TWI236621B - Automatic firmware configuration system and method for baseboard management controller - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an automatic firmware configuration system and method for baseboard management controller (BMC). The method includes the following steps of: first packaging hardware module, interface module, command module, SDR module, and OEM module by category; generating a configuration file and separating each module as an independent directory; initializing and generating an empty Makefile file; reading the contents of the configuration file; and when user selects the options in a module, checking the configuration file and dynamically displaying the options of related modules on the interface; recording the related options in the Makefile file; finally generating the BMC firmware data. The present invention can flexibly manage the hardware information, and automatically accomplish the configuration of a BMC firmware.

Description

1236621

[Technical field to which the invention belongs] ^ The present invention relates to a system and method for automatic firmware configuration, and more particularly, to a system and method for firmware configuration of a substrate management controller that conforms to ^ ... specifications. [Previous technology] / Jin; One of the main problems facing enterprises in the economic era is to ensure that the application system runs uninterruptedly while continuously reducing operating costs. Whoever can better control the cost of network management is likely to be at the forefront of competition.

Market demand determines the development direction of technology and industry. Some major manufacturers in the industry have joined forces since 1997 to enter the research and development of intelligent server management. Their starting point is to solve the problem of low server hardware management capabilities. After several years of hard work, the ipMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface) standard was introduced in 2001. I PM I is a new-generation universal interface standard that enables intelligent hardware management. Users can use I PM I to monitor the physical health characteristics of the server, such as temperature, voltage, fan operating status, power supply, and chassis intrusion, to provide information for system management, recovery, and asset management.

The π wisdom of IPM technology comes from a management microcontroller. In a host system, this controller is called a BMC (Baseboard Management Controller). bMC can be used to provide the wisdom of intelligent platform management, the interface between the management software of the control system and the platform management hardware, providing independent monitoring, event recording and recovery control functions, and can be used as the system management software and I PMB and I CMB interfaces Gate

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Such as ί 3 :: Qiao power supply, and automatically monitor the system health ~ p ί found any accused premature abnormalities, t can take immediate action, such as recording Γ reported% automatic shutdown or restart. Associated with plutonium is a group of passive β-capsules used to store sensor data (Sensor Data

Records ’SDR), system event log files, and some unit information = sequence = and part number information. IPMI is designed to be generic, streamlined, and decoupled from hardware information. Enter the microcontroller and implement the software.-When you click, the MC collects information about system health and system status. When there is a: Ϊ file, you can perform corrective actions. • Often, system health monitoring is achieved by using Philips' I 2C digital sensors (such as U75, LM85, yy, LM86), which can monitor different system voltages, temperatures, and 2 speeds. Lai uses an active polling method to find out if a sensor is present. In order for monitoring to be effective, Mc can be configured with a threshold. For example, when it is detected that the temperature exceeds the D alarm threshold, it will increase the fan speed. If the correction is insufficient, the output will exceed the other emergency threshold. At this time, the BMC will cut off the system power. To the remote terminal via LAN or serial modem: The BMC is composed of many modules, which are closely related to the hardware, and there are inextricable connections between them. In the BMC configuration process, you need to select the motherboard hardware chip, then select the corresponding driver module, select the required eight :: command, SDR, OEM command ’to combine each module to translate the BMC firmware. 〒Ώ Currently, there is no suitable configuration tool, and the BMC configuration process is only

1236621

V. Description of the invention (3) = Relying on manual work. Because it is completely dependent on the human brain, it is prone to errors and efficiency, and some hidden errors cannot be found in time. The quality helmet is guaranteed. Therefore, how to provide an automatic configuration, system, and system of MC moving bodies has become an urgent problem for the industry. [...] [Summary of the Invention] The present invention is to provide a firmware automatic configuration system for a substrate management controller in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, which is used to flexibly manage the hardware resources. The objective of the invention is to provide an automatic firmware configuration system for a substrate management controller, which includes a hardware option module, which stores optional hardware options and supports management of different hardware environments. Users The corresponding hardware can be selected according to the actual situation; the interface option module stores the available communication interface options for supporting different communication interfaces. The user can choose the corresponding communication interface according to the actual needs; the command option mode Group, which stores optional command options to support the I PM I standard command set. The user can select the corresponding command according to the actual needs; the Sensor Data Record (SDR) module is used to Configure various types of SDR, users can input or choose according to actual needs; oEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) module, which is used to configure OEM commands and interfaces; configuration files, each option of each module is recorded Association and limitation; Make fi 1 e file generation module, which is generated by the configuration file according to the user's choice Item Makef Shu le; Wei blade body BMC generating module 'BMC ground member for generating data in accordance with the selection and compilation environment Makef Shu le multicast case the user.

1236621 V. Description of the invention (4) The present invention further provides a method for automatically configuring the firmware of the substrate management controller. First, the hardware, interface, command, SDR, and OEM data required by the BMC are divided into hardware modules, Interface module, command module, SDR module and OEM module; then generate a configuration slot plan and separate each module into separate directories according to the associations and restrictions between the modules; initialize and generate two Makefil The e-slot case takes the content of the configuration right case and lists the tree list; when the user selects an option in a module, checks the association and restriction content in the configuration file; dynamically displays the association on the interface according to the configuration file Module options, and record the associated options' on the Make fi 1 e file. Finally, according to the user's selection and the current Makefil e standard project, BMC Leak data is generated in the compilation environment. , Β < The present invention classifies and sets the hardware, interface, command, and SDR required by BMC by OEM data and sets the association, which can flexibly manage each hardware module to meet various needs and provide a unified calling interface for each module Flexible hardware replacement, even standard configuration templates can be imported, and configuration changes can be made on them, increasing productivity. [Embodiment] The present invention provides a firmware automatic configuration system for a substrate management controller, which is used to flexibly manage hardware information and automatically complete the reasonable configuration and configuration of BMC bodies. As shown in FIG. 1, The sound map of the BMC firmware automatic configuration system of the present invention, the system includes a hardware option module i 〇 丨, an interface option module, Si 102, a command option module 103, a sensor data record (Sens 〇r Data Record (SDR) module 104, 〇EM (Original

Equipment Manufacturer) module i〇5, a configuration file j〇6, _

V. Description of the invention (5)

Makefile file generation module 107, a βM straight Φ, vermiculite killing, strong = Dian Shengla group 108. ^ '" More options module 101 stores selectable hemp seeds and @ items for support of different hardware environments ^ ^ The selected hardware is selected based on the actual needs of the corresponding hardware; refer to the use Can iP Pavilion with alternative communication interface? The option check group 102 stores selectable face options, which can be used to select corresponding command options for different users according to actual needs, and to support heart norms 1 Ϊ e / can be based on actual needs Select the corresponding command; sensor data recording module 104 is used to configure various types of SDR, users can input or select according to actual needs; oEM module 105 is used to configure the command and interface of oem ; Configuration files! 〇6 Records the association and limitation of each option of each module; Make fi 1 e file generation module 1 〇 Used to generate Makef file through the configuration file according to the user's choice; BMC body generation The module 108 is configured to generate BMC body data in a compilation environment according to a user's selection and a Makefne file. Please refer to FIG. 2 for a flowchart of a method for automatically configuring the firmware of the substrate management controller of the present invention. First, the hardware, interface, command, SDR, and OEM data required by the BMC are divided into hardware modules and interface modules Group, command module, SDR module, and OEM module (step 201); then generate a configuration file based on the associations and restrictions between the modules and divide each module into separate directories (step 2 2) ; Initialize and generate an empty Makef i le file (step 2 0 3); read the configuration file content and list the tree list (step 2 4); when the user selects an option in a module, check the configuration Relevant and restricted content in the file (step 2 0 5); according to the 1236621 V. Description of Invention (6) Configure the file to dynamically display the option of the associated module on the interface and record the association in the Make fi 1 e slot case Option (step 206); finally, according to the user's choice and the current Makefile project, generate the BMC chapter body data in the compilation environment (step 207). The configuration file 106 of the present invention may be a single file created uniformly for all modules, or may be divided into a hardware option module 1 0 丨, an interface option module 1 02, a command option module 1 03, SDR module 1 04 and OEM module 105 respectively. The embodiments of the method are explained in terms of separate settings. The information contained in the configuration file includes the current module name, dependent module locations and module names, associated module locations and module names, and restrictions. According to the present invention, various supporting hardware, interfaces, and commands can be packaged in a unified form in advance to ensure no conflicts and omissions. As shown in FIG. 3, it is a schematic structural diagram of a hardware option module mentioned in the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an interface option module mentioned in the present invention. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a command option module mentioned in the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of an SDR module according to the present invention. In the embodiment of the present invention, each module is divided into a single directory, such as a hardware model directory 2168, an interface directory kcs, lan, a command directory comman ^, an SDR directory Sdr, and an OEM directory 〇em. Meaning ★ Set a configuration file Config in each directory, whose content is when = core group name ’dependent module position, module name, associated module position’ module name, restrictions, etc.

Page 10 1236621 V. Description of the invention (7) ^ ------ The configuration system of the present invention starts the file, then reads each item, and f generates an empty Makefile table. When the user selects one of the confl mosquitoes, lists the tree-shaped Config file, and then finds the 笪 夺 夺, the present invention will check the private identification of the item 八 eight dependencies, related modules, And items on the display interface. In order to record the associated module name in the Makef 1 le file, including the current module name, the dependent module name, and its own special booth, for example, each configuration file contains at least the associated module name and location. The form of the SDR configuration file is as follows: // General stop

[Modu1eName] 'Name " = str: sdr.c .DepModu 1 e]

Name 丨 丨 = str: xxxx Positionf, = str: xxxx [Re 1 atedModu 1 e] 丨, Name 丨 '= str: xxxx " Posititon ”= str: xxxx // The following is a detailed description of the SDR table [Byte 1 2] ByteNumber " = dword: 12

Page 111236621 V. Description of the invention (8) 丨 'BitLength 丨 丨 = dword: 8 丨 丨 FieldName 丨 丨 = str: Sensor Capabilities " Description " = str: [7] lb = Ignore sensor if Entity is not present or disabled [6] 1b = Auto Re-arm Support [5: 4] 0Ob = No hysteresis 01b = hysteresis is readable 1Ob = readab1e and settable llb = Fixed, unreadable, hysteresis [3: 2] 0 Ob = no thresholds 01b = thresho1ds are readable 10b. readable and settable 11b = F i xed and unreadable [1: 0] 0 0b = per threshold / discrete-state event enable / disable control 01b = entire sensor only 10b = g1oba1 disable only 11b = no events MReferTableM = str : NULL 丨 丨 Detai INumber 丨 丨 = dword: 5 < Deta i11 > " Detail " = dword: l MDetailDesM = str: Ignore sensor MF ro inM = dword: 7 丨 丨 Length '丨 two dword: ln 0M = str : ignore sensor if Entity is not present or disabled 丨 丨 1 丨 丨 = str: don't ignore sensor

Page 123626621 V. Description of the invention (9) [Rea 1 at i on] M RByteNumber " = dword: 34 丨 丨 FromFrom = dword: 7 丨 丨 RLength " = dword: 3 MRValue, f-string: 010 < Detai 1 2 > n D etai 1M = dword: 2 M DetailDes " = str: Sensor Auto Re-arm Support MF ro m " = dword: 6 M Length " = dword: 1 " 0 !, = str: no (manual) n1 " = str: yes (auto) < Detai 13 > " Detail " = dword: 3 n DetailDesM = str: Sensor Hysteresis Support 丨 丨 From "= dword: 5 丨 丨 Length" = dword: 2 丨 '00 丨丨 = str: No hysteresis 丨 丨 01 丨 丨 = str: hysteresis is readable " 10 " two str: hysteresis is readable and settable n llM = str: Fixed, unreadable, hysteresis < Deta i 1 4 > n Detail " = dword: 4 " DetailDesM = str: Sensor Threshold Access

Page 13 1236621 V. Description of the invention (10)

Support!, F r 〇ra, f = dw 〇rd: 3 " Lengthf, = dword: 2 1 丨 00n = str: no thresholds 丨 丨 01 丨 丨 = str: thresholds are readable 丨 丨 10 丨 丨 = str: reserved 丨 丨 11 丨 丨 = str: Fixed, unreaadble, thresholds. < Detai 1 5 > " D etai 1 " = dword: 5 n DetailDesM = str: Sensor Event Message Control Support 丨 丨 F rom 丨 丨 = dword: 1 丨 丨 Length ”= dword: 2” 00 丨 丨 = str: per threshold / discrete-state event enab1e / di sab 1e control f, 0111 = str: entire sensor only!, 10 " = str: global disable only 丨 丨11 丨 丨 = str: no evnets from sensor • In this way, after the user fills in a field of the SDR, the present invention will inform the user of the specific meaning of the filled value according to the Conf ig file of the SDR, and will inform the user in The associated fields specified in the C nfig file are assigned. In this way, the inherent logical correctness of the SDR table can be guaranteed. At the same time, inform the user of this operation.

Page 14 1236621 V. Description of the invention (11) The makefile is a common method for many compilers, including the compiler under Windows NT, to maintain compilation information. The main and most basic function of the Make tool is to describe the relationship between the root programs through the m a k e f i 1 e file and automatically maintain the compilation work. The m a k e f i 1 e file needs to be written according to a certain syntax. The file needs to explain how to compile each original archive and link to generate an executable file, and it is required to define the dependencies between the original archives. The Makef i le slot case of the present invention is automatically created when the system is started, and is modified when a specific module is selected. For example, after selecting i 2 c, it will be added to the Makef i le file: OBJ = obj / di2c. ο \ obj / EEProm.o \ obj / IPMB.o \ obj / ADMl 0 2 9. o \ obj / LanSmb · o Of course, these contents are specified in i2c's Confi g file. When a module is selected, its own module, 9 dependent modules, and associated modules are read from the corresponding Config file at the same time and written into MakefUe. ^ When deleting a module, delete related content. . Using the automatic configuration system provided by the present invention, BMC configuration can be performed conveniently, flexibly, and quickly. As shown in FIG. 7, it is not intended for the configuration of the present invention. Just intuitively select a hardware, such as directly selecting " Hitachi 2186 chip (after selecting a hardware in a list, and the

Page 15 1236621 V. Description of the invention (12) The interface associated with the hardware will appear in the list below. Similarly, you only need to select an interface intuitively, such as selecting the KCS interface. Required commands, such as Global, Event, Sel, Watch dog commands, etc.

For the SDR form, how to use the present invention without filling in an SDR

Type 1 sensors need to manually fill in the hexadecimal digits of 64 bytes. It is not easy for programmers to understand, and it is easy to make mistakes and omissions. Moreover, because some of these bytes have some bits, each other Related: For example, if you chose not to support entity instance, then the bytes of entity instance must be adjusted accordingly, which is very tedious. However, using the present invention, please refer to FIG. 8 for a schematic diagram of the SDR configuration wizard. You only need to fill in the contents of the SDR table in the key part, and the entire process has intelligent online help. The generated # 的 内 内 # has no errors in the logical connection, and this can be done intuitively 64-and it is only filled, and many bytes can be automatically formed according to the previous settings, ensuring fast and correct configuration. Xun Fei S: Ϊ Ϊ 'It is only one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention's implementation; that is, the equalization of toilets made by Yiwei. "Iization and modification" are covered by the scope of the creation patent. 1236621 Brief description of the diagram. The first diagram is a schematic diagram of the BMC firmware automatic configuration system of the present invention. The second diagram is a flowchart of the automatic configuration method of the baseboard management controller firmware of the present invention. The third diagram is the hardware of the present invention. Schematic diagram of the option module; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the interface option module structure of the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the command option module structure of the invention; Figure 6 is the SDR module of the invention Group structure diagram; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the configuration interface of the present invention; and Figures 8- 12 are schematic diagrams of the SDR configuration wizard provided by the present invention [Illustration of Symbols] 101 Hardware Option Module 1 0 2 Interface Option Model Group 1 0 3 Command option module 104 Sensor data recording module 105 OEM module 106 Configuration file 107 Makefle slot generation module 108 BMC server generation module

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Claims (1)

1236621 6. Scope of patent application 1. A substrate management control test "C〇ntroller 'BMC" = a: eb〇ard Management ^ ¥ Automatic blade configuration system for flexible management ^ ^ Tfanfan becomes a BMC holding blade The reasonable configuration of the system includes: hardware options, groups, which store optional hardware options to support the management of different hardware, users can choose the corresponding hardware according to actual needs; The surface option branch group stores the communication interface options that can be selected for different communication interface support. The user can choose the corresponding communication interface according to the actual needs; a command, an item module, which stores the optional command Options to support the I PM I standard command set, users can choose the corresponding command according to the actual needs; a Sensor Data Record (SDR) module is used to configure various types of SDR, users can Enter or select by yourself according to actual needs; a 0EM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) module, which is used to configure the 0 EM command and interface; A configuration file, which records the association and limitation of each option of each module; a Makefile broadcast generation module, which is used to generate a Makefile file through the configuration file according to the user's choice; and a BMC body A generating module is used to generate BMC firmware data in a compilation environment according to a user's selection and a Makefile file. 2. The object automatic configuration system of the substrate management controller as described in item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein the hardware option module, interface option module, command Page 18 1236621 VI. Patent Application Scope Option modules, SDR modules and OE_ groups are divided into separate directories. 3. The firmware automatic configuration system of the board management controller as described in item 1 of Shenqing's patent scope, wherein the configuration file can be the hardware option module, interface option module, command option module, SDR module And oEM modules. 4. The firmware automatic configuration system of the baseboard management controller as described in item 1 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the information contained in the configuration file includes the current module name, the location of the dependent module and the module name, and the associated module. Group location and module name, restrictions. 5 kinds of baseboard management controller (BMC) firmware automatic configuration methods for flexible management of hardware information 'automatically complete the rational configuration of BMC bots, this method includes: BMC hardware, The interface, command, SDR, and OEM data are divided into hardware modules, interface modules, command modules, SDR modules, and OEM modules according to their types; a configuration file is generated based on the associations and restrictions between the modules and Divide each module into separate directories; initialize and generate an empty Makef 丨 le file; read the configuration file contents and list the tree list; when the user selects an option in a module, check the configuration file According to the configuration slot, dynamically display the options of the associated module on the interface, and record the associated options on the Make fi 1 e file; and according to the user's choice and the current Makefi 1 e file Generated in the compilation environment 1236621 6. Scope of patent application BMC moving data. 6. The firmware automatic configuration method of the substrate management controller as described in item 5 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the information contained in the configuration file includes the current module name, the location of the dependent module and the module name, and the associated module Group location and module name, restrictions. 7. The firmware automatic configuration method of the baseboard management controller as described in item 5 of the scope of the patent application, which further includes the step of deleting the corresponding content from the Makefi 1 e case when the user deletes a module option . 8. The firmware automatic configuration method for the substrate management controller as described in item 5 of the scope of the patent application, wherein the configuration file may be the hardware option module, interface option module, command option module, SDR module, and OEM module. Page 20