TWI432972B - Server system and mehtod for using shared baseboard management controller - Google Patents

Description

Server system and method for sharing substrate management controller

The present invention relates to a server system and method, and more particularly to a server system and method for sharing a substrate management controller.

As far as the application of the server is concerned, if it is used as a data center, each node in the system includes a video image array (VGA) array, a serial port, and a serial port. Components such as the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) increase the cost of manufacturing invisibly, and waste the functionality and repeatability of the functions provided by the components themselves. Because most of the time, the VGA port and the serial port on the node are in an idle state, and the functions of the baseboard management controller can be shared. Any unnecessary components (such as VGA port, serial port) are included in the mass-produced product, or functionally repeatable components (such as the substrate management controller) are placed on the node, and the price of the product is relatively Increase, competitiveness will also decline.

If the VGA port or sequence is removed from the node, the problem in the product development phase comes. During the test of the machine, many projects must interact with the face-to-face human machine, so VGA埠Or sequence 是 is an indispensable tool at this stage. How to balance the necessity of product development and the competitiveness of products has become a hot potato that needs to be solved urgently.

The present invention provides a server system that shares a baseboard management controller, which allows a plurality of nodes in the server system to share a single baseboard management controller.

The present invention provides a method of sharing a substrate management controller by switching a connection of a substrate management controller to a node selected by a user to operate the node using a device management function of the substrate management controller.

The invention provides a server system sharing a substrate management controller, comprising a plurality of nodes, a hub and a daughter board. Wherein each node includes a plurality of pins. The hub has a plurality of ports and switches, which are respectively connected to the pins of the corresponding nodes, and the switches are used to switch the ports used. The daughter board includes a connection unit connectable to the peripheral device and a base management controller. The baseboard management controller is coupled to the connecting unit and the switch, and when receiving the request instruction for one of the nodes, controls the switch used by the switch to switch, and connects the connected node of the port To the baseboard management controller, the node can use peripheral devices through the device management function of the baseboard management controller.

In an embodiment of the invention, each of the nodes includes a chip set and a signal generator, and the pins of each node are respectively disposed in the chip set and the signal generator.

In an embodiment of the invention, the node nodes are arranged on a substrate and connected to a corresponding port on the hub through a common connection on the substrate.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the sub-board further includes a switching unit coupled to the substrate management controller and the control pin of the switch, and the device for requesting the node and the substrate management controller according to the request command. The usage status of the management function sends a control signal to the control pin of the switch to control the port used by the switcher.

The present invention provides a method for sharing a baseboard management controller, which is applicable to a server system including a plurality of nodes and daughter boards connected to a baseboard management controller of a daughter board through a hub. The method determines whether the node requested to be used by the request instruction is started upon receiving a request instruction for one of the nodes. If the node is started, the node is closed and the hub is switched to connect the baseboard management controller to this node; otherwise, if the node is not started, the hub is directly switched to connect the baseboard management controller to this node. Finally, the node is restarted so that the node can use the peripheral devices connected to the daughter board through the device management function of the baseboard management controller.

In an embodiment of the present invention, before the step of determining whether the node requesting the use of the request instruction is started, the method further includes: determining whether the device management function of the baseboard management controller is used by another node, and the device of the baseboard management controller When the management function is not used by another node, it starts to judge whether the node used by the request instruction is started.

In an embodiment of the present invention, after the step of starting the node, the method further includes receiving an operation instruction for the node, and performing an operation corresponding to the operation instruction on the node using the device management function of the baseboard management controller.

In an embodiment of the present invention, after the step of starting the node, the method further includes: performing a booting process of the basic input/output system, and determining whether the node has an operating system installed, and if the node has an operating system installed, directly executing The operating system; if the operating system is not installed on the node, the operating system is installed on the node using the device management function of the baseboard management controller, and when the operating system is installed, the node is closed to restart the node.

In an embodiment of the present invention, after the step of starting the node, the method further includes receiving a shutdown command for the node, closing the node, and releasing the device management function of the baseboard management controller.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the foregoing daughter board includes an Enclosure Management Board (EMB). The device management functions of the above substrate management controller include a keyboard, a video, a keyboard (KVM), and a storage control function. The above connection unit includes a Video Graphics Array (VGA), a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, or a network port.

Based on the above, the server system and method of the shared baseboard management controller of the present invention connects a plurality of nodes of the server system to the daughter board through the hub, and switches the port used by the hub according to the node selected by the user, thereby The node connected to the port is connected to the baseboard management controller on the daughter board, so that the node can operate the node through the device management function of the baseboard management controller using the peripheral device connected to the daughter board.

The above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.

In order to achieve a high-density platform in a limited space, R&D personnel are bound to keep the gaps between the various components on the motherboard as tight as possible. Finally, in order to free up more space and reduce the unit's production costs, some components that are not necessary for sharing or mass production become the best option to be removed. In the data center, the video image array (VGA) array and the serial port are not necessary, and the baseboard management controller (BMC) can share one. Today's substrate management controllers include a VGA controller and network functions, so the entire system needs to have a substrate management controller corresponding to the data center application.

First embodiment

1 is a block diagram of a server system of a shared baseboard management controller according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the server system 100 of the present embodiment includes four nodes 101, 102, 103, and 104, and a hub 110 and a daughter board 120. The functions are as follows: nodes 101, 102, 103, and 104 are respectively A stand-alone computer system includes a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, a north bridge chip, a south bridge chip, a network chip, and the like, which are disposed on a substrate, and can be used as a data center.

The hub 110 is, for example, a middle plane having ports 111, 112, 113, 114 and a switch 115, wherein the ports 111, 112, 113, 114 are associated with the nodes 101, 102, 103, and 104, respectively. The plurality of pins are connected, and the switch 115 is connected to the ports 111, 112, 113, 114, respectively, to switch between the ports, and select the port currently used. In the present embodiment, the number of pins connected to each port by the node is 11, but is not limited thereto.

The sub-board 120 is, for example, an Enclosure Management Board (EMB) on which the connection unit 121 and the substrate management controller 122 are disposed. The connection unit 121 is, for example, a VGA port, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, and can be connected to peripheral devices (not shown) such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and a storage, and the connection unit. 121 can also be a network port that can be used to connect to a remote device.

The substrate management controller 122 receives, for example, a request command from the user to the node through the peripheral device connected to the connection unit 121 (more specifically, the lower IPMI OEM command to the baseboard management controller 122 to switch to a node) And the control signal is sent through the control line 123 to control the switch used by the switch 115 to switch, and the node connected to the port is connected to the baseboard management controller 122, so that the node can pass the baseboard management controller. The device management function of 122 uses peripheral devices to which the daughter board 120 is connected. The device management function of the substrate management controller 122 is, for example, a keyboard, a video, a keyboard (KVM), and a stored control function, but is not limited thereto.

For example, if the user wants to view the test screen and operation of the node 102, the mouse selection node 102 can be used to request the IPMI OEM command to the baseboard management controller 122 to switch to the node 102. At this time, the baseboard management controller 122 That is, according to the node 102 selected by the user, the switch 115 of the control hub 110 is switched to the port 112 connected to the node 102, so that the node 102 can be connected to the baseboard management controller 122 via the port 112, and can be managed through the substrate. The device management function of the controller 122 uses the display, keyboard, mouse, and storage device connected to the sub-board 120 to allow the user to view the test screen of the node 102 and use the keyboard and mouse operation node 102, and the node 102 can be used. Store the device to boot or store.

For the server system 100 described above, the present invention also provides a corresponding method of operation for appropriately assigning device management functions of the substrate management controller 122 to each node for use. 2 is a flow chart of a method for sharing a substrate management controller according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the method of the present embodiment is applicable to the server system 100 of FIG. 1. The detailed steps of the method are described below using the various components of FIG. 1. First, received by the substrate management controller 122 on the daughter board 120. The user requests a request for one of the nodes 101, 102, 103, and 104 (step S202). Because the substrate management controller 122 itself does not support the hot plug function, before the baseboard management controller 122 is connected to the node, it must be determined that the node is in the shutdown state and the baseboard management controller 122 Device management functions are not owned by any node.

Accordingly, the baseboard management controller 122 determines whether the node requested to be used by the request command is activated via the connection (not shown) of the hub 110 and each of the nodes 101, 102, 103, and 104 (step S204). If the node is started, the baseboard management controller 122 further transmits a shutdown command to the node through the hub 110 (not shown) to shut down the node (step S206), and then switch. The port used by the hub 110 is connected to the base management controller 122 to this node (step S208).

On the other hand, if the node is not activated, the baseboard management controller 122 can directly control the port used by the hub 110 to switch to connect the baseboard management controller 122 to this node (step S208).

Finally, the node is activated by the baseboard management controller 122 so that the node can use the plurality of peripheral devices connected to the daughter board 120 through the device management function of the baseboard management controller 122 (step S210).

With the server system 100 architecture and its operation method of the above embodiment, the user can display the nodes 101, 102, 103, 104 at the local end and the far end through the device management function of the network and the baseboard management controller 122. The interface and the local and remote keyboards, mice, and storage devices can be used to maintain and manipulate the nodes 101, 102, 103, and 104.

Second embodiment

3 is a block diagram of a server system of a shared baseboard management controller according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the server system 300 of the present embodiment includes substrates 310, 320, 330, and 340, and a hub 350 and a sub-board 360. The functions are as follows: the substrates 310, 320, 330, and 340 are respectively configured with two Nodes and a common port, for example, node 1, node 2 and common port 315 are arranged on the substrate 310, and the node 1 further includes a chip set 311 and a signal generator 312. The node 2 includes a chip set 313 and a signal generator. 314. The chipset 311 of the node 1 has two first USB ports (USB port 1), two second USB ports (USB port 2), and four high-speed peripheral device components (Peripheral Component Interconnect). Express, PCIE) PCIE port, and signal generator 312 of node 1 has a USB clock pin (USB clk) and two PCIE clock pins (PCIE clk). These pins are connected to a common port 315 on the substrate 310, respectively. Similarly, the chip set 313 of the node 2 and the pin on the signal generator 314 are also connected to the common port 315, and the type and number thereof are the same as those of the chip set 311 and the signal generator 312, and details are not described herein again.

The hub 350 has four ports 351, 352, 353, and 354 and a switch 355, wherein the ports 351, 352, 353, and 354 are respectively connected to the common ports on the substrates 310, 320, 330, and 340 (Fig. 3 only A common connection 埠 315) connection is shown, wherein each common connection is connected to the connection port via a cable containing 22 root pins. In addition, the switch 355 is connected to the ports 351, 352, 353, and 354 through two sets of wires (each group includes 11 pins) to switch between the ports, and select the connection port currently used. A set of wiring.

The sub-board 360 is, for example, a device management sub-board on which the connection unit 361, the substrate management controller 362, and the switching unit 363 are disposed. The connection unit 361 is, for example, a VGA port, a USB port, or a network port, and can be connected to peripheral devices (not shown) such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and a storage.

The baseboard management controller 362 can receive a request instruction from the user for the node through the peripheral device connected to the connection unit 361 (more specifically, the IPMI OEM command to the baseboard management controller 362 is required to switch to a node), According to the control switch 355, the connection port used is switched and the connection connected in the port is selected, and the node connected to the connection port of the port is connected to the substrate management controller 362, so that the node can be managed through the substrate management. The device management function of the device 362 uses peripheral devices to which the daughter board 360 is connected. The device management functions of the substrate management controller 362 are, for example, keyboard, video, mouse, and storage control functions, but are not limited thereto.

Corresponding to each node connecting to the 11 pins of the hub 350, the baseboard management controller 362 is also connected to the switch 355 of the hub 350 through 11 pins, in order from left to right in FIG. Pulse pin (USB clk), two first USB ports (USB 1), two second USB ports (USB 2), four PCIE ports (PCIE) and two PCIE clocks Foot (PCIE clk). The first USB port is used as a storage device, for example, the second USB port is used as a keyboard or a mouse device, and the PCIE pin is used, for example, as a VGA controller.

It should be noted that the baseboard management controller 362 further includes a switch unit 363 connected to the switch unit 363 to output a control command to the switching unit 363 according to the received request command, and the switch unit 363 controls the switch. The switch 355 switches the port used. The switching unit 363 is composed of, for example, two AND gates 364 and 365, a multiplexer 366, and a DIP switch 367. The switching unit 363 further includes control pins A, B coupled to the switch 355, and can instruct the used node and the device management function of the baseboard management controller 362 according to the request (more specifically, using the dip switch) 367 or the baseboard management controller 362 selects the node to be used for use, and sends a control signal to the control pins A, B of the switch 355 to control the switch used by the switch 355 to switch.

In detail, the signal outputted by the pin A of the substrate management controller 362 is used to select the signal output by the pin B of the substrate management controller 362 or to select the signal output by the pin A of the dip switch 367. For example, if the signal outputted by the pin A of the substrate management controller 362 is 0, it means that the signal output by the pin A of the dip switch 367 is selected; if it is 1, the output of the pin B of the substrate management controller 362 is selected and used. Signal.

The signal outputted by the pin B represents the code of the node selected by the substrate management controller 362. For example, the signals of 0 and 1 are output through the three pins to represent the nodes 1 to 8, respectively, but the number of the pins can be The number of nodes to which the system is connected is not limited to this.

The pin C represents whether the device management function of the baseboard management controller 362 has been allocated to a certain node. For example, when the signal output by the pin C is 0, the device management function of the baseboard management controller 362 has been configured, so There is no need to isolate the connection between the switch 355 and the substrate management controller 362; if it is 1, the device management function representing the substrate management controller 362 is not configured, so the isolation switch 355 and the substrate management controller 362 are required. Link.

In addition, the function of pin B of the dip switch 367 is to select to force the use of pin A of the dip switch 367 to select a node, or to select a node selected using the base management controller 362. For example, when the signal of the pin B of the dip switch 367 is 0, it means that the pin A of the dip switch 367 is forcibly selected to select the node; if it is 1, the substrate management controller 362 determines the selected node, and the substrate The selection manner of the management controller 362 is as described above, and details are not described herein again.

When the pin C of the substrate management controller 362 outputs a signal of 0, it means that the device management function of the substrate management controller 362 has been configured, and when the pin B of the dip switch 367 also outputs a signal of 0, the gate 365 is A signal of 0 is output to the control pin B of the switch 355 to release the isolation between the switch 355 and the substrate management controller 362. At this time, the multiplexer 366 selects the signal of the pin B of the multiplexer 366 to the control pin A of the switch 355 according to the signal output from the pin A of the dip switch 367 to control the switch 355. The connection port and wiring used are switched to the port corresponding to the pin B output signal of the multiplexer 366.

It should be noted that after the node is connected to the baseboard management controller 362 through the hub 350, the node can be connected to the peripheral device of the daughterboard 360 through the connection unit 361 connected to the baseboard management controller 362 or connected to the network via the network. The remote device can use the device management function of the baseboard management controller 362 to use the peripheral device to which the daughterboard 360 is connected, or the virtual peripheral device on the remote device.

For example, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a server system connected to a peripheral device or a remote device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 4 , the present embodiment further introduces the connection relationship between the substrate management controller 362 and the connection unit 361 in FIG. 3 , and the substrate management controller 362 is connected to the local end device 370 or the remote device 380 through the connection unit 361 . In an embodiment, the node connected to the baseboard management controller 362 can use the local end device 370 or the device in the remote device 380 by the device management function of the baseboard management controller 362.

The first USB port 1 (USB port 1) of the baseboard management controller 362 is connected to the first USB port 3611, and is connected to the USB storage device 371 in the local device 370 through the first USB port 3611, and A USB storage device 371 is used as the storage device.

The second USB port 2 of the baseboard management controller 362 is connected to the second USB port 3612, for example, and is connected to the USB hub 372 in the local device 370 through the second USB port 3612. The USB hub 372 is tapped to the USB keyboard 373 and the USB mouse 374, and the USB keyboard 373 and the USB mouse 374 can be used as the keyboard and mouse.

The PCIE pin (PCIE) and the PCIE clock pin (PCIE clk) of the baseboard management controller 362 are connected to the VGA controller 3621, for example, and are connected to the VGA port 3613 via the control of the VGA controller 3621, and connected through the VGA. The 埠 3613 is connected to the VGA display 375 in the local end device 370, and the VGA display 375 can be used as the display.

The VGA controller 3621 of the baseboard management controller 362, the first USB port 1 (USB port 1), and the second USB port 2 (USB port 2) are further coupled to the network controller 3622, and via the network controller. The control of the 3622 is connected to the remote device 380 on the network through the network connection 埠 3614, and the virtual storage device 381, the virtual keyboard 382, the virtual mouse 383, and the virtual display 384 on the remote device 380 can be used. In addition, the user of the remote device 380 can also use the software-to-substrate management controller 362 to issue an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) command to implement remote control.

For the server system 300 described above, the present invention also provides a corresponding method of operation for appropriately assigning the device management functions of the substrate management controller 362 to each node for use. FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for sharing a substrate management controller according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the method of the present embodiment is applied to the server system 300 of FIG. 3. The following detailed steps of the method are illustrated using the various components of FIG. 3: First, received by the substrate management controller 362 on the daughter board 360. The user requests a request for one of the nodes 1 to 8 (step S502). At this time, the baseboard management controller 362 determines whether its device management function is used by another node (step S504). Wherein, if the device management function is being used by another node, the baseboard management controller 362 waits for the device management function to be released by another node; otherwise, if the device management function is not used by another node, the baseboard management control The 362 then determines whether the node requesting the instruction request is started (step S506).

If the node is started, the baseboard management controller 362 further transmits a shutdown command to the node through the hub 310 (not shown) to shut down the node (step S508), and then switches the hub 350. The port used is connected to the base management controller 362 to this node (step S510).

On the other hand, if the node is not activated, the baseboard management controller 362 directly controls the hub 310 to switch the port used to connect the baseboard management controller 362 to this node. For example, the user can switch the device management function of the baseboard management controller 362 to the node by using the local dial switch, or send the control command to the baseboard management controller 362 by the remote end (more specifically, the IPMI OEM command) The baseboard management controller 362 is required to switch to a node) to instruct the baseboard management controller 362 to switch its device management function to the node for use.

Then, the node is activated by the baseboard management controller 362 so that the node can use the plurality of peripheral devices connected to the sub-board 360 through the device management function of the baseboard management controller 362 (step S512).

After the node is activated, the baseboard management controller 362 can receive the user's operation on the peripheral device, and accordingly the control node performs the corresponding operation (step S514). In detail, the user can operate the node by using a keyboard, a mouse, a display, and a storage device connected to the daughterboard 360 at the local end, or by issuing a control command from the remote end to the substrate management controller 362. The nodes are operated using the virtual keyboard, virtual mouse, and virtual display and virtual storage functions of the baseboard management controller 362.

It should be noted that after the user ends the operation on the remote node, the node can issue a shutdown command. When the baseboard management controller 362 receives the shutdown command, it will connect to the node through the hub 350 (not shown), and the remote controller controls the node to shut down. After the node is shut down, the baseboard management controller 362 is released. Its device management function is provided for use by the next node.

With the server system 300 architecture and the operation method thereof, the user can transmit the controller through the substrate by using the peripheral device at the local end or by issuing a control command to the substrate management controller 362 from the remote end. The device management function of the 362 maintains and controls the node from the remote virtual device.

In addition, in another embodiment, after the node management controller 362 starts the node via the above step S512, for example, a basic input/output system (BIOS) booting process is executed, and the job is executed as needed. The installation and update actions of the system are described in detail below with reference to an embodiment.

Third embodiment

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method for sharing a substrate management controller according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the method in this embodiment is continued after step S512 illustrated in FIG. 5, and the steps are as follows: After the node is started, the baseboard management controller 362 performs a booting process of the BIOS on the node (step S602). The device management function (for example, a keyboard, a video, a mouse, a storage device) operating node through the substrate management controller 362, for example, an operating node to execute a BIOS setup utility to enable a serial advanced add-on technology (Serial) Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) interface Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) mode. In addition, the node is also operated to perform an initialization operation of the selective read-only memory (Option ROM, OpROM), and the setting procedure of the OpROM is executed to set the RAID mode of the SATA interface to 0, 1, and 5.

Next, it is judged whether or not there is an installation operating system in this node (step S604). Wherein, if the operating system is installed in the node, the operating node directly executes the operating system (step S606). After the node's operating system is powered on, the user can pass the device management function of the baseboard management controller 362 by using the local peripheral device or by remotely issuing a control command to the substrate management controller 362. Perform maintenance and control. The substrate management controller 362 receives the user's operation on the peripheral device, and accordingly the control node performs a corresponding operation (step S608). After the user ends the operation on the node, the node management controller 362 can issue a shutdown command to the node to shut down the node (step S610), and after the node is closed, release its device management function to provide to other nodes. Used (step S612). Moreover, the user can issue a boot command to the node by the baseboard management controller 362 to restart the node, but the node is executed under the device management function of the substrateless management controller 362, and operates as a node of the data center. .

On the other hand, if the operating system is not installed in the node, the device management function operating node of the baseboard management controller 362 performs the mounting operation of the operating system (step S614). The operating node performs a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) function to load the operating system into the node and perform an installation operation through the network, or directly read the local hard disk or the optical disk of the optical disk drive. Install the program to perform the installation of the operating system, but the installation method is not limited to this.

When the operating system is installed, the baseboard management controller 362 issues a shutdown command to the node to close the node (step S610), and after the node is closed, releases its device management function for use by other nodes (step S612). On the other hand, the baseboard management controller 362 can also control the node to reboot to execute the operating system, but the node is executed under the device management function of the substrateless management controller 362, which operates as a node of the data center.

In summary, the server system and method of the shared substrate management controller of the present invention achieves keyboard, video, mouse (KVM), and storage control functions by sharing a single substrate management controller. Local and remote keyboards, video, mouse, storage and other peripheral devices can be used, and the functions of the remote installation operating system can be performed. In this way, the VGA port, the serial port, and the baseboard management controller on all nodes can be removed, so that only one baseboard management controller needs to be configured for the entire server system. In this way, not only can the space problem be solved, but also the production cost of the server system can be greatly reduced.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention, and any one of ordinary skill in the art can make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100. . . Server system

101, 102, 103, 104. . . node

110, 350. . . Hub

111, 112, 113, 114, 351, 352, 353, 354. . . Connection

115, 355. . . Switcher

120, 360. . . Daughter board

121, 361. . . Connection unit

122, 362. . . Baseboard management controller

123. . . Control line

300. . . Server system

310, 320, 330, 340. . . Substrate

311, 313. . . Chipset

312, 314. . . Signal generator

315. . . Shared connection埠

3611. . . First USB port埠

3612. . . Second USB port埠

3613. . . VGA port埠

3614. . . Network connection埠

3621. . . VGA controller

3622. . . Network controller

363. . . Switching unit

364, 365. . . Gate

366. . . Multiplexer

367. . . Dip switch

370. . . Local device

371. . . USB storage device

372. . . USB hub

373. . . USB keyboard

374. . . USB mouse

375. . . VGA display

380. . . Remote device

381. . . Virtual storage device

382. . . virtual keyboard

383. . . Virtual mouse

384. . . Virtual display

S202~S210. . . Method steps of the shared substrate management controller of the first embodiment of the present invention

S502~S514. . . Method step of sharing the substrate management controller of the second embodiment of the present invention

S602~S614. . . Method step of sharing the substrate management controller of the third embodiment of the present invention

1 is a block diagram of a server system of a shared baseboard management controller according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart of a method for sharing a substrate management controller according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a block diagram of a server system of a shared baseboard management controller according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a schematic diagram of a server system connected to a peripheral device or a remote device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method for sharing a substrate management controller according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method for sharing a substrate management controller according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

100. . . Server system

101, 102, 103, 104. . . node

110. . . Hub

111, 112, 113, 114. . . Connection

115. . . Switcher

120. . . Daughter board

121. . . Connection unit

122. . . Baseboard management controller

123. . . Control line

Claims (9)

A server system sharing a baseboard management controller, comprising: a plurality of nodes, each of the nodes comprising a plurality of pins; a hub having a plurality of ports and a switch, wherein the ports are respectively connected to the corresponding nodes a pin, the switch used to switch the switch; and a daughter board, comprising: at least one connection unit, connected to at least one peripheral device; a substrate management controller coupled to the at least one connection unit and the switch, receiving And a request instruction for one of the nodes, according to which the switch used by the switch is controlled, and the node connected to the port is connected to the baseboard management controller, so that the node can pass the a device management function of the substrate management controller uses the peripheral devices; and a switching unit coupled to the substrate management controller and a control pin of the switch, the node requested to be used according to the request command, and the substrate management a usage state of the device management function of the controller, sending a control signal to the control pin of the switch to control the cut The switch port is used. The server system of the shared substrate management controller of claim 1, wherein each of the nodes comprises a chip set and a signal generator, and the pins of each of the nodes are respectively disposed on the chip set And the signal generator. Common substrate management control as described in item 1 of the patent application scope The server system, wherein the nodes are arranged on a substrate and connected to the corresponding port on the hub through a common connection on the substrate. The server system of the shared baseboard management controller according to claim 1, wherein the at least one connection unit comprises a universal serial bus (USB) port and a video image array (Video Graphics). Array, VGA) port or a network port. A method for sharing a baseboard management controller is applicable to a server system including a plurality of nodes and a daughter board, the nodes being connected to a baseboard management controller of the daughter board through a hub, the method comprising the following steps: Receiving a request instruction for one of the nodes; determining whether the node requested to be used by the request instruction is started; if the node is started, shutting down the node, and switching the hub to connect the baseboard management controller To the node; if the node is not activated, the hub is directly switched to connect the baseboard management controller to the node; and the node is activated such that the node can use the device management function of the baseboard management controller A plurality of peripheral devices to which the daughter board is connected. The method for sharing a baseboard management controller according to claim 5, wherein before the step of determining whether the node requested to be used by the request instruction is started, the method further comprises: determining whether the device management function of the baseboard management controller is Used by another node; When the device management function of the baseboard management controller is not used by the other node, it is determined whether the node requested by the request instruction is started. The method for sharing a substrate management controller according to claim 5, wherein after the node is activated, the method further comprises: receiving an operation instruction for the node; and using the device management function of the baseboard management controller The node performs the operation corresponding to the operation instruction. The method for sharing a baseboard management controller according to claim 5, wherein after the node is started, the method further comprises: performing a booting process of a basic input/output system; determining whether the node has an operating system installed; If the node has the operating system installed, the operating system is executed; and if the operating system is not installed on the node, the device management function of the baseboard management controller is used to install the operating system at the node, and the operating system is installed. When the node is closed, the node is restarted. The method for sharing a substrate management controller according to claim 5, wherein after the node is started, the method further comprises: receiving a shutdown command for the node; turning off the node; and releasing the base management controller Device management function.