Abstract: A BIOS boot and update failover process is provided. A computing system can include flash storage on which the BIOS is stored, an embedded controller and an NVMe drive. After the BIOS successfully performs a boot process, a failover module can be executed to create a BIOS namespace on an NVMe namespace and then store a copy of the BIOS on the NVMe namespace. The failover module can also create a device path that identifies where the copy of the BIOS is stored on the NVMe namespace and store the device path on the embedded controller. The embedded controller can be configured to detect when the BIOS on the flash storage fails to initiate a subsequent boot process and, in response, employ the device path to locate and load the copy of the BIOS from the NVMe namespace to thereby cause the computing system to be booted.

Abstract: A BIOS image can be selectively updated. An image loader of the BIOS can be configured to detect whether a BIOS image to be loaded includes a selective update capability field, and if so, employ a value defined in the selective update capability field to determine whether an updated BIOS image exists. When an updated BIOS image exists, the image loader can load the updated BIOS image rather than the BIOS image. In this way, an individual BIOS image can be selectively updated without needing to update the entire BIOS.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, a basic input/output system (BIOS) that is coupled to the processor and configured to execute a pre-boot environment prior to initialization of an operating system of the information handling system, an information handling resource coupled to the processor. The information handling system may be configured to: during execution of the pre-boot environment, create an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) power object for the information handling resource; after initialization of the operating system, execute an application that is configured to request access to the ACPI power object; and in response to cryptographic validation of the application, grant the application access to the ACPI power object, wherein granting the access includes allowing the application to cause the information handling resource to power on.

Abstract: Upon detection of a change in resolution from a first resolution to a second resolution, one or more user interface elements may be dynamically scaled based, at least in part, on the detected change in resolution. The user interface elements may be dynamically scaled in such a way as to maintain an aspect ratio of each of the user interface elements while adjusting a resolution of each of the user interface elements to the second resolution. After the user interface elements are dynamically scaled, a user interface, at the second resolution, may be presented on a display of an information handling system.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, a network interface, and a basic input/output system (BIOS) configured to execute a pre-boot environment. The information handling system may be configured to: during execution of the pre-boot environment, establish a pre-boot network connection to a remote information handling system via the network interface; receive operating system data from the remote information handling system; create a pseudo-device at a specified address of the information handling system; perform direct memory access (DMA) remapping between the pseudo-device and an address range of memory of the information handling system to create a ram disk; and based on the operating system data received from the remote information handling system, initialize an operating system on the ram disk via the specified address of the pseudo-device.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor, a basic input/output system (BIOS) that is coupled to the processor and configured to execute a pre-boot environment prior to initialization of an operating system of the information handling system, an information handling resource coupled to the processor. The information handling system may be configured to: during execution of the pre-boot environment, create an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) power object for the information handling resource; after initialization of the operating system, execute an application that is configured to request access to the ACPI power object; and in response to cryptographic validation of the application, grant the application access to the ACPI power object, wherein granting the access includes allowing the application to cause the information handling resource to power on.

Abstract: A system for secure load of binary code, comprising a processor, a data memory device configured to be accessible by the processor, a data capsule configured to be accessible by the processor, the data capsule including a data signature and a network interface device configured to authenticate the data signature over a network using a remote data signature verification server.

Abstract: An Information Handling System (IHS) has persistent memory device(s) coupled to a processor. Each memory device includes a first firmware image, version identifying information associated with the first firmware image, and device type identifying information. A firmware interface suite coupled to the processor has a firmware interface that is executed by the processor. The processor responds to identifying a trigger condition for automatic intra-system firmware update of a persistent memory device. The processor accesses the version identifying information and the device type identifying information for a first memory device containing the first firmware image of the persistent memory device(s). The processor associates the device type identifying information with device type information for a second memory device.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor and a network interface controller communicatively coupled thereto. The network interface controller may be configured to provide network communication between the information handling system and a remote information handling system according to a Server Message Block (SMB) protocol. The information handling system may further be configured to establish a communication session with the remote information handling system according to a first SMB channel having a first bandwidth, and in response to an indication from the remote information handling system, transition the communication session to a second, different SMB channel having a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a firmware update package at an information handling system, the package including a payload containing a first firmware image. In response to executing the firmware update package while the information handling system is under control of an operating system, identifying a non-volatile storage device; authenticating the first firmware image; and storing the first firmware image at the non-volatile storage device. In response to successfully authenticating the first firmware image, initiating a reboot of the information handling system to invoke an initialization routine. The initialization routine includes retrieving the first firmware image from the non-volatile storage device and installing the first firmware image at a first device.

Abstract: An information handling system may connect to a remote client to display a user interface of the information handling system on a display of the remote client while the information handling system is in a pre-boot stage. The information handling system may transmit user interface data to the remote client for display of the user interface on the remote client. The information handling system may filter the user interface data to remove private information from the user interface data before transmitting the user interface data to the remote client.

Abstract: A virtual memory system includes a virtual memory engine coupled to a plurality of physical memory devices and a virtual memory database. During an initialization process, virtual memory engine uses a first unique global identifier to create virtual memory in the virtual memory database by mapping a continuous virtual memory address range to non-continuous physical memory device address ranges that are provided across the plurality of physical memory devices. During the initialization process, or subsequently during runtime, the virtual memory engine uses a second global unique identifier to define a virtual memory device namespace in the virtual memory that includes a first continuous subset of the continuous virtual member address range. During runtime, the virtual memory engine then provides read and write block mode access to the plurality of physical memory devices via the virtual memory device namespace defined in the virtual memory database.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor. The information handling system may be configured to: detect a problem during a boot of the information handling system; transmit telemetry data associated with the problem to at least one remote telemetry server, wherein the at least one remote telemetry server is configured to analyze the telemetry data and other telemetry data from other information handling systems; receive resolution instructions from the at least one remote telemetry server; and implement a resolution of the detected problem based on the resolution instructions.

Abstract: A method, information handling system (IHS) and a management system for managing boot failures in an IHS. The method includes transmitting, via a processor, a request for at least one unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) image from a boot file or HTTP server and receiving the at least one UEFI image from the HTTP server. The IHS is booted using the UEFI image. The method further includes determining if a boot failure of the IHS has occurred. In response to determining that a boot failure of the IHS has occurred, a memory location is identified in a first memory device for storage of a system dump file. The method also includes storing contents of the first memory device to the system dump file at the indentified memory location of the first memory device.

Abstract: The identification and loading of an appropriate service operating system can be facilitated when a main operating system fails. To facilitate the identification of which main operating system failed, an agent can create a UEFI variable that is specific to each main operating system on a client. These OS-specific UEFI variables can be employed to identify which main operating system has failed to boot. When a main operating system fails to boot, a UEFI preboot application can be configured to access the UEFI variables to identify which main operating system has failed. The UEFI preboot application can also obtain characteristics of the failed operating system from the UEFI variable and include such characteristics in a vendor extension of an SLP request. A server can employ the characteristics defined in the vendor extension to identify and send an appropriate service operating system to the client.

Abstract: A method for secure data communications using an insecure protocol, comprising generating a data message at a data processor client. Adding a security key to the data message using the data processor client. Transmitting the data message to a remote data processor receiver over a data network. Determining whether the data message is authentic at the remote data processor receiver. Automatically responding to the data message with a location where additional data can be obtained from the remote data processor receiver if it is determined by the remote data processor receiver that the data message is authentic.

Abstract: A system for secure load of binary code, comprising a processor, a data memory device configured to be accessible by the processor, a data capsule configured to be accessible by the processor, the data capsule including a data signature and a network interface device configured to authenticate the data signature over a network using a remote data signature verification server.

Abstract: A multiple processor system comprising a first processor configured to utilize an inter-processor messaging protocol and a second processor configured to utilize the inter-processor messaging protocol is disclosed. The system includes a non-volatile memory device coupled to the first processor, wherein the second processor is configured to access the non-volatile memory device by utilizing the inter-processor messaging protocol.

Abstract: An information handling system may load first data from a location information area of a first memory, specifying a plurality of locations of metadata for a plurality of stages of basic input/output system (BIOS) initialization. The information handling system may then load first metadata for a first stage of BIOS initialization from a first metadata location of the plurality of locations specified by the first data. The first metadata may contain information for indexing first initialization data located at a first initialization data location. The information handling system may then index the first initialization data of the first initialization data location based, at least in part, on the first metadata. The information handling system may then perform the first stage of BIOS initialization based, at least in part, on the first initialization data.

Abstract: UEFI images can be securely loaded at runtime so that it is unnecessary to flash the entire platform firmware whenever a UEFI image is added or updated. The platform firmware can include an OEM file list that maps file GUIDs to public keys. When it is desired to add a UEFI image, the OEM can employ one of the file GUIDs in the OEM file list and a private key corresponding to the mapped public key to create the UEFI image. During the PEI phase of the boot process, a verification module in the platform firmware can verify any added UEFI image using the OEM file list. Additionally, to ensure that the added UEFI images will pass the subsequent Secure Boot verification, a sync module can add custom Secure Boot keys for the added UEFI images to the Secure Boot databases during the DXE phase of the boot process.