- Static header-based well-defined abstraction for the BMC Chip HW Interface and BMC Chip Functional Features
Static header-based well-defined abstraction for Platform definitions - Static header-based support for configuring IPMI Channels, Users and other parameters
- Clear Sensor Element definition that includes SDR definition, Platform and Chip Interface relationship
- System Event Log Configuration
- Enabling and Disabling of IPMI Optional Commands and Features
Platform and Chip Configuration Support
Firmware Features
Free BMC Firmware Engine
S4H Technologies will act as the maintainer of the free BMC firmware project and will provide updates based on the community output.
Updates and Maintenance
Error and Diagnostic Support
System Management Standards Support
- Fully compliant with IPMI 2.0 and DCMI 1.5 with support for almost all commands of IPMI 2.0 and DCMI 1.5 Specifications (Exceptions will be listed in Release documents)
- Support for IPMI Channels such as IPMB, LAN (RMCP, RMCP+) and System Interface (KCS)
- Support for IPMI and DCMI features such as Serial Over LAN, System Event Log, Sensor Data Repository (SDR), Field Replacement Unit (FRU), Chassis Management, Platform Event Filtering, Events and Command Firewall
The free BMC firmware project is an initiative of S4H Technologies to open up technology for everybody to learn and evolve the standards. The project provides a source code bundle, which provides a bootstrap for anybody who is interested to build system management solutions for non-commercial purposes. The choices of operating system, BMC chip, platform and firmware extensions are left to the user of the engine to define and integrate.
S4H Technologies LLC
- Robust Sensor Management that provides the ability to support most of the standard Sensor Types as documented in the IPMI Specification
- Communication Transports includes LAN, SOL, IPMB and System Interface Transports
- Network Stack includes ARP, ICMP, UDP, DHCP
- Simple thermal management
OS & Boot Support Package Abstraction
Support
- Supports a simple built-in Error infrastructure that can be pushed through a Serial or Flash Interface
- Single Entry Point for Operating System/Bootstrap Package to invoke the BMC firmware Engine.
- Static header-based well-defined abstraction for underlying Operating System; could be Linux or RTOS; utilizes only threads/tasks, timers, message queues and interrupts.
- Static header-based well-defined abstraction for Memory Management
The Free BMC firmware project is intended to be released under GPLv3, to keep the spirit of free software foundations. Licensed commercial versions are available with S4H Technologies, where the source code does not have any GPL restrictions.
Licensing
BMC Firmware Solutions Support
How to get the Free BMC Firmware Engine?
S4H Technologies will provide a single user license copy of the support documentations, How-To guides, white papers and training necessary for users to utilize the source code. Also, S4H Technologies provides services for creating solutions utilizing the free BMC firmware.
The planned launch of the source code for public download is slated for beginning of Q2'2015, but we welcome expert contributors who are familiar with the Server Management domain. They can send us email so we can provide them with a early copy of the source code for their review.
Please fill the form below stating your availability for reviewing and providing feedback.
Please use the Subject: "Free BMC Firmware Engine: Alpha Code Review"
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