Hardware Platform Management for
AdvancedTCA and MicroTCA
Platforms
xTCA for Physics Workshop
March 22-23, 2010
2010 IEEE Real-Time Conference, Lisbon
Presented by Pete Hawkins
www.pt.com
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Agenda
IPMI Overview
IPMI Hardware
Command and Data Structure Formats
AdvancedTCA Platform Management Architecture
MicroTCA Platform Management Architecture
PICMG Extensions
Design Summary
Common Pitfalls
Development Tools
References
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IPMI Overview
Intelligent Platform Management Interface
Created by Intel, HP, NEC, and Dell for the
Enterprise Server Market
Standardized Software Interface to Hardware Health
Sensors and Inventory Information
– Hardware Abstraction via Standardized Request/Response
Protocol
Large Set of Specifications Can Seem
Overwhelming, but…
– Fairly Simple Hardware
Most of the Work is the Software
– Most Features are Optional
The Basic Protocol is Required
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Basic IPMI Hardware
Baseboard Management
Controller (BMC)
Sensors
– GPIO, A2D, I2C, SMBus
System Event Log (SEL)
– Typically a SEEPROM
Field Replaceable Unit
(FRU) Inventory
Information
– Typically a SEEPROM
External Interfaces
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µCSensorsSELLAN I/FSerialPayload I/FFRU Info
Complex IPMI Subsystem
BMC is Central Controller
– SEL
– External Interfaces
Peripheral Management Controllers
(PMCs)
– Reduced Features Compared to BMC
– Supports Abstraction by FRU
Connected via IPMB
– Intelligent Platform Management Bus
– I2C Physical Layer
– IPMI Defined Protocol
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IPMBBMCµCSELLAN I/FSerialPayload I/FFRU InfoPMCµCPayload I/FFRU InfoPMCµCPayload I/FFRU Info
IPMI Messaging
Request / Response Protocol
– Retries on Request, but Not on Response
Multiple Channel Types
– Between Controllers – IPMB
– External – LAN, Serial, Modem
– Payload
KCS – Keyboard Controller Style
SMIC - Server Management Interface Chip
BT – Block Transfer
Serial
– Between Chassis – ICMB (Not Used by PICMG Specifications)
Each Channel Type Has a Message Wrapper
– Addressing (Optional)
– Checksums (Optional)
– Network Function (Required)
Command Grouping
Even Values Indicate Request
Odd Values Indicate Response
– Command Code (Required)
Specific to the Network Function
Data is Specific to Command, but Common to All Channel Types
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IPMB Messaging Example
• Net Fn
•Even to Odd
• Swap
•Addresses
•LUNs
Request
Byte
Description
1
2
3
4
5
6
Rs Addr
Net Fn (Even)
/ Rs LUN
Checksum 1
Rq Addr
Rq Seq / Rq LUN
Command
7 –
(7+n-1)
Command Data (0
or more bytes)
7+n
Checksum 2
•Completion Code
•Response Data
•Update Checksums
Response
Byte
Description
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Rq Addr
Net Fn (Odd)
/ Rq LUN
Checksum 1
Rs Addr
Rq Seq / Rs LUN
Command
Completion Code
8 –
(8+n-1)
Response Data (0
or more bytes)
8+n
Checksum 2
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Example Commands
Command
Net Fn
Cmd Code
IPM Device “Global” Commands
Get Device ID
Cold Reset
Warm Reset
Event Commands
APP
APP
APP
01h
02h
03h
Set Event Receiver
Sensor / Event
00h
Platform Event
Sensor / Event
03h
Sensor Device Commands
Get Device SDR Info
Sensor / Event
20h
Get Device SDR
Sensor / Event
21h
Get Sensor Reading
Sensor / Event
2Dh
FRU Device Commands
Get FRU Inventory Area Info
Storage
Read FRU Data
Write FRU Data
Storage
Storage
10h
11h
12h
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