Abstract: Technologies for system management interrupt (“SMI”) handling include a number of processor cores configured to enter a system management mode (“SMM”) in response to detecting an SMI. The first processor core to enter SMM and acquire a master thread lock sets an in-progress flag and executes a master SMI handler without waiting for other processor cores to enter SMM. Other processor cores execute a subordinate SMI handler. The master SMI handler may direct the subordinate SMI handlers to handle core-specific SMIs. The multi-core processor may set an SMI service pending flag in response to detecting the SMI, which is cleared by the processor core that acquires the master thread lock. A processor core entering SMM may immediately resume normal execution upon determining the in-progress flag is not set and the service pending flag is not set, to detect and mitigate spurious SMIs. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A processor includes a front end including a decoder to decode an instruction, a scheduler to assign execution of the instruction to a core, and a core to execute the instruction. The instruction specifies that interrupts such as corrected machine check interrupts are to be selectively suppressed. The processor further includes an error handling unit including logic to determine that an interrupt caused by an error is to be created and that an error consumer has requested interrupt notification. The error handling unit further includes logic to, based on the instruction specifying that interrupts are to be selectively suppressed, send the interrupt to a producer that issued the instruction rather than the error consumer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for initiating secure operations in a microprocessor system are described. In one embodiment, a system includes a processor to execute a secured enter instruction, and a chipset to cause the system to enter a quiescent state during execution of the secured enter instruction.

Abstract: Mechanisms to enable management controllers to learn the control plane hierarchy in data center environments. The data center is configured in a physical hierarchy including multiple pods, racks, trays, and sleds and associated switches. Management controllers at various levels in a control plane hierarchy and associated with switches in the physical hierarchy are configured to add their IP addresses to DHCP (Dynamic Host Control Protocol) responses that are generated by a DCHP server in response to DCHP requests for IP address requests initiated by DHCP clients including manageability controllers, compute nodes and storage nodes in the data center. As the DCHP response traverses each of multiple switches along a forwarding path from the DCHP server to the DHCP client, an IP address of the manageability controller associated with the switch is inserted. Upon receipt at the DHCP client, the inserted IP addresses are extracted and used to automate learning of the control plane hierarchy.

Abstract: Techniques for providing security for a computing device are described herein. In one example, a maintenance issue for the computing device is detected. Additionally, a maintenance credential proximate the computing device can be detected. Furthermore, an alarm system within the computing device can be disabled in response to detecting an authorized maintenance credential.

Abstract: A system and method are described for intelligently flushing data from a processor cache. For example, a system according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: a processor having a cache from which data is flushed, the data associated with a particular system address range; and a PCM memory controller for managing access to data stored in a PCM memory device corresponding to the particular system address range; the processor determining whether memory flush hints are enabled for the specified system address range, wherein if memory flush hints are enabled for the specified system address range then the processor sending a memory flush hint to a PCM memory controller of the PCM memory device and wherein the PCM memory controller uses the memory flush hint to determine whether to save the flushed data to the PCM memory device.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, memory modules containing phase change memory elements may be organized so that each memory integrated circuit includes both data and error correcting code. As a result of including the error correcting code in each integrated circuit, extra accesses of the memory module to extract the error correcting code can be avoided, improving the performance of the overall memory module in some embodiments.

Abstract: A technique to verify firmware. One embodiment of the invention uses a processor's micro-code to verify a system's firmware, such that the firmware can be included in a trusted chain of code along with the operating system.

Abstract: Examples may include a basic input/output system (BIOS) for a computing platform communicating with a controller for a non-volatile dual in-line memory module (NVDIMM). Communication between the BIOS and the controller may include a request for the controller to scan and identify error locations in non-volatile memory at the NVDIMM. The non-volatile memory may be capable of providing persistent memory for the NVDIMM.

Abstract: Examples may include communicating with a controller for a non-volatile dual in-line memory module through a system management bus (SMBus) interface. In some examples, selective assertion of bits maintained in registers accessible through the SMBus interface may enable communication with the controller. The selective assertion may be based on a register map.

Abstract: A method, system, and device for managing hardware resources in a cloud scheduling environment includes a zone controller. The zone controller can manage groups of node servers in a cloud datacenter using a checkin service. The checkin service allows server groups to be created automatically based on one or more hardware characteristics of the node servers, server health information, workload scheduling or facilities management parameters, and/or other criteria.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods, and for entering a secured system environment using multiple authenticated code modules are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes a decoder and control logic. The decoder is to decode a secured enter instruction. The control logic is to find an entry corresponding to the processor in a match table in a master authenticated code module and to read a master header and an individual authenticated code module from the master authenticated code module in response to decoding the secured enter instruction.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods, and for entering a secured system environment using multiple authenticated code modules are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes a decoder and control logic. The decoder is to decode a secured enter instruction. The control logic is to find an entry corresponding to the processor in a match table in a master authenticated code module and to read a master header and an individual authenticated code module from the master authenticated code module in response to decoding the secured enter instruction.

Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for signaling software recoverable errors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes a first unit, a programmable indicator, and a second unit. The first unit is to detect a poison error. The programmable indicator is to indicate whether the poison error is signaled as a machine check error or as one of a fault and a system management interrupt. The second unit is to signal the poison error as one of a fault and a system management error responsive to the programmable indicator.

Abstract: An apparatus for coherent shared memory across multiple clusters is described herein. The apparatus includes a fabric memory controller and one or more nodes. The fabric memory controller manages access to a shared memory region of each node such that each shared memory region is accessible using load store semantics, even in response to failure of the node. The apparatus also includes a global memory, wherein each shared memory region is mapped to the global memory by the fabric memory controller.

Abstract: An apparatus for pooling memory resources across multiple nodes is described herein. The apparatus includes a shared memory controller, wherein each node of the multiple nodes is connected to the shared memory controller. The apparatus also includes a pool of memory connected to the shared memory controller, wherein a portion of the pool of memory is allocated to each node of the multiple nodes.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods to manage memory operations are described. In one embodiment, a controller is coupled to a processor unit, and comprising logic to block additional transactions on the processor unit, initiate a cache flush to flush data from cache memory coupled to the processor unit to a memory controller buffer, block incoming data from the cache memory, and initiate a buffer flush to flush data from the memory controller buffer to a nonvolatile memory. Other examples are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing data coherency is described herein. The apparatus includes a global persistent memory. The global persistent memory is accessed using a protocol that includes input/output (I/O) semantics and memory semantics. The apparatus also includes a reflected memory region. The reflected memory region is a portion of the global persistent memory, and each node of a plurality of nodes maps the reflected memory region into a space that is not cacheable. Further, the apparatus includes a semaphore memory. The semaphore memory provides a hardware assist for enforced data coherency.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods to manage memory operations are described. In one example, a controller comprises logic to receive a first transaction to operate on a first data element in a volatile memory, determine whether the first data element is to be stored in a nonvolatile memory, and in response to a determination that the first data element is to be stored in a nonvolatile memory, to forward the first transaction to the memory controller coupled to the nonvolatile memory. Other examples are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods associated with memory allocations for virtual machines are disclosed. In embodiments, an apparatus may include a processor; a plurality of memory modules; and a memory controller configured to provide a layout of the memory modules. The apparatus may further include a VMM configured to be operated by the processor to manage execution of a VM by the processor including selective allocation of the memory modules to the VM using the layout of the memory modules provided to the VMM by the memory controller. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.