EP1623337A4 - Systeme et procede de virtualisation du bios et de ses services de temps d'execution - Google Patents

Systeme et procede de virtualisation du bios et de ses services de temps d'execution

Info

Publication number
EP1623337A4
EP1623337A4 EP04751054A EP04751054A EP1623337A4 EP 1623337 A4 EP1623337 A4 EP 1623337A4 EP 04751054 A EP04751054 A EP 04751054A EP 04751054 A EP04751054 A EP 04751054A EP 1623337 A4 EP1623337 A4 EP 1623337A4
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bios
run time
processor
image
time service
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04751054A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1623337A2 (fr
Inventor
Justin Maynard
Ewan Milne
Robert Oakes
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Egenera Inc
Original Assignee
Egenera Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US10/428,713 external-priority patent/US7228265B2/en
Priority claimed from US10/428,682 external-priority patent/US7032108B2/en
Application filed by Egenera Inc filed Critical Egenera Inc
Publication of EP1623337A2 publication Critical patent/EP1623337A2/fr
Publication of EP1623337A4 publication Critical patent/EP1623337A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F13/00—Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units
    • G06F13/10—Program control for peripheral devices
    • G06F13/105—Program control for peripheral devices where the programme performs an input/output emulation function
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
    • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
    • G06F9/44—Arrangements for executing specific programs
    • G06F9/4401—Bootstrapping
    • G06F9/4416—Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to operating systems for computers. More particularly, the invention concerns loading basic input/output system (BIOS) into RAM as part of the boot sequence, as opposed to having such pre-stored in ROM.
  • BIOS basic input/output system
  • Modern computing architectures typically define a pre-execution environment that among other things specifies the boot sequence to be used to initialize a computing system.
  • the pre-execution environment typically defines specific physical address spaces in the memory system where specific computer instructions are expected to reside.
  • the pre-execution environment may specify that computer instructions to perform power-on self test (POST) for the processor should exist at certain memory addresses.
  • POST power-on self test
  • These instructions are stored in non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM) so that the instruction will exist in memory, ready for execution, upon power up of the processor.
  • the pre-execution environment may specify that certain instructions to provide basic input/output services (BIOS) should exist at certain memory addresses. These instructions are likewise stored in non- volatile memory (e.g., ROM or flash).
  • BIOS provides basic I/O services to certain peripherals and are needed to initialize the computing system.
  • the boot sequence code needs to read an operating system image from a boot device (e.g., local disk) and store such in computer memory so that it may be used for execution; to read such image from the boot device, the boot sequence code needs the basic input/output service for reading information (i.e., the operating system image) from a peripheral such as a disk; the BIOS provides such service.
  • Figure 1 depicts an exemplary, conventional standard PC Boot/install process, such as with Windows.
  • the processor Once the processor is powered on, it will automatically start to read and execute the instructions at predefined memory addresses, i.e., the addresses having the processor initialization code and POST instructions 101.
  • This stage of boot will also contain very rudimentary instruction to go to a boot device and read a special program called an OS loader (or for some systems, it will read in the DOS operating system). To do such reading, the boot stage 1 instructions need the BIOS run time services 107 to access the associated boot device 111.
  • the POST and BOOT sector load stage 101 uses the BIOS including BIOS run time services 107 to load DOS or the operating system loader from local hardware 111, e.g., a local CD or floppy disk into the processor.
  • the OS loader or DOS
  • the boot sequence transfers program control to the just-loaded image (e.g., OS loader).
  • the processor then starts executing the instructions just loaded. These instructions continue to read and load other portions of the operating system.
  • This stage is known as a BIOS dependent stage 103, because the instructions are still using the BIOS run time services 107 to provide the instructions to read the operating system and other software from peripherals 111.
  • device drivers for peripherals get loaded into memory.
  • the boot sequence can transfer control to subsequent driver-dependent stage of boot 105.
  • This stage may then use the device drivers 109 to perform I/O to the peripherals and to complete the boot process for the system.
  • the driver dependent stage may potentially access peripherals not supported by BIOS or use peripherals supported by BIOS in a more efficient and reliable way.
  • applications may then execute using the operating system and drivers as needed. BIOS typically is not used once the boot sequence is complete, though there are exceptions (more below).
  • BIOS is loaded into flash or ROM memory.
  • BIOS In flash
  • the computer To update the BIOS (in flash) normally the computer must be powered down and a special program needs to be run to update the BIOS image.
  • To update the BIOS in ROM is even more difficult.
  • the Egenera BladeFrameTM processing platform allows an administrator to configure (under software control) at least one virtualized processing area network (PAN) system having one or more inter-communicating processors, each without a local disk or other boot device of any type.
  • PAN virtualized processing area network
  • the BladeFrameTM processing platform uses a boot sequence like that shown in figure 2.
  • the processor executes POST instructions analogous to the situation depicted in figure 1.
  • BIOS run time services to access a boot device
  • the processor uses an approach involving Option ROM 204.
  • the Option ROM 204 is accessed in a conventional way.
  • the Option ROM 204 includes instructions to download a program from a remote device (e.g., using TFTP) and then transfers execution control to that program.
  • the program in this case includes computer instructions to download the operating system image including special device drivers that include emulation code to emulate local peripherals with remote devices (i.e., the emulation code communicates requests over the communication fabric 206 to a remote device 211, which serves the request).
  • the boot sequence avoids the BIOS dependent stage of figure 1 and proceeds to a driver dependent stage to complete booting. Thus, the approach completely avoids the use of BIOS run time services.
  • BIOS run time services for operation (e.g., many operating system loaders).
  • BIOS may be present and use the BIOS runtime services even during normal (non-boot) operation.
  • the system must be powered down and rebooted from an alternate device, typically a floppy.
  • the operation to update the BIOS is risky as the current BIOS will be destroyed in the process of updating and any failure during that update will result in a system that is unbootable.
  • a processing system has a processor, a memory system with a predefined physical address space, a storage medium, and a communication medium between the processor and the storage medium.
  • the processing system is operable in a pre-execution environment in which a specified portion of the physical address space is used to map basic input/output system (BIOS) run time service routines.
  • the specified portion contains RAM memory.
  • a BIOS virtualization system includes an image of the BIOS processor-executable instructions on the storage medium and processor-executable instructions that retrieve the BIOS image from the storage medium and store the BIOS image into the RAM memory mapped into the second specified portion of physical address space.
  • the processing system includes option rom and the option rom includes instructions for downloading a processor- executable program having the processor instructions to retrieve and store the BIOS image.
  • the communication medium is a network.
  • the BIOS image includes a BIOS run time service routine to service disk I/O, and includes emulation logic to convey the disk I/O requests to local disk over the network to remote hardware to service requests.
  • the BIOS image includes a BIOS run time service routine to access a local CD.
  • the BIOS image includes a BIOS run time service routine to access a floppy disk. According to another aspect of the invention, the BIOS image includes a BIOS run time service routine to service serial com port communication.
  • the option ROM instructions uses tftp to download the programs that loads the BIOS image.
  • a method of booting a processor having no local boot devices includes executing a first phase of booting instructions to download at least a portion of BIOS image (including at least some run time service logic) into RAM, and at least some of this portion is in predefined processor memory space which the BIOS image includes at least one BIOS run time service having handler logic to emulate access to a local boot device; after the BIOS image is loaded into RAM, executing a subsequent phase of booting instructions that load an operating system into processor memory in which the subsequent phase of booting instructions use the at least one BIOS run time service having handler logic to emulate access to a local boot device.
  • Figure 1 depicts a prior art PC boot sequence
  • Figure 2 depicts a prior art boot sequence for a processing system lacking attached boot devices
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the logic according to certain embodiments of the invention.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a particular embodiment of the invention adapted for a platform analogous to that of figure 2.
  • BIOS run time services may be loaded into a specified memory space of RAM, not ROM, as part of the boot sequence.
  • BIOS may be easily modified and updated.
  • the BIOS image is simply updated and stored in a specified location on disk or the like.
  • BIOS image including the BIOS run time services (but perhaps lacking BIOS POST) is fetched and loaded into the physical memory space specified by the pre-execution environment. In this fashion, no special programs are needed to update the BIOS image to increase capabilities, fix bugs, or otherwise alter the BIOS image.
  • BIOS image so loaded may include unconventional capabilities.
  • BlOSes typically include a specified set of services, but as mentioned above there may be architectures that lack boot devices or the like supported by BIOS run time services.
  • a BIOS image may be loaded that includes emulation logic or other functionality not typically supported by conventional BIOS run time services.
  • the BIOS run time services will appear conventional to the various aspects of the boot code (and other code) that use such.
  • the BIOS run time services may include extended routines that, in fact, operate with a peripheral not supported by BIOS.
  • the boot code may act as if it is reading and loading the operating system from a local disk or CD drive using a BIOS run time service routine with an interface for such, but the virtualized BIOS routine (i.e., the one actually running) in fact may access a remote device using emulation techniques to access the remote device (e.g., via a network), but make it appear local.
  • the virtualized BIOS routine i.e., the one actually running
  • the boot code may act as if it is reading and loading the operating system from a local disk or CD drive using a BIOS run time service routine with an interface for such, but the virtualized BIOS routine (i.e., the one actually running) in fact may access a remote device using emulation techniques to access the remote device (e.g., via a network), but make it appear local.
  • BIOS dependent stage e.g., the second boot stage
  • BIOS run time services will work, because BIOS run time services will exist at the expected physical memory locations and will operate as expected (though perhaps using emulation techniques to mimic access to a peripheral corresponding to the accessed BIOS routine).
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the logic according to certain embodiments of the invention.
  • the logic starts in step 300 which may relate to the processor powering on.
  • step 305 the processor progresses through its initialization sequence to start executing instructions in Option ROM, the scheduling of such execution being in accordance with a pre-defined pre-execution environment sequence.
  • the Option ROM instructions proceed to step 310, during which step the instructions read a special program into memory using conventional techniques, and then transfer execution control to the just loaded special program.
  • the special program reads and loads a BIOS image (including BIOS run time services) from a storage device. This is the virtualized BIOS image.
  • BIOS image may reside on a local storage device, but under certain preferred embodiments the BIOS image may reside on a remote device (i.e., not a supported boot device). In either case the program loaded by Option ROM has the knowledge to access the correct device having the BIOS image.
  • the virtualized BIOS image of preferred embodiments includes at least a subset of BIOS run time services, though implemented with extended functionality (more below).
  • the BIOS image is loaded into RAM at predefined memory locations specified by the pre-execution environment as the memory space for BIOS (e.g., shadow RAM, but in this case accessed by the processor).
  • the logic proceeds to step 320 and the boot sequence continues. In certain embodiments, this continuation may begin with a boot sector load and BIOS-dependent boot akin to that described in connection with figure 1 (though as explained below perhaps by accessing remote hardware). It may also continue with conventional POST sequence, though this may be redundant with earlier operations.
  • figure 4 illustrating a particular embodiment of the invention adapted for a platform analogous to that of figure 2.
  • the process starts analogous to figure 2 with the invocation of Option ROM 404.
  • the Option ROM 404 has the same instructions as that in figure 2 but in this instance it downloads (e.g., via tftp) a different program 408.
  • the program 408 contains instructions for fetching BIOS image 402 and storing it into the memory system address space 407 reserved for BIOS by the predefined pre-execution environment (e.g., in Shadow RAM).
  • the BIOS run time services 407 include at least run time service routines for accessing a local disk (e.g., as a boot device).
  • the local disk routine emulates access to a local disk requests by instead sending the request over the communication fabric 206 to remote hardware 211 to server the request.
  • the remote hardware may include a remote node with attached or networked peripherals to serve the request.
  • the local disk routine wraps disk requests in packets or cells to transmit such on the fabric 206 to a corresponding remote hardware entity 211 to serve the request, and the local disk routine unwraps replies received from the remote entity 211.
  • the remote hardware 211 operates analogously, i.e., unwrapping requests and wrapping replies. Of course the technique depends on the medium being used.
  • the program 408 also includes boot sector load instructions which will execute after the BIOS image 407 is loaded in processor memory.
  • the boot sector load instructions will fetch an OS loader (or the like) as desribed above, but in this instance using the virtualized BIOS just loaded. In, this fashion BIOS depedent boot stages may be executed (instead of avoided) and BIOS 407 will be available for subsequent use by the operating system or other software.
  • OS loader or the like
  • drivers 409 will be loaded into the processor memory.
  • Local disk emulation including CD ROM
  • local floppy emulation may be obtained by using the above techiniques, in certain embodiments, in conjunction with
  • BIOS run time service routines i.e., handlers
  • LNT 0x13 calls For emulation of serial com port communication, LNT 0x10 calls are emulated.
  • the handlers of a conventional BIOS image may be replaced with the new handlers having emulation capabilities, or the new handler code may be added to a conventional image and the dispatch tables may be modified to redirect calls to the new routines.
  • the computer system may include a general purpose computer, or a specially programmed computer.
  • a computer system may be implemented as a distributed computer system rather than on a single computer processor.
  • a communications network may be employed which may be, by way of example, a packet communications network, the Internet, an intranet, an Ethernet, or other networks.
  • processing could be controlled by a software program on one or more computer systems or processors, or could even be partially or wholly implemented in hardware.
  • platform independence is enabled.
  • the present invention also renders the system less dependent on the operating system.
  • the processing system includes option rom and the option rom includes instructions for downloading a processor-executable program (e.g., the loader) having the processor instructions to retrieve and store the BIOS image.
  • the option rom and the instructions in the option rom are prior art (tftp boot).
  • the option rom downloads the image and that image contains a loader and the vitual BIOS instructions.
  • the loader places the virtual bios instructions into memory.
  • the virtual bios image includes at least some of the run time services, and at least some of the virtual bios image is stored in predefined memory space having RAM. For example, this portion may be the interrupt vector table, but other portions may be as well.
  • the predefined address may correspond to a first instruction of a service routine, and this instruction may jump to some other address.
  • a method of booting a processor having no local boot devices includes executing a first phase of booting instructions to download at least a portion of BIOS image (including at least some run time service logic) into RAM, and at least some of this portion is in predefined processor memory space which the BIOS image includes at least one BIOS run time service having handler logic to emulate access to a local boot device; after the BIOS image is loaded into RAM, executing a subsequent phase of booting instructions that load an operating system into processor memory in which the subsequent phase of booting instructions use the at least one BIOS run time service having handler logic to emulate access to a local boot device.
  • the technique loads a portion of the vector table (of BIOs) which is loaded into predefined memory space (i.e., where the processor architecture expects the vector table to reside, albeit convention this address space is populated with ROM memory, not RAM).
  • the VECTOR for LNT 13 is at 13*4 hex. If we load the handler for LNT 13 at 1000, then we set the fixed address 13*4 to 1000. If we load the handler at 2000, then we set the fixed address 13*4 to 2000.
  • the vector is poked by the loader - it is not downloaded.
  • the handler, which is downloaded, can go anywhere, so long as the vector points to it.
  • preferred embodiments of the invention provide the ability to virtualize at least certain portions of BIOs, such as the run time services and this provides unique advantages. For example, implementing and distributing bug fixes to BIOs is easier.
  • BIOS run time services that include emulation logic.
  • the processor nodes having the BIOs might lack local disk, local floppy, and local CD.
  • BIOs run time services which emulate such local storage by wrapping the storage requests and conveying such wrapped requests over an alternative transport such as communication fabric 206.
  • Communication fabric may be an essentially arbitrary medium and specifically includes packet and cell-based medium, but may also include frame-based, or
  • the protocol for communication over the communication fabric may be entirely decoupled from the type of device being emulated with BIOs run time service.
  • the emulation logic for the BIOs run time service is similar to the logic used in device drivers that provide emulation, such as those used in the art. However, those techniques have not been used in the context of BIOs run time services.
  • emulation logic for BIOS disk services involves first translating LNT 13 functions to SCSI packets, then transmitting the SCSI packets over the medium for service by a control node such as that described in the incorporated patent application.
  • OS device drivers typically do not service LNT 13 calls, but handle SCSI packet requests directly.
  • the LNT 13 to SCSI translation mechanism, where the SCSI device is a local disk, is known in the art.
  • Emulation logic for BIOS console services involves directly transmitting serial traffic over the medium as described in the U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/428,713, filed on even date herewith, and entitled System and Method for Emulating Serial Com Port Communication.
  • the method is basically the same as an OS device driver connected to COM2 in the serial port patent.
  • the invention is not limited to any particular operating system.
  • the invention has been discussed in connection with a particular example of an operating system, however, the principals may apply equally to other operating systems.
  • the invention may be provided in connection with a BIOS and/or any other stage of operating system and/or application software.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Stored Programmes (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Systems (AREA)
  • Memory System Of A Hierarchy Structure (AREA)
  • Test And Diagnosis Of Digital Computers (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention porte sur: un système et un procédé de virtualisation du BIOS et de ses services de temps d'exécution; sur un système de traitement comportant: un processeur, une mémoire à adresse physique spatiale prédéfinie, un support d'enregistrement, et un milieu de communication entre le processeur et le support d'enregistrement, le système de traitement pouvant fonctionner dans un environnement de pré-exécution dans lequel une partie donnée de l'espace de l'adresse physique contenant une RAM sert à mettre en correspondance les routines des services de temps d'exécution; et sur un système de virtualisation du BIOS comprenant une image des instructions BIOS exécutables par processeur se trouvant sur le support d'enregistrement, et des instructions exécutables par processeur qui récupèrent les images BIOS dans le support d'enregistrement et les stockent dans la RAM correspondant à la deuxième partie donnée de l'espace de l'adresse physique.
EP04751054A 2003-05-02 2004-04-30 Systeme et procede de virtualisation du bios et de ses services de temps d'execution Withdrawn EP1623337A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/428,713 US7228265B2 (en) 2003-05-02 2003-05-02 System and method for emulating serial port communication
US10/428,682 US7032108B2 (en) 2003-05-02 2003-05-02 System and method for virtualizing basic input/output system (BIOS) including BIOS run time services
PCT/US2004/013462 WO2004099920A2 (fr) 2003-05-02 2004-04-30 Systeme et procede de virtualisation du bios et de ses services de temps d'execution

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1623337A2 EP1623337A2 (fr) 2006-02-08
EP1623337A4 true EP1623337A4 (fr) 2008-12-31

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EP04751054A Withdrawn EP1623337A4 (fr) 2003-05-02 2004-04-30 Systeme et procede de virtualisation du bios et de ses services de temps d'execution

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1623337A4 (fr)
CA (1) CA2524455A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE112004000732T5 (fr)
WO (2) WO2004099912A2 (fr)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2761476B1 (fr) * 2011-09-30 2017-10-25 Intel Corporation Appareil, procédé et système qui stocke un bios dans une mémoire vive non volatile

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US5546585A (en) * 1992-04-08 1996-08-13 Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. Personal computer system with start-up capability from an external mass storage device
WO1999040520A1 (fr) * 1998-02-04 1999-08-12 Nc Vision Ltd. Carte d'adaptateur d'ordinateur
US20010020269A1 (en) * 2000-02-02 2001-09-06 Takahisa Kawade Method of loading initial program in processor system
KR20020005963A (ko) * 2000-07-11 2002-01-18 포만 제프리 엘 다수의 원격 파일 서버들에 대해 리다이렉팅된 네트워크부트
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US20030028760A1 (en) * 2001-08-06 2003-02-06 Robert Chang System and method for booting from a non-volatile application and file storage device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2004099912A3 (fr) 2005-01-27
WO2004099920A2 (fr) 2004-11-18
EP1623337A2 (fr) 2006-02-08
CA2524455A1 (fr) 2004-11-18
DE112004000732T5 (de) 2006-10-26
WO2004099912A2 (fr) 2004-11-18
WO2004099920A3 (fr) 2005-03-24

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