TWI592872B - Server and firmware updating method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Server and firmware update method

A firmware update technology, in particular, relates to a server and a firmware update method thereof.

Generally, the server (Server) is configured with a Programmable Logic Device (PLD), and the firmware of the programmable logic component needs to be updated to achieve maintenance of the server or upgrade of some functions. For the firmware update mentioned above, it needs to be updated by the personnel, that is, the personnel need to remove the programmable logic device, and update the firmware to write the new version of the firmware to the programmable logic component to update the programmable logic. The firmware of the component, which will increase the operating time of the firmware update.

Therefore, if the firmware of the programmable logic component can be updated by a controller in the server, such as a board management controller (BMC), the working time of the firmware update can be effectively saved. However, the baseboard management controller is coupled to the programmable logic component and the operation of the baseboard management controller is associated with the programmable logic component. That is to say, when the programmable logic element is restarted, the programmable logic device provides a restart signal to the baseboard management controller, so that the baseboard management controller is restarted together. Thus, when the programmable logic device is in a stopped state for firmware update, the baseboard management controller is also in a stopped state, causing the update process to be interrupted and causing the update to fail. Therefore, the firmware update of the server still needs to be changed. Where to enter.

In view of the above problems, the present disclosure provides a server and firmware update method thereof, so as to avoid firmware update failure, the operation time of the update can be effectively reduced, and the cost of user maintenance is greatly reduced.

A server of the present disclosure includes a substrate management controller, a programmable logic component, and a shielding unit. The baseboard management controller is configured to receive an update command, and generate firmware update data according to the update command, and the baseboard management controller generates the update signal according to the receiving state of the update command. The programmable logic component is coupled to the baseboard management controller for receiving the firmware update data for firmware update, and the programmable logic component generates a restart signal during the firmware update period. The shielding unit is coupled to the baseboard management controller and the programmable logic component for receiving the update signal and the restart signal, and determining whether to mask the restart signal according to the update signal.

In one embodiment, the substrate management controller passes through a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG), a General Purpose Input Output (GPIO), and a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI). One is coupled to a programmable logic element.

In an embodiment, the shielding unit is a gate.

In an embodiment, when the baseboard management controller receives the update command, the baseboard management controller enables the update signal to cause the shadowing unit to block the restart signal. When the baseboard management controller does not receive the update command, the baseboard management controller prohibits Can update news No., the shielding unit outputs a restart signal.

In an embodiment, the aforementioned substrate management controller receives an update command via a wired network or a wireless network.

The present disclosure provides a firmware update method for a server, including the following steps. The update command is received through the baseboard management controller. According to the update instruction, the firmware update data is generated and the update signal is enabled. The firmware update data is used to update the firmware of the programmable logic component, wherein the firmware of the programmable logic component is updated, a restart signal is generated, and the restart signal is masked according to the update signal.

In an embodiment, the firmware update method of the foregoing server further includes the following steps. It is determined by the baseboard management controller whether there is an update command. If it is determined that there is an update command, the process proceeds to a step of receiving an update command through the baseboard management controller. If it is determined that there is no update command, the update signal is disabled.

The server and the firmware update method thereof are determined by the shielding unit according to the update signal generated by the substrate management controller to determine whether to mask the restart signal generated by the programmable logic component to prevent the substrate management controller from updating the firmware. A reboot occurs during the period, and the firmware update fails. In this way, the updated operation time can be effectively reduced, and the cost of user maintenance is greatly reduced.

The features and implementations of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Please refer to "Figure 1" for a schematic diagram of the server of the present disclosure. wait The server 100 includes a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) 110, a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) 110, and a shielding unit 120. Further, the substrate management controller 110, the programmable logic component 110, and the shielding unit 120 can be disposed on a motherboard of the server 100.

The baseboard management controller 110 is configured to receive the update command UC and generate firmware update data according to the update command UC. The foregoing update command UC includes, for example, a new version of the firmware update image file. Further, the aforementioned substrate management controller 110 receives the update command UC, for example, via a wired network or a wireless network. That is to say, the user can transmit the firmware update image file with the new version to the baseboard management controller 110 through the network, and the baseboard management controller 100 will use the firmware update file of the new version as the firmware. Update the data output for firmware update operations.

And, the substrate management controller 110 generates the update signal SU according to the reception state of the update command UC. For example, when the substrate management controller 110 receives the update command UC, the baseboard management controller 110 enables the update signal SU, for example, to generate the update signal SU with a low logic level. When the substrate management controller 110 does not receive the update command UC, the baseboard management controller 110 disables the update signal SU, for example, generates the update signal SU of a high logic level.

The programmable logic component 120 is coupled to the baseboard management controller 110 for receiving firmware update data for firmware update. In this embodiment, when the programmable logic component 120 performs firmware update, the substrate management controller 110 first provides a control signal. No., the programmable logic component 120 is stopped, and the firmware update information provided by the substrate management controller 110 is written to the programmable logic component 120 for firmware update.

Since the programmable logic component 120 is provided with the power-on sequence of the control server 100, when the programmable logic component 120 is in the firmware update period, the programmable logic component 120 stops operating for firmware update. Moreover, after the firmware is updated, the programmable logic component 120 performs a restart operation to cause the programmable logic component 120 to operate with a new version of the firmware to allow the server 100 to operate normally.

Accordingly, during the firmware update, the programmable logic component 120 generates a restart signal SR to notify the circuit component connected to the programmable logic component 120, and the programmable logic component 120 performs a restart operation. Perform the corresponding restart action.

The masking unit 130 is coupled to the baseboard management controller 110 and the programmable logic component 120 for receiving the update signal SU and the restart signal SR, and determining whether to mask the restart signal SR according to the update signal SU. For example, when the update signal SU is at a low logic level (indicating that the new version of the firmware is to be firmware-updated to the programmable logic element 120), the masking unit 130 masks the restart signal SR, so that the restart signal SR does not occur. The output to the substrate management controller 110 causes the substrate management controller 110 to stop operating, and the firmware update information cannot be written to the programmable logic element 120.

When the update signal SU is at a high logic level (indicating that the firmware update of the programmable logic element 120 is not required with a new version of the firmware), the shielding unit 130 does not obscure the weight. Kaixing SR. Thus, when the programmable logic component 120 is restarted, the restart signal SR generated by the programmable logic component 120 can be transmitted to the substrate management controller 110, so that the substrate management controller 110 corresponds to the restart operation.

Further, the shielding unit 130 may be an AND gate. The two input terminals of the gate receive the update signal SU and the restart signal SR, respectively, and the gate generates an output signal according to the logic level of the update signal SU and the restart signal SR. Moreover, the correspondence between the update signal SU, the restart signal SR, and the output signal of the masking unit 130 can be as shown in the first table, wherein “H” represents a high logic level and “L” is a low logic level.

For example, when the update signal SU is at a low logic level, regardless of whether the restart signal SR is at a high logic level or a low logic level, and the output signal generated by the gate is a low logic level, the masking unit 130 masks the restart signal. SR. When the update signal SU is at a high logic level, the gate generates an output signal according to the logic level of the restart signal SR, and the logic level of the output signal corresponds to the logic level of the good signal SU, indicating that the shielding unit 130 does not The restart signal SR is masked.

Further, when the restart signal SR is at a high logic level, the output signal is at a high logic level. When the restart signal SR is at a low logic level, the output signal is at a low logic level. The restart signal SR is a high logic level, indicating that the programmable logic component 120 performs a restart operation; and the restart signal SR is a low logic level, indicating that the programmable logic component 120 is in normal operation.

In this way, the masking unit 130 determines whether to block the restart signal SR generated by the programmable logic component 120 according to the update signal SU generated by the substrate management controller 110, so as to prevent the baseboard management controller 110 from restarting during the firmware update. The failure of the firmware update occurs, which can effectively reduce the update operation time and greatly reduce the cost of user maintenance.

In this embodiment, the substrate management controller 110 passes through, for example, a Joint Test Action Group (JTAG), a General Purpose Input Output (GPIO), and a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI). One of them is coupled to the programmable logic component 120 for the transmission of related data and signals.

The programmable logic component 120 is a Generic Array Logic component, a Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), or a Filed Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) component.

Further, the server 100 of the embodiment is configured, for example, in a rack (Rack), and may be one of the nodes in the cabinet, and the cabinet may include multiple servers at the same time. The server 100 provides a variety of services for the user to use. The cabinet may further include a Rack Management Controller (RMC), and the rack management controller is connected to each server 100, for example, through a transmission channel such as a regional network (Lan).

Then, the administrator only needs to transfer the update data to the cabinet management controller of the cabinet, and then the cabinet management controller can transmit the update instruction corresponding to the update data to each server through the transmission channel such as the area network (ie, the node) A substrate management controller 110 of 100. Thereafter, the baseboard management controller 110 generates a corresponding firmware update information to the programmable logic component 120 according to the update command to perform the firmware update procedure.

In addition, the foregoing transmission channel is, for example, an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) and a Web User Interface.

A description of the firmware of the server can be summarized by the description of the foregoing embodiments. Please refer to "Figure 2" for a flowchart of the firmware update method for the server. In step S210, an update command is received through the substrate management controller. In step S220, firmware update data is generated according to the update instruction, and the update signal is enabled. In step S230, the firmware of the programmable logic component is updated by using the firmware update data, wherein the firmware of the programmable logic component is updated, a restart signal is generated, and the restart signal is masked according to the update signal.

Please refer to "Figure 3" for the firmware update of the server for this disclosure. Law flow chart. In step S310, it is determined by the substrate management controller whether there is an update command. If it is determined that there is no update command, the process proceeds to step S320, and the update signal is disabled.

If it is determined that there is an update command, the process proceeds to step S330, and the update command is received by the baseboard management controller. In step S340, firmware update data is generated according to the update instruction, and the update signal is enabled. In step S350, the firmware of the programmable logic component is updated by using the firmware update data, wherein the firmware of the programmable logic component is updated, a restart signal is generated, and the restart signal is masked according to the update signal.

The server and the firmware updating method thereof according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the masking unit determines whether to block the restart signal generated by the programmable logic component according to the update signal generated by the substrate management controller, so as to avoid the substrate management controller. A reboot occurs during the firmware update, which causes the firmware update to fail. In this way, the updated operation time can be effectively reduced, and the cost of user maintenance is greatly reduced.

The present disclosure is disclosed in the foregoing embodiments, and is not intended to limit the disclosure. Any subject matter of the present invention can be modified and retouched without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The scope of patent protection shall be subject to the definition of the scope of the patent application attached to this specification.

100‧‧‧Server

110‧‧‧Baseboard Management Controller

120‧‧‧Programmable logic components

130‧‧‧Shielding unit

UC‧‧‧ update order

SU‧‧‧ update signal

SR‧‧‧Restart signal

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the server of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the method for updating the firmware of the server according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of another firmware update method of the server of the present disclosure.

100‧‧‧Server

110‧‧‧Baseboard Management Controller

120‧‧‧Programmable logic components

130‧‧‧Shielding unit

UC‧‧‧ update order

SU‧‧‧ update signal

SR‧‧‧Restart signal

Claims (5)

A server includes: a substrate management controller, configured to receive an update command, and generate a firmware update data according to the update command, and the substrate management controller generates a message according to a receiving state of the update command An update signal; a programmable logic component coupled to the baseboard management controller for receiving the firmware update data for performing a firmware update, and the programmable logic component generates a firmware during the firmware update period And a masking unit coupled to the baseboard management controller and the programmable logic component for receiving the update signal and the restart signal, and determining, according to the update signal, whether to mask the restart signal; When the baseboard management controller receives the update command, the baseboard management controller enables the update signal to block the restart signal, and when the baseboard management controller does not receive the update command, the baseboard management controller disables The update signal outputs the restart signal. The server of claim 1, wherein the baseboard management controller is coupled to the programmable logic element via one of a joint test workgroup, a universal peripheral input and output, and a serial peripheral interface. The server of claim 1, wherein the baseboard management controller receives the update command via a wired network or a wireless network. A method for updating a firmware of a server, comprising: Receiving an update command through a baseboard management controller; generating a firmware update data according to the update command, and enabling an update signal; and updating a firmware of the programmable logic component by using the firmware update data, wherein During the update of the firmware of the programmable logic component, a restart signal is generated, and the restart signal is masked according to the update signal. The method for updating the firmware of the server according to claim 4, further comprising: determining, by the baseboard management controller, whether the update command is available; if the update command is determined, entering the update through the baseboard management controller The step of the instruction; and if it is determined that the update instruction is not available, the update signal is disabled.