Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for managing communications in a distributed system are disclosed. To improve the efficiency of communication, the system may implement the port extension protocol which may allow communication devices to utilize ports of other devices for communication purposes. To do so, the communication devices may instruct the other devices with respect to how the communication devices expect the other devices to process data units transmitted via networks (e.g., network data units). However, not all of the other devices that may process the network data units may include functionality to process and/or implement the instructions from the communication devices. To extend the functionality of such devices, a remote control plane for devices that lack this processing functionality may be provided.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a management controller and information handling resources that are coupled to the management controller via a first communication channel and a second communication channel, each information handling resource having a first communication channel identifier, and each information handling resource having a second communication channel identifier. The management controller may query the information handling resources via the first communication channel to determine a first set of unique identifiers for the information handling resources; query the information handling resources via the second communication channel to determine a second set of unique identifiers for the information handling resources; and based on a comparison between the first set of unique identifiers and the second set of unique identifiers, create a mapping that correlates the first communication channel identifiers with the second communication channel identifiers.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for high-availability (HA) management networks for High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms are described. In some embodiments, an HPC platform may include a first Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) having a first network port; and a hardware accelerator comprising a second BMC having a second network port, where at least one of: (a) the first BMC is configured to share the first network port with the second BMC in response to a determination that the second network port has failed or has insufficient bandwidth, or (b) the second BMC is configured to share the second network port with the first BMC in response to a determination that the first network port has failed or has insufficient bandwidth.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a management controller and information handling resources that are coupled to the management controller via a first communication channel and a second communication channel, each information handling resource having a first communication channel identifier, and each information handling resource having a second communication channel identifier. The management controller may query the information handling resources via the first communication channel to determine a first set of unique identifiers for the information handling resources; query the information handling resources via the second communication channel to determine a second set of unique identifiers for the information handling resources; and based on a comparison between the first set of unique identifiers and the second set of unique identifiers, create a mapping that correlates the first communication channel identifiers with the second communication channel identifiers.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices for managing communications in a distributed system are disclosed. To improve the efficiency of communication, the system may implement the port extension protocol which may allow communication devices to utilize ports of other devices for communication purposes. To do so, the communication devices may instruct the other devices with respect to how the communication devices expect the other devices to process data units transmitted via networks (e.g., network data units). However, not all of the other devices that may process the network data units may include functionality to process and/or implement the instructions from the communication devices. To extend the functionality of such devices, a remote control plane for devices that lack this processing functionality may be provided.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for inter-Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) integration for High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms are described. In some embodiments, an HPC platform may include a first BMC coupled to a host processor; and a hardware accelerator comprising: (a) one or more managed subsystems coupled to the host processor, and (b) a second BMC coupled to the one or more managed subsystems and decoupled from the host processor, wherein the first BMC and the second BMC are coupled to each other via a high-speed, Out-of-Band (OOB) management link.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for inter-Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) integration for High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms are described. In some embodiments, an HPC platform may include a first BMC coupled to a host processor; and a hardware accelerator comprising: (a) one or more managed subsystems coupled to the host processor, and (b) a second BMC coupled to the one or more managed subsystems and decoupled from the host processor, wherein the first BMC and the second BMC are coupled to each other via a high-speed, Out-of-Band (OOB) management link.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for high-availability (HA) management networks for High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms are described. In some embodiments, an HPC platform may include a first Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) having a first network port; and a hardware accelerator comprising a second BMC having a second network port, where at least one of: (a) the first BMC is configured to share the first network port with the second BMC in response to a determination that the second network port has failed or has insufficient bandwidth, or (b) the second BMC is configured to share the second network port with the first BMC in response to a determination that the first network port has failed or has insufficient bandwidth.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for high-speed Out-of-Band (OOB) management links for inter-Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) communications in High Performance Computing (HPC) platforms are described. In some embodiments, an HPC platform may include: a system BMC; and an accelerator tray comprising: (a) one or more managed subsystems, (b) a tray BMC coupled to the one or more managed subsystems, and (c) a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) coupled to the tray BMC and to the system BMC.

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: A method includes determining, during auxiliary power operating mode of an information handling system, devices connected to peripheral component interconnect (PCI) slots and identifying, via a controller of the IHS, when a Virtual Ethernet Bridge (VEB) is present on a first communication path, which indicates that a high power consuming device with sideband enablement is present in a corresponding one of the PCI slots. The method includes configuring, via the first communication path, an uplink port on the VEB, collecting information about the VEB, including a VEB MAC address and capabilities of the VEB, setting a VLAN/MAC filter rule for NC-SI pass-through in the VEB, and configuring an intermediate device within a second communication path between the controller and the VEB for NC-SI pass-through utilizing a management MAC address, enabling NC-SI pass-through of traffic routed between the controller and the VEB.

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.

Abstract: A system with real time clock continuity is disclosed. The system includes a remote access controller configured to interoperate with a main processor and at least one second system component. The main processor is configured to receive a control from the remote access controller and to initiate a reboot after determining that a time and a tick count are stored in a memory device. The second system component is configured to store the time and the tick count in the memory device. A boot loader of the system is configured to use the time and the tick count to maintain a real time clock during the reboot of the main processor.

Abstract: An information handling system includes a host, an intelligent peripheral connected to the host, and a baseboard management controller. The host includes a memory and a central processing unit. The intelligent peripheral is configured to communicate with the baseboard management controller to obtain configuration information, and provide networking services to the host after configuration. The baseboard management controller is configured to communicate with a management network; establish a communication channel with the intelligent peripheral independent of the host system; obtain configuration information for the intelligent peripheral from the management network; and provide the configuration information to the intelligent peripheral.

Abstract: A method includes determining, during auxiliary power operating mode of an information handling system, devices connected to peripheral component interconnect (PCI) slots and identifying, via a controller of the IHS, when a Virtual Ethernet Bridge (VEB) is present on a first communication path, which indicates that a high power consuming device with sideband enablement is present in a corresponding one of the PCI slots. The method includes configuring, via the first communication path, an uplink port on the VEB, collecting information about the VEB, including a VEB MAC address and capabilities of the VEB, setting a VLAN/MAC filter rule for NC-SI pass-through in the VEB, and configuring an intermediate device within a second communication path between the controller and the VEB for NC-SI pass-through utilizing a management MAC address, enabling NC-SI pass-through of traffic routed between the controller and the VEB.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a host system comprising a host system processor and a network interface coupled to the host system processor and may include a management controller communicatively coupled to the host system processor and configured to provide management of the information handling system. The network interface may be configured to capture discovery protocol packets and encode the discovery protocol packets with extended discovery protocol information comprising information regarding physical functions, virtual functions, and ports associated with the discovery protocol packets.

Abstract: An information handling system includes a host, an intelligent peripheral connected to the host, and a baseboard management controller. The host includes a memory and a central processing unit. The intelligent peripheral is configured to communicate with the baseboard management controller to obtain configuration information, and provide networking services to the host after configuration. The baseboard management controller is configured to communicate with a management network; establish a communication channel with the intelligent peripheral independent of the host system; obtain configuration information for the intelligent peripheral from the management network; and provide the configuration information to the intelligent peripheral.

Abstract: A system with real time clock continuity is disclosed. The system includes a remote access controller configured to interoperate with a main processor and at least one second system component. The main processor is configured to receive a control from the remote access controller and to initiate a reboot after determining that a time and a tick count are stored in a memory device. The second system component is configured to store the time and the tick count in the memory device. A boot loader of the system is configured to use the time and the tick count to maintain a real time clock during the reboot of the main processor.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a host system comprising a host system processor and a network interface coupled to the host system processor and may include a management controller communicatively coupled to the host system processor and configured to provide management of the information handling system. The network interface may be configured to capture discovery protocol packets and encode the discovery protocol packets with extended discovery protocol information comprising information regarding physical functions, virtual functions, and ports associated with the discovery protocol packets.

Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a host system and a management controller. The host system may include a host system processor and a device coupled to the host system processor. The management controller may be communicatively coupled to the host system processor and configured to provide management of the information handling system and manage multiple functions instantiated on the device via a single sideband interface channel interfaced between the device and the management controller by communicating function-oriented sideband commands, each function-oriented sideband command including a function address field for setting forth a function of the multiple functions to which the function-oriented sideband command is addressed.