TWI668567B - Server and method for restoring a baseboard management controller automatically - Google Patents

Abstract

A server includes a substrate management controller, a memory module, and a control chip set. The control chip set performs a boot self-test in response to execution of a basic input/output system program, and performs the boot self-test At this time, an inquiry command is transmitted to the baseboard management controller, and it is determined whether a reply command from the baseboard management controller and in response to the inquiry command is received. When the control chipset determines that the reply command is not received, the control chipset increments a count value and determines whether the count value is greater than a predetermined value, and when the control chipset determines that the count value is greater than the When the preset value is reached, the control chipset updates a first image file stored by the substrate management controller to a second image file.

Description

Server and method for automatically repairing substrate management controller

The invention relates to a method for automatic maintenance, in particular to a server and a method for automatically repairing a substrate management controller.

The existing Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) is applicable to servers and supports the industry standard of Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) to monitor the status of hardware devices on the server board. Such as ambient temperature, fan speed, power supply, etc. However, if the substrate management controller is abnormal, such as a system function crash or a hardware problem, the baseboard management controller cannot perform the function of monitoring the hardware device on the server motherboard.

In the prior art, a basic input/output system program can be executed by a control chipset to detect whether an abnormality occurs in the substrate management controller, and when the control chipset detects that the substrate management controller is abnormal, a weight is transmitted. The instruction is directed to the baseboard management controller to reset the baseboard management controller to achieve the effect of automatic maintenance. However, in some cases, even if the baseboard management controller is reset, the baseboard management controller cannot be restored to normal operation. At this time, it is necessary to dispatch human resources to perform maintenance on the baseboard management controller, thereby causing labor cost and time. The cost.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of automatically overhauling a substrate management controller that saves labor and time required to overhaul a substrate management controller.

Therefore, the method for automatically repairing the substrate management controller of the present invention is implemented by executing a basic input/output system program by a control chip set electrically connected to a substrate management controller storing a first image file, and a a memory module, wherein the memory module stores a second image file associated with the substrate management controller, and the method for automatically repairing the substrate management controller comprises the following steps:

(A) the control chip set performs a boot self-test;

(B) the control chip set transmits an inquiry command to the substrate management controller;

(C) the control chipset determines whether a reply command from the baseboard management controller and in response to the query command is received;

(D) when the control chipset determines that the reply command is not received, the control chipset increments a count value and determines whether the count value is greater than a predetermined value;

(E) when the control chipset determines that the count value is greater than the preset value, the control chipset updates the first image file stored by the substrate management controller to the second image file.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a server that saves labor and time required to repair a substrate management controller.

Therefore, the server of the present invention comprises a substrate management controller, a memory module, and a control chip set electrically connected to the substrate management controller and the memory module.

The baseboard management controller stores a first image file.

The memory module stores a second image associated with the substrate management controller.

The control chipset responds to execution of a basic input/output system program, performs a boot self-test, and transmits an inquiry command to the substrate management controller when the boot self-test is performed, and determines whether a substrate is received from the substrate. Administering the controller and responding to the reply command of the query command, when the control chipset determines that the reply command is not received, the control chipset increments a count value and determines whether the count value is greater than a preset value. When the control chipset determines that the count value is greater than the preset value, the control chipset updates the first image file stored by the substrate management controller to the second image file.

The effect of the present invention is that the basic input/output unit is executed by the control chipset to determine whether a response command from the baseboard management controller and in response to the inquiry command is received, when the control chipset determines that no reception is received. When the reply command is executed, and it is determined that the count value is greater than the preset value, it means that the substrate management controller cannot be restored to normal operation by resetting the baseboard management controller. At this time, the control chip set is the substrate. The first image file stored by the management controller is updated to the second image file, thereby achieving the effect of automatic maintenance, thereby saving manpower and shortening the inspection time.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a server of the present invention includes a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC), a first memory module 23, a second memory module 24, and an electrical connection to the baseboard management control. The first memory module 23 and the control chip group 3 of the second memory module 24.

The substrate management controller 1 stores a first image file 11 that is a program for executing the functions of the substrate management controller 1, including monitoring the state of the hardware device on the server motherboard. Such as ambient temperature, fan speed, power supply, and so on. When the substrate management controller 1 receives a reset command from the control chip set 3, the baseboard management controller 1 is restarted.

The first memory module 232 stores a basic input/output system (BIOS) program. The second memory module 24 stores a second image file 22 associated with the substrate management controller 1. In this embodiment, the first memory module 23 is, for example, a read only memory (ROM), and the second memory module 24 can be a USB memory or a hard disk of M.2 ( M.2 HDD) or an external storage device such as a PXE server, but is not limited thereto.

The control chipset 3 includes a Platform Controller Hub (PCH) and a Central Processing Unit (CPU). After the server is powered on, the control chipset 3 executes the basic input/output system program 21 to start the server hardware and peripheral devices, and performs Power On Self Test (POST).

Referring to FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , the substrate management controller 1 , the first memory module 23 , and the second memory module are described below with reference to an embodiment of the method for automatically repairing the substrate management controller 1 of the present invention. 24 and the operation of the components of the control chip set 3.

In step 201, the control chipset 3 performs a power-on self-test (POST) in response to execution of the basic input/output system program 21.

In step 202, the control chipset 3 transmits an inquiry command to the baseboard management controller 1 in response to execution of the basic input/output system program 21.

In step 203, the control chipset 3, in response to execution of the basic input/output system program 21, determines whether a reply command from the baseboard management controller 1 and in response to the query command is received. When the control chipset 3 determines that the reply command has not been received, the flow proceeds to step 204; when the control chipset 3 determines that the reply command is received, the flow proceeds to step 209.

In step 204, the control chipset 3 responds to the execution of the basic input/output system program 21, increments a count value and determines whether the count value is greater than a predetermined value. When the control chip group 3 determines that the count value is greater than the preset value, the flow proceeds to step 205; when the control chip group 3 determines that the count value is less than or equal to the preset value, the flow proceeds to step 207. It should be particularly noted that, in practice, the count value can be set, for example, to a parameter included in the basic input/output system program 21, and initially the parameter is preset to zero.

In step 205, the control chip set 3 is responsive to the execution of the basic input/output system program 21, initializes the count value (to zero), and updates the first image file 11 stored by the baseboard management controller 1 to The second image file 22. Therefore, the control chipset 3 determines whether the count value is greater than the preset value. When the count value is greater than the preset value, it indicates that the substrate management cannot be performed after resetting the substrate management controller 1 multiple times. The controller 1 resumes normal operation, and the control chipset 3 causes the substrate management controller 1 to automatically update the image file running in the substrate management controller 1 to achieve the effect of automatic maintenance. It is worth mentioning that the control chipset 3 updates the image of the substrate management controller 1 through a substrate management controller software tool (BMC tool). It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the server may include other external storage devices in addition to the second memory module 24, when the control chip group 3 determines that the count value is greater than the preset. In the case of the value, the control chipset 3 first searches for the second memory module 24 storing the second image file 22 from all external storage devices, and then the control chip group 3 stores the substrate management controller 1 The first image file 11 is updated to the second image file 22 stored in the searched second memory module 24.

After the step 205 is continued, in step 206, the baseboard management controller 1 is restarted, and the flow proceeds to step 202. It is worth mentioning that after the substrate management controller 1 completes the update of the first image file 11 (that is, the first image file 11 has been updated to the second image file 22), the substrate management controller 1 It will restart.

In step 207, the control chipset 3 transmits a reset command to the baseboard management controller 1 in response to execution of the basic input/output system program 21, so that the baseboard management controller 1 is restarted. It is worth mentioning that the reset command is an IPMI command.

After the step 207 is continued, in step 208, the baseboard management controller 1 is restarted, and the process proceeds to step 202.

In step 209, the control chipset 3 responds to the execution of the basic input/output system program 21, counts a predetermined time and determines whether the power-on self-test is completed. When the control chipset 3 determines that the power-on self-test has not been completed, the process proceeds to step 202, that is, the control chipset 3 will periodically repeat the preset time during the power-on self-detection process. The inquiry command is repeatedly issued to confirm whether the baseboard management controller 1 is still operating normally (that is, remains in a live state); when the control chip set 3 determines that the power-on self-test has been completed, the flow proceeds to step 210.

In step 210, the control chipset 3 is responsive to execution of the basic input/output system program 21, initializes the count value and hands over system control to the operating system.

It should be noted that steps 201-205, step 207, and steps 209-210 in the embodiment of the method for automatically repairing the substrate management controller 1 of the present invention are executed by the control chipset 3 to execute the basic input/output system program. 21 is implemented, in other words, the above steps are programmed in the basic input/output system program 21.

In summary, the method for automatically repairing the substrate management controller of the present invention, by the control chip group 3 periodically repeating the inquiry command during the startup self-detection process, to confirm whether the substrate management controller 1 is Still remain alive. When the reply command of the substrate management controller 1 is not received, the control chip group 3 determines whether the count value is greater than the preset value to confirm whether the substrate management controller 1 is still unable to be reset by resetting the substrate management controller 1 multiple times. The substrate management controller 1 resumes normal operation. When the count value is greater than the preset value, the control chipset 3 updates the first image file 11 stored by the substrate management controller 1 to the second image file 22, Thereby, the effect of the automatic inspection is achieved, thereby saving labor and shortening the inspection time, so that the object of the present invention can be achieved.

However, the above is only the embodiment of the present invention, and the scope of the invention is not limited thereto, and all the simple equivalent changes and modifications according to the scope of the patent application and the patent specification of the present invention are still Within the scope of the invention patent.

1‧‧‧Baseboard Management Controller

11‧‧‧ first image file

23‧‧‧First Memory Module

24‧‧‧Second memory module

21‧‧‧Basic input and output system program

22‧‧‧second image file

3‧‧‧Control chipset

31‧‧‧Platform Path Controller

32‧‧‧Central Processing Unit

201~210‧‧‧Steps

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the embodiments of the present invention, wherein: Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a server of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a flow chart illustrating the present invention An embodiment of a method of automatically overhauling a substrate management controller is invented.

Claims (8)

A method for automatically repairing a substrate management controller is implemented by a control chipset executing a basic input/output system program, the control chipset electrically connecting a substrate management controller storing a first image file, and a memory module The memory module stores a second image file associated with the substrate management controller. The method for automatically repairing the substrate management controller includes the following steps: (A) the control chip set performs a boot self-test; (B) the Controlling the chipset to transmit an interrogation command to the baseboard management controller; (C) the control chipset determining whether a reply command from the baseboard management controller and in response to the query command is received; (D) when the control chipset When it is determined that the reply command is not received, the control chip group increments a count value and determines whether the count value is greater than a preset value; (E) when the control chip group determines that the count value is less than or equal to the preset When set, the control chipset transmits a reset command to the baseboard management controller, so that the baseboard management controller is restarted, and step (B) is repeated. (C); and (F) when the control chip set determines that the counter value is greater than the predetermined value, the control chip of the first set of image file stored in the BMC for updating a second image file. The method for automatically repairing the substrate management controller according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps after the step (C): (G) when the control chipset determines that the reply command is received, the control chipset counts for a predetermined time and determines whether the boot self-test is completed; and (H) when the control chipset determines that the process is not completed During the power-on self-test, the control chipset continues the boot self-test and repeats steps (B) through (C). The method for automatically repairing the substrate management controller according to claim 2, after the step (G), further comprising a step of: (I) when the control chipset determines that the power-on self-detection has been completed, the control chipset Initialize the count value. The method of automatically repairing a substrate management controller according to claim 1, wherein in the step (F), when the control chip group determines that the count value is greater than the preset value, the control chip group further initializes the meter Value. The method of automatically repairing a substrate management controller according to claim 1, wherein the step (F) comprises the following sub-steps: (F-1) when the control chip group determines that the count value is greater than the preset value, Controlling the chipset to search for the memory module storing the second image file; and (F-2) the control chipset updating the first image file stored by the substrate management controller to be stored in the searched memory module The second image in the group. A server includes: a substrate management controller storing a first image file; a memory module storing a first layer associated with the substrate management controller And a control chipset electrically connected to the substrate management controller and the memory module, wherein the control chipset performs a boot self-test in response to execution of a basic input/output system program, and performs the boot self At the time of detection, an inquiry command is transmitted to the baseboard management controller, and it is determined whether a reply command from the baseboard management controller and in response to the inquiry command is received, when the control chipset determines that the reply command is not received. The control chipset increments a count value and determines whether the count value is greater than a predetermined value. When the control chipset determines that the count value is less than or equal to the preset value, the control chipset transmits a reset. Directing to the baseboard management controller such that the baseboard management controller is restarted, the control chipset repeatedly transmits another query command to the baseboard management controller, and determines whether another response from the baseboard management controller is received and In the reply command of the another query command, when the control chip group determines that the count value is greater than the preset value, the control chip The BMC image file stored in the first update for the second image file. . The server of claim 6, wherein when the control chipset determines that the reply command is received, the control chipset counts for a predetermined time and determines whether the boot self-test is completed, when the control chip When the group determines that the power-on self-test has not been completed, the control chipset continues the power-on self-detection, and repeatedly transmits another query command to the baseboard management controller, and determines whether another slave management controller is received. And in response to the reply command of the other query instruction. The server of claim 6, wherein the control chipset further initializes the count value when the control chipset determines that the count value is greater than the preset value.