Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided which take advantage of heterogeneous compute capability to dynamically pick the best operating core for BIOS power-up flows and sleep exit flows (e.g., S3, S4, and/or S5). The selection of the BSP is moved to an early power-up time instead of a fixed hardware selection at any time. For maximum boot performance, the system selects the fastest capable core as the BSP at an early power-up time. In addition, for maximum power saving, the system selects the most power efficient core as the BSP. Processor or switching for selecting the BSP happens during the boot-up as well as power-up flows (e.g., S3, S4, and/or S5 flows).

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology that assumes, by a root of trust located in a trusted region of a system on chip (SOC), control over a reset of the SOC and conducting, by the root of trust, an authentication of an update package in response to an update condition. The root of trust technology may also apply the update package to firmware located in non-volatile memory (NVM) associated with a microcontroller of the SOC if the authentication is successful.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to utilize non-volatile memory for computer system boot. An example processor platform includes a non-volatile memory coupled to a processing unit via a bus, and a microcontroller to: configure the processing unit to store, on the non-volatile memory, a heap and a stack for execution of boot code, and configure the processing unit to execute the boot code stored on the non-volatile memory.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology that conducts a first copy of firmware data from a first partition in a storage device to a second partition in the storage device, detects a recovery condition with respect to the firmware data in the first partition, and automatically conducts a second copy of the firmware data from the second partition to the first partition in response to the recovery condition. In one example, the firmware data defines one or more settings for firmware code.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture for mitigating a firmware failure are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one hardware processor and first memory including instructions to be executed by the at least one hardware processor. The example apparatus further includes mask memory including a feature mask associated with a first firmware version, the feature mask identifying features of the first firmware version to be disabled. A platform firmware controller is to apply the first firmware version to the first memory for execution by the at least one processor, initialize the at least one processor using the feature mask, and in response to a detection of a failure, determine a first de-feature mask based on a second de-feature mask previously used by the at least one processor and the feature update mask; and initialize the processor using the first de-feature mask.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided which take advantage of heterogeneous compute capability to dynamically pick the best operating core for BIOS power-up flows and sleep exit flows (e.g., S3, S4, and/or S5). The selection of the BSP is moved to an early power-up time instead of a fixed hardware selection at any time. For maximum boot performance, the system selects the fastest capable core as the BSP at an early power-up time. In addition, for maximum power saving, the system selects the most power efficient core as the BSP. Processor or switching for selecting the BSP happens during the boot-up as well as power-up flows (e.g., S3, S4, and/or S5 flows).

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology that assumes, by a root of trust located in a trusted region of a system on chip (SOC), control over a reset of the SOC and conducting, by the root of trust, an authentication of an update package in response to an update condition. The root of trust technology may also apply the update package to firmware located in non-volatile memory (NVM) associated with a microcontroller of the SOC if the authentication is successful.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology that assumes, by a root of trust located in a trusted region of a system on chip (SOC), control over a reset of the SOC and conducting, by the root of trust, an authentication of an update package in response to an update condition. The root of trust technology may also apply the update package to firmware located in non-volatile memory (NVM) associated with a microcontroller of the SOC if the authentication is successful.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology that conducts a first copy of firmware data from a first partition in a storage device to a second partition in the storage device, detects a recovery condition with respect to the firmware data in the first partition, and automatically conducts a second copy of the firmware data from the second partition to the first partition in response to the recovery condition. In one example, the firmware data defines one or more settings for firmware code.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture for mitigating a firmware failure are disclosed. An example apparatus includes at least one hardware processor and first memory including instructions to be executed by the at least one hardware processor. The example apparatus further includes mask memory including a feature mask associated with a first firmware version, the feature mask identifying features of the first firmware version to be disabled. A platform firmware controller is to apply the first firmware version to the first memory for execution by the at least one processor, initialize the at least one processor using the feature mask, and in response to a detection of a failure, determine a first de-feature mask based on a second de-feature mask previously used by the at least one processor and the feature update mask; and initialize the processor using the first de-feature mask.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology that assumes, by a root of trust located in a trusted region of a system on chip (SOC), control over a reset of the SOC and conducting, by the root of trust, an authentication of an update package in response to an update condition. The root of trust technology may also apply the update package to firmware located in non-volatile memory (NVM) associated with a microcontroller of the SOC if the authentication is successful.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to utilize non-volatile memory for computer system boot. An example processor platform includes a non-volatile memory coupled to a processing unit via a bus, and a microcontroller to: configure the processing unit to store, on the non-volatile memory, a heap and a stack for execution of boot code, and configure the processing unit to execute the boot code stored on the non-volatile memory.