Abstract: Described herein are technologies for maintaining firmware setting during firmware updates. PLDM data is created prior to a firmware update. In instances of firmware updates, such as during runtime, recovery, or capsule, a flashing tool is used to perform the firmware flashing as well as exporting the setup configuration in a particular or required PLDM format. After the firmware is updated, the PLDM data is imported to preserve the firmware settings.

Abstract: In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and a computer system are provided. The computer system includes an initialization component of a host. The initialization component obtains a process file for dynamically creating a processing component on a management platform on a BMC of the host, the process file defining a logic to be implemented by the processing component, the initialization component operating to load an operating system of the host. The initialization component sends the process file to the BMC. The initialization component further sends a message to the BMC, the message including data to be processed by the processing component.

Abstract: Technologies are disclosed herein for blocking access to some firmware variables during runtime. These firmware variables may be disallowed from runtime access (e.g., read/write access), by placing an indication of the firmware variables on a runtime blocklist. Upon completion of booting, runtime firmware services may access the runtime blocklist to determine if a firmware variable is to be accessed during runtime. In some cases, a firmware variable may be disallowed from runtime access by inclusion in the runtime blocklist, even if that firmware variable has an attribute that indicates that it is runtime accessible. The runtime blocklist may be generated based at least in part on indications of the firmware variables to be blocked during runtime. Additionally, runtime accessible firmware variables may be exposed to higher-level software, such as an O/S, if the firmware variables are not included in the runtime blocklist.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relates to systems and methods for locking a display device of a host computer remotely using a management controller, and providing a banner notification on the locked display device. The system includes a computing device as the host computer, which has a display device, and a management controller. When the management controller receives a locking command, the management controller, in response to the locking command, performs the following operations: generating a locking instruction, and sending the locking instruction to the computing device to lock the display device; and generating a message display instruction including a message to be displayed, and sending the message display instruction to the display device of the computing device, in order to display the message on the display device. Thus, a local user at the computing device may be notified by the message that the display device is locked.

Abstract: Configuration of availability of debugging messages during the execution of a firmware in a debugging mode of operation is provided. The configuration can be updated without rebuilding the firmware. Thus, a selection of a group of available types of debugging messages can be updated dynamically, at various runtime instances of the firmware. The selection can be accomplished by configuring, at a runtime of the firmware, a level of recordation of debugging messages and one or more data structures associated with the level or recordation. Each of the one or more data structures includes elements indicative of respective types of debugging messages being enabled or disabled for presentation during the execution of the firmware in the debugging mode of operation. A debugging message can be provided based at least partially on at least one of the data structure(s) during the execution of the firmware in the debugging mode of operation.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for a representational state transfer (“REST” or “RESTful”) over Intelligent Platform Management Interface (“IPMI”) interface for firmware to baseboard management controller (“BMC”) communication and applications thereof. These applications include, but are not limited to, remote firmware configuration, firmware updates, peripheral device firmware updates, provision of management information such as system inventory data, cloning and batch migration of firmware configuration settings, and firmware integrity monitoring. This functionality can be provided in a way that enables communication between BMCs and firmware to utilize modern manageability interfaces while maintaining backward compatibility with previous IPMI implementations.

Abstract: Technologies are disclosed herein for configuring a system memory of a computer system by determining which, of a plurality, of serial presence detect (SPD) tables to utilize, based at least in part on settings of one or more GPIO pins. The computer system may be available with variations of the configuration of system memory. The SPD tables corresponding to each of the different configurations of the system memory may be stored on the computer system, such as on an NVRAM of the computer system. After identifying the appropriate SPD table, a processor may load the SPD table to a memory reference code of the computer system. In some cases, the state GPIO pins indicating the system memory configuration is set at the time of manufacture of the computer system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing and supporting multiple Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) serial over local area network (SOL) sessions in a management controller. The system includes a management controller used to manage multiple nodes, and at least one remote computing device connected to the management controller via a local area network (LAN). In operation, the management controller configures multiple serial ports for the nodes, so the management controller is communicatively connectable to each of the nodes respectively via one of the serial ports. When the management controller receives a SOL request from the remote computing device to establish a SOL session to access a specific node, the management controller may accordingly establish the SOL session between the specific node and the remote computing device sending the SOL request. Thus, the management controller may support multiple SOL sessions, and may store information of each of the SOL sessions independently.

Abstract: A computer system includes a memory and computer-readable instructions stored at the memory and executable by a microprocessor to: initiating power on mode in order to execute UEFI firmware for OS boot up procedure; initiating pairing with a wireless device; saving a pairing connection data of the wireless device to memory; retrieving the pairing connection data under Operating System environment; and initiating automatic pairing with the wireless device based on the pairing connection data.

Abstract: A first firmware component executes from a secure memory and a second firmware component executes from a non-secure memory. The first firmware component receives a request to store data in a non-volatile (NV) memory. In response to the request, the first firmware component stores the data in the NV memory and in a buffer located in the secure memory. The first firmware component also copies the buffer to non-secure memory. The first firmware component provides an indication to the second firmware component that the buffer was updated. The second firmware component can then update an internal data structure identifying the start, end, or size of the data stored in the buffer. Once the internal data structure is updated, the second firmware component can respond to requests to retrieve firmware variables of other types of data without accessing buffers in secure memory.

Abstract: A firmware includes a firmware module for copying a digitally signed binary file that includes a firmware globally unique identifier (GUID), tool GUIDs, and feature GUIDs to an Advanced Configuration and Power Management interface (ACPI) table (the Firmware Enabled Tool Registry (FETR) table). If the FETR table is stored in memory, a firmware tool determines whether a digital signature of the signed binary file can be verified. If the digital signature can be verified, the firmware tool determines if the firmware GUID stored in the FETR table matches a firmware GUID stored in another ACPI table. If the firmware GUIDs match, the firmware tool determines whether its tool GUID matches a tool GUID stored in the FETR table. The firmware tool can continue to execute if the tool GUIDs match. Firmware tool features are enabled if feature GUIDs in the FETR table match feature GUIDs of the firmware tool.

Abstract: A computer system includes a memory and computer-readable instructions stored at the memory and executable by a microprocessor to: receiving a debug retrieval request to retrieve a debug status data during execution of a UEFI firmware; initiating a debug aggregation function in response to the debug retrieval request; and aggregating the debug status data into a NFC data token.

Abstract: Systems and methods for twin factor authentication, which may be applied to a controller, such as a baseboard management controller (BMC). The controller provides a service. When a first user attempts to access the service, the controller receives an access message for a first user to access the service, and searches for information of the first user and a second user corresponding to the first user based on the access message. Then the controller sends two security clearance requests based on the information of the first user and the second user, including a first security clearance request for security clearance from the first user, and a second security clearance request for security clearance from the second user. The twin factor authentication for the first user would be successful only when the controller receives security clearance from both the first user and the second user.

Abstract: A firmware development tool generates platform-specific firmware images for a multitude of different computing platforms. A multi-platform firmware image creation tool receives the platform-specific firmware images and generates a multi-platform firmware image therefrom. A portion of the multi-platform firmware image includes firmware files that are common across all of the platform-specific firmware images. Other portions of the multi-platform firmware image include firmware files that are specific to each of the platform-specific firmware images. At boot time of a computer system utilizing the multi-platform firmware image, the platform that the computer system uses is detected. The firmware files that are common across the platform-specific firmware images are then loaded into memory. The firmware files that are specific to the detected platform are also loaded into memory.

Abstract: A system may be configured to receive via a user interface a user-initiated prompt to begin start-up of a computer system firmware via access to a firmware start-up utility. The system may also generate a request for user authentication, and detect a private key for user authentication. The system may also determine whether the private key corresponds to a public key previously registered with the computer system firmware, and initiate, when the private key corresponds to the public key, completion of the start-up of the computer system firmware and allowance of operation of the computer system firmware via access to the firmware start-up utility. When the private key does not correspond to the public key, the system may prevent at least one aspect of an operation associated with the start-up of the computer system firmware.

Abstract: A method for firmware debug trace capture includes creating a hand-off block (“HOB”), capturing first debug trace statements during a boot sequence of a computer and writing the first debug trace statements to the HOB. A trace memory buffer can be created and the first debug trace statements can be copied from the HOB to the trace memory buffer. Second debug trace statements are captured during the boot sequence and appended to the trace memory buffer. In some configurations, the first debug trace statements can be written to the HOB during the pre-Extensible Firmware Interface initialization (“PEI”) phase of the boot sequence and the second debug trace statements can be written to the trace memory buffer during the driver execution (“DXE”) phase of the boot sequence.

Abstract: Technologies are disclosed herein that allow configuration of firmware by a firmware configuration device connected to a target computer. The firmware configuration device may emulate keystroke and/or mouse movement data to transmit firmware configuration data to the target computer. The target computer can also transmit status information and/or commands through keyboard status light signals.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure are directed to an IPMI bridge server configured to expand the management functions of an IPMI control system to a plurality of non-IPMI protocol specific managed devices. The IPMI bridge server includes: a processor, a network interface controller assigned with a network address; and a memory containing a firmware. When the firmware is executed at the processor, it is configured to be in communication with a group of first protocol specific managed devices through a first protocol control point and a first communication link, and a group of second protocol specific managed devices through a second protocol control point and a second communication link, and to receive management requests each for performing a protocol specific management function at one of the group of first protocol specific managed devices or the group of second protocol specific managed devices.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for a representational state transfer (“REST” or “RESTful”) over an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (“IPMI”) interface for firmware to a baseboard management controller (“BMC”) communication and applications thereof. These applications include, but are not limited to, remote firmware configuration, firmware updates, peripheral device firmware updates, provision of management information such as system inventory data, cloning and batch migration of firmware configuration settings, and firmware integrity monitoring. This functionality can be provided in a way that enables communication between BMCs and firmware to utilize modern manageability interfaces while maintaining backward compatibility with previous IPMI implementations.

Abstract: Systems and methods to control a controller, such as a baseboard management controller (BMC), and its host computer with voice. The system may include a mobile device, which is communicatively connected to the controller via a network. The mobile device may receive a voice input, and generate a corresponding instruction by performing voice recognition to the voice input. The instruction may be sent to the controller for controlling the controller or its host computer. For example, the controller may perform a corresponding operation based on the instruction to determine whether the instruction is for the controller or for the host computer. When the instruction is for the host computer, in response to determining the target as the host computing device, the controller may perform keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) redirection to redirect the instruction to the host computer.