IP Library Granted Patent US 11,061,837
Granted Patent B2
US 11,061,837 · App. 16/547,225 · Granted Jul 13, 2021

UBM implementation inside BMC

Inventors: Timothy Bouda (Ankeny, IA); Umasankar Mondal (Snellville, GA); Shibu Abraham (Duluth, GA)
Assignee: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
G06F13/20G06F1/24G06F13/4282
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,061,837
App. No.
16/547,225
Granted
Jul 13, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

In an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus, a computer-readable medium, and a method are provided. The apparatus may be a service processor. The service processor receives, a first command or data of a UBM protocol from a UBM host running on a host of the service processor. The UBM protocol is a first protocol supported by the service processor. The first command or data instructs a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task. The service processor generates a second command or data of a second protocol supported by the service processor. The second command or data instructs the backplane controller to perform the first task. The service processor sends the second command or data to the backplane controller.

Claims (95)

1. A method of operating a service processor, comprising:

executing a baseboard management controller (BMC) service stack and a Universal Backplane Management (UBM) service stack on a same processing unit of the service processor, the UBM service stack implementing an interface for communicating commands or data in accordance with UBM protocols;

receiving, at the UBM service stack on the service processor, a first command or data of a UBM protocol from a UBM host running on a host of the service processor, the UBM protocol being a first protocol supported by the service processor, the first command or data instructing a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task;

generating a second command or data of a second protocol supported by the service processor, the second command or data instructing the backplane controller to perform the first task; and

sending the second command or data to the backplane controller.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) message;

including the second command or data in the IPMI message; and

sending the IPMI message including the second command or data from the UBM service stack to the BMC service stack.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second protocol is in compliance with at least one of:

serial attached small computer systems interface (SCSI) (SAS) specification,

serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) specification,

serial general purpose input/output bus (SGPIO) specification,

non-volatile memory express (NVMe) specification,

peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) specification,

virtual port pin serial hot plug bus (VPP) specification, and

serial hot plug bus (SHP) specification.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first task is at least one of:

obtaining status and type of a drive plugged in a backplane slot controlled by the backplane controller,

resetting the drive,

powering off a drive, and

controlling LEDs associated with the slot to indicate activities of the drive.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the service processor, a third command or data of the second protocol from a remote device or the host of the service processor, the third command or data instructing a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task; and

sending the third command or data to the backplane controller.

6. A method of operating a service processor, comprising:

executing a baseboard management controller (BMC) service stack on a main processing unit of the service processor;

executing a Universal Backplane Management (UBM) stack on a co-processing unit of the service processor, the UBM service stack implementing an interface for communicating commands or data in accordance with UBM protocols;

receiving, at the UBM service stack on the co-processing unit of the service processor, a first command or data of a UBM protocol from a UBM host running on a host of the service processor, the UBM protocol being a first protocol supported by the service processor, the first command or data instructing a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task;

generating a second command or data of a second protocol supported by the service processor, the second command or data instructing the backplane controller to perform the first task; and

sending the second command or data to the backplane controller.

7. An apparatus, the apparatus being a service processor, comprising:

a memory; and

first at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

execute a baseboard management controller (BMC) service stack and a Universal Backplane Management (UBM) service stack on a same processing unit of the service processor, the UBM service stack implementing an interface for communicating commands or data in accordance with UBM protocols;

receive, at the UBM service stack on the service processor, a first command or data of a UBM protocol from a UBM host running on a host of the service processor, the UBM protocol being a first protocol supported by the service processor, the first command or data instructing a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task;

generate a second command or data of a second protocol supported by the service processor, the second command or data instructing the backplane controller to perform the first task; and

send the second command or data to the backplane controller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first at least one processor is further configured to:

generate an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) message;

include the second command or data in the IPMI message; and

send the IPMI message including the second command or data from the UBM service stack to the BMC service stack.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second protocol is in compliance with at least one of:

serial attached small computer systems interface (SCSI) (SAS) specification,

serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) specification,

serial general purpose input/output bus (SGPIO) specification,

non-volatile memory express (NVMe) specification,

peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) specification,

virtual port pin serial hot plug bus (VPP) specification, and

serial hot plug bus (SHP) specification.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first task is at least one of:

obtaining status and type of a drive plugged in a backplane slot controlled by the backplane controller,

resetting the drive,

powering off a drive, and

controlling LEDs associated with the slot to indicate activities of the drive.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, at the service processor, a third command or data of the second protocol from a remote device or the host of the service processor, the third command or data instructing a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task; and

send the third command or data to the backplane controller.

12. An apparatus, the apparatus being a service processor, comprising:

a memory; and

first at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

execute a baseboard management controller (BMC) service stack on a main processing unit of the service processor; and

wherein the apparatus further comprises second at least one processor configured to:

execute a Universal Backplane Management (UBM) stack, the UBM service stack implementing an interface for communicating commands or data in accordance with UBM protocols;

receive, at the UBM service stack, a first command or data of a UBM protocol from a UBM host running on a host of the service processor, the UBM protocol being a first protocol supported by the service processor, the first command or data instructing a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task;

generate a second command or data of a second protocol supported by the service processor, the second command or data instructing the backplane controller to perform the first task; and

send the second command or data to the backplane controller.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for operating a service processor, comprising code to:

execute a baseboard management controller (BMC) service stack and a Universal Backplane Management (UBM) service stack on a same processing unit of the service processor, the UBM service stack implementing an interface for communicating commands or data in accordance with UBM protocols;

receive, at the UBM service stack on the service processor, a first command or data of a UBM protocol from a UBM host running on a host of the service processor, the UBM protocol being a first protocol supported by the service processor, the first command or data instructing a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task;

generate a second command or data of a second protocol supported by the service processor, the second command or data instructing the backplane controller to perform the first task; and

send the second command or data to the backplane controller.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the code is further configured to:

generate an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) message;

include the second command or data in the IPMI message; and

send the IPMI message including the second command or data from the UBM service stack to the BMC service stack.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the second protocol is in compliance with at least one of:

serial attached small computer systems interface (SCSI) (SAS) specification,

serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) specification,

serial general purpose input/output bus (SGPIO) specification,

non-volatile memory express (NVMe) specification,

peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) specification,

virtual port pin serial hot plug bus (VPP) specification, and

serial hot plug bus (SHP) specification.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first task is at least one of:

obtaining status and type of a drive plugged in a backplane slot controlled by the backplane controller,

resetting the drive,

powering off a drive, and

controlling LEDs associated with the slot to indicate activities of the drive.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for operating a service processor, comprising code to:

execute a baseboard management controller (BMC) service stack on a main processing unit of the service processor; and

execute a Universal Backplane Management (UBM) stack on a co-processing unit of the service processor, the UBM service stack implementing an interface for communicating commands or data in accordance with UBM protocols;

receive, at the UBM service stack on the co-processing unit of the service processor, a first command or data of a UBM protocol from a UBM host running on a host of the service processor, the UBM protocol being a first protocol supported by the service processor, the first command or data instructing a backplane controller of the host to perform a first task;

generate a second command or data of a second protocol supported by the service processor, the second command or data instructing the backplane controller to perform the first task; and

send the second command or data to the backplane controller.

Assignments (5)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 23, 2024
From: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
To: BAIN CAPITAL CREDIT, LP, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069229/0834 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2024
From: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST
To: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 069205/0948 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2024
From: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
To: MIDCAP FINANCIAL TRUST, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067274/0834 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2021
From: BOUDA, TIMOTHY
To: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 056463/0080 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MONDAL, UMASANKAR; ABRAHAM, SHIBU
To: AMERICAN MEGATRENDS INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 056443/0582 →