Abstract: Methods and apparatuses that utilize a serial bus, such as a universal serial bus (USB), for communications between a communications network, a computing device, and an auxiliary device are disclosed. Some embodiments comprise methods handling sideband communications using serial buses. One or more of the embodiments comprise differentiating in-band data from out-of-band data, transferring information of the in-band data between a communications network and a computing device, and transferring information of the out-of-band data between the communications network and an auxiliary device. Some embodiments comprise an apparatus having a communications network interface, an auxiliary device interface, and a computing device interface. Of the interfaces, one or more may be a serial bus interface. The apparatus may differentiate between in-band and out-of-band data and communicate information of the out-of-band data to an auxiliary device. In some embodiments, the apparatus may also transfer control information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for address mapping for data packet routing. An embodiment of a network controller includes an address filter, where the address filter is to receive a data packet that has a shared address for a plurality of devices as a destination. The network controller also includes a sideband filter to identify an intended recipient device for the packet based on information contained in the packet, and an address mapper to substitute an address for the intended recipient device in place of the shared address of the data packet.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes rerouting a Vendor Defined Message (VDM) sent from a first device is targeting a second device, to a third device. The method also includes keeping the first device unaware of the rerouting.

Abstract: A computer monitoring system includes a sensor, a non-volatile storage and a controller. The sensor measures a parameter of a computer, and the non-volatile storage holds a threshold representing a limit for the parameter. The controller is configured to determine a normal operating range for the parameter and modify the threshold to match the limit of the normal operating range more closely.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for address mapping for data packet routing. An embodiment of a network controller includes an address filter, where the address filter is to receive a data packet that has a shared address for a plurality of devices as a destination. The network controller also includes a sideband filter to identify an intended recipient device for the packet based on information contained in the packet, and an address mapper to substitute an address for the intended recipient device in place of the shared address of the data packet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for serial port redirection using a management controller. A serial controller is selectively coupled with a management controller to facilitate the redirection of serial information. The management controller includes a packetizer to packetize the serial information. The packetized information may be communicated to remote computing devices over a network connection or a management bus. The management controller receives both redirection and non-redirection packets from the communication channel. If the management controller receives redirection packets from a remote computing device, it formats the redirection packets as a stream of serial information and communicates the stream of serial information to the serial controller.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus to allow an I/O controller to alert an external controller using an enhanced SMBus implementation that enables bi-directional capability on SMBALERT#. I/O controller includes an auxiliary control register and alert output enable (AOEN) register. When host sets AOE bit in auxiliary control register, SMBALERT# signal is configured as an output signal with bi-directional functionality. External controller uses an interface command to write to AOEN register and determine events/conditions it wants to be alerted on. SMBALERT# is activated in response to a detected event/condition. In response to SMBALERT#, external controller determines the alert generation condition using byte read commands on the system management bus, and clears SMBALERT#.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for Interconnect Built-In Self-Test (IBIST) Based System Management Performance Tuning provides for measuring operating conditions of an interconnect, which is between a first device and a second device in a post-production system, at operating speed with a set of one or more test data and a first set of one or more operating parameters. Results of the measuring are stored and operating conditions of the interconnect with the set of test data and a second set of operating parameters are measured. The method and apparatus further provides for selecting either the first or second set of operating parameters based on the measuring of operating conditions to optimize operation of the post-production system.

Abstract: A computer monitoring system includes a sensor, a non-volatile storage and a controller. The sensor measures a parameter of a computer, and the non-volatile storage holds a threshold representing a limit for one parameter. The controller is configured to determine a normal operating range for the parameter and modify the threshold to match the limit of the normal operating range more closely.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for Interconnect Built-In Self-Test (IBIST) Based System Management Performance Tuning provides for measuring operating conditions of an interconnect, which is between a first device and a second device in a post-production system, at operating speed with a set of one or more test data and a first set of one or more operating parameters. Results of the measuring are stored and operating conditions of the interconnect with the set of test data and a second set of operating parameters are measured. The method and apparatus further provides for selecting either the first or second set of operating parameters based on the measuring of operating conditions to optimize operation of the post-production system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for Interconnect Built-In Self-Test (IBIST) Based System Management Failure Monitoring provides for measuring operating conditions of interconnects between a first device and a second device for system management of a post-production system. Results from the measuring are generated. System management failure monitoring of the post-production system is based on the generated results.

Abstract: System and method in a USB environment for providing secondary management channel access to a managed system via a communications device connected to the managed system. The communications device can be shared between management channel use and system use. A remote management system can connect directly to the platform management subsystem of the managed system and the channel provides a communications path to the platform management subsystem under conditions where the host processor(s) and system software are unavailable. A management controller simulates the presence of the communication device to the USB host when the management controller takes ownership of the communication device. For non-USB communication devices, the management controller also converts data from non-USB format to USB format and routes the converted data to the USB host.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus to allow an I/O controller to alert an external controller using an enhanced SMBus implementation that enables bi-directional capability on SMBALERT#. I/O controller includes an auxiliary control register and alert output enable (AOEN) register. When host sets AOE bit in auxiliary control register, SMBALERT# signal is configured as an output signal with bi-directional functionality. External controller uses an interface command to write to AOEN register and determine events/conditions it wants to be alerted on. SMBALERT# is activated in response to a detected event/condition. In response to SMBALERT#, external controller determines the alert generation condition using byte read commands on the system management bus, and clears SMBALERT#.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for serial port redirection using a management controller. A serial controller is selectively coupled with a management controller to facilitate the redirection of serial information. The management controller includes a packetizer to packetize the serial information. The packetized information may be communicated to remote computing devices over a network connection or a management bus. The management controller receives both redirection and non-redirection packets from the communication channel. If the management controller receives redirection packets from a remote computing device, it formats the redirection packets as a stream of serial information and communicates the stream of serial information to the serial controller.

Abstract: A computer monitoring system includes a sensor, a non-volatile storage and a controller. The sensor measures a parameter of a computer, and the non-volatile storage holds a threshold representing a limit for the parameter. The controller is configured to determine a normal operating range for the parameter and modify the threshold to match the limit of the normal operating range more closely.