Abstract: An adapter provides an expansion function to an information handling system. The adapter includes an adapter application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a memory device, and a control unit. The adapter ASIC provides the expansion function. The memory device stores firmware for the adapter ASIC. The control unit validates the firmware.

Abstract: A system generates a task object and a task updater object upon receipt of a request from an out-of-band client to execute a task on a processing unit via an in-band client, receives a status update from the in-band client upon execution of the task on the processing unit, and maps the task updater object to the task object associated with the task. The system may also update a state of the task object based on the status update of the task updater object, and transmit the state of the task object to the out-of-band client.

Abstract: Systems and methods for management controller firmware updates for an Information Handling System (“IHS”) component without a direct out-of-band management channel are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an IHS may include a host system, a management controller (“MC”) configured to provide out-of-band management of the IHS, and a network interface controller (“NIC”) coupled to the MC, where the NIC comprises a baseboard management controller (“BMC”) coupled to a processing unit, where the NIC BMC does not have a direct out-of-band management channel, or the NIC BMC does have a direct out-of-band management channel but the channel is unavailable, and where the MC is configured to: obtain a firmware update image usable by the NIC BMC; and transmit the firmware update image to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit the firmware update image to the NIC BMC.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide an Information Handling System (IHS) comprising a host processor module configured to host one or more processors and two or more smart devices, a secure control module configured to host a baseboard management controller, and a secure control interface configured to support communication between the secure control module and the host processor module. The baseboard management controller is configured to retrieve a current time from each of the smart devices, validate the current time for each of the smart devices, identify a selected current time to be applied to each of the smart devices, and send the selected current time to each of the smart devices. The baseboard management controller is a Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM)-enabled device that uses SPDM messages to synchronize time across IHS components.

Abstract: An adapter provides an expansion function to an information handling system. The adapter includes an adapter application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a memory device, and a control unit. The adapter ASIC provides the expansion function. The memory device stores firmware for the adapter ASIC. The control unit validates the firmware.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide an Information Handling System (IHS) comprising a host processor module configured to host at least one smart device and a secure control module configured to host a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC). The BMC validates identities and determine capabilities of the at least one smart device using Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM) messages. The BMC sends a network access identity to the at least one smart device using an SPDM message. The BMC receives a request for a network connection from the at least one smart device, wherein the request includes the network access identity. The BMC performs authentication server functions to approve the network connection request. The BMC then sends a message to the at least one smart device indicating that a port or NC-SI channel is authorized for network access.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a server may have a server operating system (OS) and a component with a component OS. During a boot process, embodiments may ensure the server OS does not boot until after the component OS boots. During a shutdown process, embodiments may ensure the server OS does not shut down until after the component OS shuts down. In systems with multiple Remote Access Controller, embodiments may synchronize processing between the two RACs.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, one or more systems may comprise a Remote Access Controller (RAC) configured with a minimum number of built-in features and a private cloud server (PCS) communicatively coupled to the RAC and storing a set of available services retrieved from an external cloud server. The RAC may be configured to communicate with a DHCP service, an onboarding service and a RAC proxy service to send a RAC hardware identity certificate and receive a RAC proxy service certificate. If the RAC hardware identity certificate and the RAC proxy service certificate are authenticated, the RAC proxy service may establish a binding with RAC firmware.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a host system, a management controller configured to provide out-of-band management of the information handling system, and a network interface controller. The management controller may be configured to: determine an inventory of the network interface controller, the inventory indicating at least one component having a firmware; retrieve a firmware update image for updating the firmware; and cause the network interface controller to boot from the firmware update image, the firmware update image being configured to install an update to the firmware.

Abstract: Managing device personality, including performing an inventory analysis of devices at an information handling system, including identifying a current personality file associated with a particular device; receiving data indicating a group of personality files; receiving user input indicating a selection of a particular personality file to be associated with the particular device; in response to receiving the user input, updating the current personality file associated with the particular device by applying the particular personality file at the particular device; after the updating, performing an additional inventory analysis of the devices to determine an active personality file of each of the devices; receiving, in response to performing the additional inventory analysis of the devices, input from the particular device indicating the active personality file of the particular device as the particular personality file; providing data indicating the active personality file of the particular device as the partic

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, a management controller communicatively coupled to the processor and configured for out-of-band management of the information handling system, and a smart network interface card communicatively coupled to the processor and the management controller, and configured to obtain a secret for authenticating the smart network interface card to the management controller, request an access token reference from the management controller, the request including the secret and an identifier of the smart network interface card in order to authenticate the smart network interface card to the management controller, in response to the request for the access token reference, receive the access token reference, and communicate a management task request to the management controller using the access token reference.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, one or more systems may comprise a Remote Access Controller (RAC) configured with a minimum number of built-in features and a private cloud server (PCS) communicatively coupled to the RAC and storing a set of available services retrieved from an external cloud server. The RAC may be configured to communicate with a DHCP service, an onboarding service and a RAC proxy service to send a RAC hardware identity certificate and receive a RAC proxy service certificate. If the RAC hardware identity certificate and the RAC proxy service certificate are authenticated, the RAC proxy service may establish a binding with RAC firmware.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, a server may have a server operating system (OS) and a component with a component OS. During a boot process, embodiments may ensure the server OS does not boot until after the component OS boots. During a shutdown process, embodiments may ensure the server OS does not shut down until after the component OS shuts down. In systems with multiple Remote Access Controller, embodiments may synchronize processing between the two RACs.

Abstract: Systems and methods for management controller firmware updates for an Information Handling System (“IHS”) component without a direct out-of-band management channel are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an IHS may include a host system, a management controller (“MC”) configured to provide out-of-band management of the IHS, and a network interface controller (“NIC”) coupled to the MC, where the NIC comprises a baseboard management controller (“BMC”) coupled to a processing unit, where the NIC BMC does not have a direct out-of-band management channel, or the NIC BMC does have a direct out-of-band management channel but the channel is unavailable, and where the MC is configured to: obtain a firmware update image usable by the NIC BMC; and transmit the firmware update image to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to transmit the firmware update image to the NIC BMC.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a management controller configured to provide out-of-band management of the information handling system, and a network interface controller comprising a network interface controller storage resource. The management controller may be configured to: receive an update bundle cryptographically signed by a manufacturer of the information handling system, wherein the update bundle includes at least one signature associated with a network interface controller operating system (OS) configured to be executed by the network interface controller; and transmit the at least one signature to the network interface controller. The network interface controller may be configured to install the network interface controller OS to the network interface controller storage resource based on the at least one signature.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, a subsystem communicatively coupled to the processor, and a management controller communicatively coupled to the processor and the subsystem and configured for out-of-band management of the information handling system, the management controller further configured to, in response to an alternating current power cycle of the information handling system: cause a basic input/output system of the information handling system to pause its boot process prior to enumeration of functions of the subsystem; and upon completion of the boot process of the subsystem and initialization of virtual functions of the subsystem, cause the basic input/output system to unpause the boot process in order to enumerate the functions of the subsystem including the virtual functions.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide an Information Handling System (IHS) comprising a host processor module configured to host at least one smart device and a secure control module configured to host a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC). The BMC validates identities and determine capabilities of the at least one smart device using Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM) messages. The BMC sends a network access identity to the at least one smart device using an SPDM message. The BMC receives a request for a network connection from the at least one smart device, wherein the request includes the network access identity. The BMC performs authentication server functions to approve the network connection request. The BMC then sends a message to the at least one smart device indicating that a port or NC-SI channel is authorized for network access.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide an Information Handling System (IHS) comprising a host processor module configured to host one or more processors and two or more smart devices, a secure control module configured to host a baseboard management controller, and a secure control interface configured to support communication between the secure control module and the host processor module. The baseboard management controller is configured to retrieve a current time from each of the smart devices, validate the current time for each of the smart devices, identify a selected current time to be applied to each of the smart devices, and send the selected current time to each of the smart devices. The baseboard management controller is a Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM)-enabled device that uses SPDM messages to synchronize time across IHS components.

Abstract: A system generates a task object and a task updater object upon receipt of a request from an out-of-band client to execute a task on a processing unit via an in-band client, receives a status update from the in-band client upon execution of the task on the processing unit, and maps the task updater object to the task object associated with the task. The system may also update a state of the task object based on the status update of the task updater object, and transmit the state of the task object to the out-of-band client.

Abstract: An information handling system includes a basic input/output system configured to update an attribute of a system-wide firmware downgrade security policy prior to booting to an operating system of the information handling system. The attribute of the system-wide firmware downgrade security policy is used to determine whether to allow or to disallow downgrade of a firmware to a version. A processor may perform the downgrade of the firmware, wherein the downgrade of the firmware includes the processor further configured to check the attribute of the system-wide firmware downgrade security policy and to store a firmware image in a scratchpad. If the attribute of the system-wide firmware downgrade security policy allows the downgrade of the firmware to the version, then the processor may continue with the downgrade of the firmware otherwise discard the firmware image in the scratchpad.