IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,361,133
Granted Patent B2
US 12,361,133 · App. 18/183,687 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

System-level service discovery in a multi-baseboard management controller (BMC) environment

Inventors: Deepaganesh Paulraj (Bangalore, IN); Mini Thottunkal Thankappan (Bangalore, IN); Rama Rao Bisa (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
G06F21/57G06F21/44G06F2221/034
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,361,133
App. No.
18/183,687
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods provide one or more host processor modules configured to host SPDM-enabled hardware devices, and a secure control module configured to host two or more baseboard management controllers. Each of the baseboard management controllers are configured to discover the SPDM-enabled hardware devices using SPDM messages, negotiate with at least one other baseboard management controller for access to individual ones of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices, and manage selected ones of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

Claims (53)

1. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

one or more host processor modules configured to host Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM)-enabled hardware devices; and

a secure control module configured to host two or more baseboard management controllers;

wherein each of the baseboard management controllers comprise at least one processor coupled to at least one memory, the at least one memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the at least one processor, cause the baseboard management controller to:

discover the SPDM-enabled hardware devices using SPDM messages;

negotiate with at least one other baseboard management controller for access to individual ones of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices; and

manage the individual ones of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

2. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

identify a communication bandwidth associated with each of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices; and

determine which of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices can be managed by the baseboard management controller based upon the communication bandwidth associated with the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

3. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

identify a communication protocol associated with each of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices; and

determine which of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices can be managed by the baseboard management controller based upon the communication protocol associated with the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

4. The IHS of claim 3 , wherein the communication protocol includes one or more of an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) transport protocol, an I3C protocol, and a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express Vendor-Defined Message (PCIe-VDM) protocol.

5. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

establish secure communication sessions with the selected ones of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

6. The IHS of claim 5 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

provide credentials for the secure communication sessions with at least one other baseboard management controller.

7. The IHS of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

receive communication credentials from an additional baseboard management controller, wherein the credentials are associated with secure communication sessions between the additional baseboard management controller and additional ones of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

8. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

receive notification that the additional baseboard management controller is not communicating with the additional ones of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices; and

use the communication credentials to establish secure communication sessions with the additional ones of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

9. An Information Handling System (IHS) comprising:

a baseboard management controller in communication with a plurality of Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM)-enabled devices, the baseboard management controller comprising at least one processor coupled to at least one memory, the at least one memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the at least one processor, cause the baseboard management controller to:

discover the SPDM-enabled hardware devices using SPDM messages;

negotiate with at least one other baseboard management controller for access to a first group of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices; and

manage the first group of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

10. The IHS of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

identify a communication bandwidth associated with each of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices; and

determine which of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices can be managed by the baseboard management controller based upon the communication bandwidth associated with the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

11. The IHS of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

identify a communication protocol associated with each of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices; and

determine which of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices can be managed by the baseboard management controller based upon the communication protocol associated with the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

12. The IHS of claim 11 , wherein the communication protocol includes one or more of an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) transport protocol, an I3C protocol, and a Peripheral Component Interconnect Express Vendor-Defined Message (PCIe-VDM) protocol.

13. The IHS of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

establish secure communication sessions with the first group of SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

14. The IHS of claim 13 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

provide credentials for the secure communication sessions with at least one other baseboard management controller.

15. The IHS of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

receive communication credentials from an additional baseboard management controller, wherein the credentials are associated with secure communication sessions between the additional baseboard management controller and a second group of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

16. The IHS of claim 15 , wherein the program instructions further cause the baseboard management controller to:

receive notification that the additional baseboard management controller is not communicating with the second group of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices; and

use the communication credentials to establish secure communication sessions with the second group of the SPDM-enabled hardware devices.

17. A multiple baseboard management controller load sharing method comprising:

negotiating, by each of a plurality of baseboard management controllers, with one or more other baseboard management controllers, management of a subset of a group of Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM)-enabled devices based on connectivity of each of the SPDM-enabled devices;

assigning a baseboard management controller to manage the subset of the group of SPDM-enabled devices; and

managing the subset of the group of SPDM-enabled devices by the assigned baseboard management controller.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the connectivity of each of the SPDM-enabled devices corresponds to a communication bandwidth associated with each of the SPDM-enabled devices.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the connectivity of each of the SPDM-enabled devices corresponds to a communication protocol associated with each of the SPDM-enabled devices.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

establishing secure communication sessions with the subset of the group of SPDM-enabled devices by each of the plurality of baseboard management controllers; and

providing credentials for the secure communication sessions associated with each of the plurality of baseboard management controllers with at least one other baseboard management controller.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2023
From: PAULRAJ, DEEPAGANESH; THANKAPPAN, MINI THOTTUNKAL; BISA, RAMA RAO
To: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
Reel/Frame 062980/0047 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240311482A1 · Sep 19, 2024
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