Intel
®
Server Board S5500BC TPS Functional Architecture
Revision 1.8 Intel order number: E42249-009 31
Server Platform Services are value-added platform management options that enhance the value
of Intel platforms and their component ingredients (CPUs, chipsets and I/O components). Each
service is designed to function independently wherever possible, or grouped together with one
or more features in flexible combinations to allow OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to
differentiate platforms. The following is a high-level view of the Intel
®
Server Board S5500BC
SPS functions.
Node Management Features:
NPTM Policy Manager
Power Supply Monitoring Service
Inlet Temperature Monitoring Service (support for this feature on Intel servers is
platform-specific)
CPU Power Limiting Service
Provide Access to ICH10 Devices:
The ME has control of ICH10 platform instrumentation. SPS provides a mechanism for
the BMC to access this instrumentation through IPMI OEM commands. Use of this
capability on Intel servers is platform-/SKU-specific.
Fan monitoring and fan control
ICH10 temperature monitoring
PECI 2.0 Proxy:
Intel
®
Server Platform Services (SPS) offers a means for a BMC without a PECI 2.0
interface to use the ME as a PECI proxy. The BMC on Intel servers already has a PECI
2.0 interface, so this SPS capability is not used.
No external IOH memory is required to support the ME SPS functions.
3.3.4.1 Management Engine Firmware Update
The management Engine (ME) FW provides a set of IPMI OEM commands for performing the
firmware update. An update utility running on the host uses IPMI bridging functionality to send
these commands to the ME through the BMC over the BMC/IPMB link.
On Intel server platforms, the ME FW uses a single operational image with a recovery image. In
order to upgrade an operational image, you must perform a boot to recovery image. The
recovery image only provides the basic functionality required to perform the update; therefore,
other SPS features are not functional when the update is in progress.
3.3.4.2 Management Engine Interaction
ME-BMC interactions include the following:
BMC stores sensor data records for ME-owned sensors.
BMC participates in ME firmware update.