Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving an indication of a loss of redundancy with respect to a pair of mirrored memory regions of a partially redundant memory system, determining new mirrored memory regions, and dynamically migrating information stored in the original mirrored memory regions to the new mirrored memory regions. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention involves a system and method relating to system recovery in a fault resilient manner by isolating errors associated with the management engine (ME) UMA memory. BIOS logs errors occurring on memory within the system. The ME UMA is invisible to the host OS, so the OS will not be notified about the errors occurring in the ME UMA range. When an error threshold has been reached for a memory unit in which ME UMA resides, ME UMA data is migrated to a previously reserved backup region of memory and the ME is notified of the new ME UMA location. The faulty memory is flagged for replacement at a next maintenance cycle. Embodiments may be applied to workstations that utilize ECC memory protection which utilize AMT (Active Management Technology) and ME UMA. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the resume time of a platform. In one embodiment of the invention, the context of the platform is saved prior to entering an inactive state of the platform. When the platform is switched back to an active state, it reads the saved context and restores the platform to its original state prior to entering the inactive state. In one embodiment of the invention, the platform determines whether it should compress the saved context before storing it in a non-volatile memory based on the operating condition of the platform. This allows the platform to select the optimum method to allow faster resume time of the platform.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for enhanced system boot processing that is faster to launch the OS because it does not interrogate I/O devices for possible interruption, but that also may be modified to interrogate such devices based on a user selection mechanism. The user selection mechanism may be, for at least one embodiment, a software mechanism such as a control panel module. For other embodiments, the user selection mechanism may be a hardware mechanism, such as a power button or other hardware button or switch. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for secure server system management. A payload containing system software and/or firmware updates is distributed in an on-demand, secure I/O operation. The I/O operation is performed via a secured communication channel inaccessible by the server operating system to an emulated USB drive. The secure communication channel can be established for the I/O operation only after authenticating the recipient of the payload, and the payload can be protected from access by a potentially-infected server operating system. Furthermore, the payload can be delivered on demand rather than relying on a BIOS update schedule, and the payload can be delivered at speeds of a write operation to a USB drive.

Abstract: Some aspects include beginning a power on self test (POST) by a BIOS for a computer system; enumerating the computer system by the BIOS; providing, based on the enumeration of the computer system by the BIOS, at least one configuration setting of the computer system to a management engine (ME) of the computer system; and applying a lock to the at least one configuration setting by the ME to manage a change to the at least one configuration setting, all prior to an ending of the POST.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving an indication of a loss of redundancy with respect to a pair of mirrored memory regions of a partially redundant memory system, determining new mirrored memory regions, and dynamically migrating information stored in the original mirrored memory regions to the new mirrored memory regions. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A network interface card with read-only memory having at least a micro-kernel of a cluster computing operation system, a server formed with such network interface card, and a computing cluster formed with such servers are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, on transfer, after an initial initialization phase during an initialization of a server, the network interface card loads the cluster computing operation system into system memory of the server, to enable the server, in conjunction with other similarly provisioned servers to form a computing cluster. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining whether an address map of a system includes support for a read only region of system memory, and if so configuring the region and storing protected data in the region. This data, at least some of which can be readable in both trusted and untrusted modes, can be accessed from the read only region during execution of untrusted code. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a peripheral controller coupled to a processor can include a storage controller. This storage controller can control access to a non-volatile storage coupled to the peripheral controller. The storage may include both secure and open partitions, and the storage controller can enable access to the secure partition only when the processor is in a secure mode. In turn, during unsecure operation such as third party code execution, visibility of the secure partition can be prevented. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags embedded in processors within a computing system to assist in system initialization processing. The RFID tags provide a separate communication path to other components of the computing system during initialization processing, apart from the system interconnect. When the computing system is powered up, each processor in the system may cause its RFID tag to broadcast data regarding the processor's interconnect location and initialization status. The RFID tags may be sensed by a RFID receiver in the Platform Control Hub (PCH) of the computing system, and each processor's interconnect location and initialization status data may be stored in selected registers within the PCH. When the BIOS executes during system initialization processing, the BIOS may access these PCH registers to obtain the processor's data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to protect segments of memory are disclosed herein. An example method includes intercepting an interrupt request indicating an error; determining whether a first segment of memory is corrupt, the first segment of memory being designated as a protected region of memory; when the protected region of memory is corrupt, repairing the corrupted region of memory using a parity block of code; and in response to validating the protected region of memory, generating an interrupt enabling a utilization of code stored in the protected region of memory to handle the error associated with the interrupt request.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for receiving an indication of a loss of redundancy with respect to a pair of mirrored memory regions of a partially redundant memory system, determining new mirrored memory regions, and dynamically migrating information stored in the original mirrored memory regions to the new mirrored memory regions. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Enhancing locality in a security co-processor module of a computing system may be achieved by including one or more additional attributes such as geographic location, trusted time, a hardware vendor string, and one or more environmental factors into an access control space for machine mode measurement of a computing system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for multi-owner deployment of firmware images. The method includes obtaining a signed firmware image that comprises a first code module signed by a first code owner and a second code module signed by a second code owner. The method further includes obtaining an updated first code module comprising updated code for the first code module, verifying that the updated first code module is signed by the first code owner, and updating the signed firmware image with the updated first code module in response to verifying that the updated first code module is signed by the first code owner. The signed firmware image may further comprise an access control list that authorizes updates to the first code module by the first code owner and updates to the second code module by the second code owner.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems, apparatuses, and methods that relate to remote, direct access of solid-state storage. In some embodiments, a network interface component (NIC) of a server may access a solid-state storage module of the server by a network storage access link that bypasses a central processing unit (CPU) and main memory of the server. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Abstract: A peer-to-peer IT (Information Technology) backbone. The system includes at least one IT server and a plurality of client computers arranged in a peer-to-peer IT backbone. Each of the client computers includes an in-band processor, an out-of-band (OOB) microcontroller, and a storage device coupled to the in-band processor and OOB microcontroller. The storage device includes a reserved area for the OOB microcontroller to enable an IT-administration to push IT payloads from the at least one IT server onto the reserved area of at least one of the plurality of client computers. The IT payloads are disseminated throughout the peer-to-peer IT backbone by the OOB microcontroller of the client computers.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention involves speeding boot up of a platform by initializing the video card early on in the boot process. In an embodiment, processor cache memory is to be used as cache as RAM (CAR). Video graphics adapter (VGA) card initialization uses the CAR instead of system RAM to perform initialization. A portion of the firmware code, interrupt vector tables and handlers are mirrored in the CAR, from flash memory to mimic the behavior of system RAM during the video initialization. VGA initialization may occur before system RAM has initialized to enable early visual feedback to a user. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method includes determining an amount of memory space in a memory device available for memory mirroring. The method further includes presenting the available memory space to an operating system. The method further includes selecting at least a portion of the amount of memory space to be used for memory mirroring with the operating system. The method further includes adding a non-selected portion of the available memory to memory space available to the operating system during operation. An associated system and machine readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the invention involves a system and method relating to system recovery in a fault resilient manner by isolating errors associated with the management engine (ME) UMA memory. BIOS logs errors occurring on memory within the system. The ME UMA is invisible to the host OS, so the OS will not be notified about the errors occurring in the ME UMA range. When an error threshold has been reached for a memory unit in which ME UMA resides, ME UMA data is migrated to a previously reserved backup region of memory and the ME is notified of the new ME UMA location. The faulty memory is flagged for replacement at a next maintenance cycle. Embodiments may be applied to workstations that utilize ECC memory protection which utilize AMT (Active Management Technology) and ME UMA. Other embodiments are described and claimed.