serial port to form a chassis management controller;

s3, establishing a WEB management interface running on the main control module processor, wherein the WEB management interface performs data interaction with the chassis management controller through a simple network management protocol;

s4, the WEB management interface transmits the firmware to the main control module through the network, then sends an update command to the case management controller, and the case management controller reads the firmware, divides the firmware and sends the firmware to the intelligent platform management controller of the corresponding functional module through the intelligent platform management bus;

and S5, completing online upgrading.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in step S2, the chassis management controller communicates data with the intelligent platform management controller via IPMI protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in step S2, the IPMI controller on the host module processes the IPMI message of the host module and relays the IPMI messages of other functional modules.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in step S3, the WEB management interface is configured to read IPMI data of the main control module and other function modules to be displayed on the interface and send an independent control command, and the WEB management interface is provided with firmware selection, slot selection, browsing and updating functions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in step S4, the firmware transmission between the chassis management controller and the intelligent platform management bus is performed through IPMI protocol, the communication mode is a question-and-answer mode, and each data communication needs to check the integrity of data;

when the data of any party fails to be checked, 3 times of retransmission are needed, if the 3 times of repetition are all failures, the data transmission is interrupted and the updating is cancelled.

6. The method for upgrading firmware of an intelligent platform management controller of a VPX chassis according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in step S1, the Flash module in the intelligent platform management controller on the main control module and the plurality of functional modules comprises a bootstrap program area, a program running area, a program storage area and a length and mark area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method for upgrading firmware of the intelligent platform management controller of the VPX chassis on line,

when the intelligent platform management controller is upgraded on line, firstly, a bootstrap program area is operated, the length of the bootstrap program area and the mark of the mark area are checked, if the mark needs to be updated, all data in the program storage area are copied to the program operation area, and the upgrading of the firmware is completed.

Images