Intel® Server System Server System "Emerald Ridge ... - CTL

Node Management (NM)Intel® Server System "Emerald Ridge” Integrated Baseboard Management Controller EPS9. Node Management (NM)9.1 OverviewNode Management (NM) provides the system with a method of monitoring power consumptionand thermal output, and adjusting system variables to control those factors. As opposed tocomponent-level power/thermal solutions (such as Demand Based Switching), NodeManagement functions at the platform level.NM is only available on platforms that support PMBus-compliant power supplies. The BMCsupports NM specification version 1.5. Additionally, the platform chipset must have an NMcapableManagement Engine (ME). Emerald Ridge has two IOH components but only IOH #1has an active embedded Management Engine (ME).9.2 Command BridgingThe majority of BMC functionality to support the NM is handled by bridging commands andalerts. The ME participating in Node Management acts as a satellite controller on the BMC’ssecondary IPMB. The BMC does not own any platform event filters or traps for NM-relatedevents. These events should be configured in the NM by server management software.9.2.1 External Communications LinkThe BMC bridges commands between external software agents and the system’s ME usingstandard IPMI Send Message commands. If the user establishes a session using out of band,the minimum privilege level to bridge ME commands is Administrator. See the commandbridging section in the Intelligent Platform Management Interface Specification SecondGeneration v2.0 for more information.All NM-related IPMB transactions utilize the secondary IPMB. This is a private I 2 C bus 4 that isonly accessible by the BMC and ME.9.2.2 AlertingThe ME’s Node Manager may need to send alerts to external software agents. The NM usestwo different methods to send an alert. Each method is outlined below.9.2.2.1 Fault EventsAlerts that signify fault conditions and should be recorded in the system SEL will be sent to theBMC by the ME using the IPMI Platform Event Message command. The BMC deposits theseevents into the SEL. The external SW must configure the BMC’s PEF and alerting features tosend that event out as an IPMI LAN alert, directed to the SW application over the LAN link.9.2.2.2 Informational EventsAlerts that provide useful notification to the external SW for NPTM management but do notrepresent significant fault conditions and do not need to be entered in the SEL will be sent to theBMC using the IPMI Alert Immediate command. This requires that the external SW applicationprovide the NM on the ME with the alert destination and alert string information needed toproperly form and send the alert. The external SW must first properly configure the alert82Intel ConfidentialRevision 1.1