System and method for application programming interface for extended intelligent platform management
View Patent ↗A system for controlling a computer system uses a management controller having sensor data record objects in a sensor data record repository. Sensor data record objects contain data from a plurality of sensors, and at least one sensor data record object contains a property descriptor. The property descriptor references a property data object readable and writeable by a controlling computer through the management controller, and provides a way to control at least one feature of the computer system.
1. A system for controlling a computer system comprising:
a management controller; and
a plurality of sensors coupled to the management controller;
wherein the management controller contains a plurality of sensor data record objects in a sensor data record repository, wherein a plurality of the sensor data record objects contain data received from the plurality of sensors, and at least one additional sensor data record object contains a property descriptor;
wherein the property descriptor references a property data object accessible to the management controller;
wherein the sensor data record objects and the property data objects are configured to be read through an interface, and wherein the property data objects are configured to be written through the interface to control the computer system.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a management computer coupled to the interface for providing commands to the management controller.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the interface operates according to the Intelligent Platform Management Interface protocol.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is a partitioned computing system having partition control registers, and wherein the partition control registers are configured to be written through the property data objects.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the partition control registers include protection domain registers.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the sensors are coupled to the management controller through a satellite management controller.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the property data objects are configured to be locked such that they are configured to be read coherently with multiple read operations.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein reading a first of the property data objects provides a mechanism for reading state information of a feature of the computer system, and wherein writing the first of the property data objects provides a mechanism for controlling the feature of the computer system.
9. An improvement of baseboard management controllers for computer systems controllable through an Intelligent Platform Management Interface, wherein the improvement comprises:
providing a sensor data object on a management controller, the sensor data object indicative of a property data object configured to be read and written through the Intelligent Platform Management Interface, wherein the property data object is configured to be read to provide state information of a feature of the computer system, and wherein the property data object is configured to be written to control the feature of the computer system.
10. The baseboard management controller of claim 9 wherein the property data object is located in a subsidiary management controller and accessible through the baseboard management controller.
11. The baseboard management controller of claim 9 , wherein the property data object is configured to be locked to permit coherent reading with multiple read commands.