Technical Product Specification

Platform Management Overview Intel® Server Board S2600IP and Intel® Workstation Board W2600CR TPS
84 Intel order number G34153-004 Revision 1.4
4.8.1.1 Hardware Requirements
NM is supported only on platforms that have the NM FW functionality loaded and enabled on
the Management Engine (ME) in the SSB and that have a BMC present to support the external
LAN interface to the ME. NM power limiting features requires a means for the ME to monitor
input power consumption for the platform. This capability is generally provided by means of
PMBus*-compliant power supplies although an alternative model using a simpler SMBus* power
monitoring device is possible (there is potential loss in accuracy and responsiveness using non-
PMBus* devices). The NM SmaRT/CLST feature does specifically require PMBus*-compliant
power supplies as well as additional hardware on the baseboard.
4.8.1.2 Features
NM provides feature support for policy management, monitoring and querying, alerts and
notifications, and an external interface protocol. The policy management features implement
specific IT goals that can be specified as policy directives for NM. Monitoring and querying
features enable tracking of power consumption. Alerts and notifications provide the foundation
for automation of power management in the data center management stack. The external
interface specifies the protocols that must be supported in this version of NM.
4.8.1.3 ME Firmware Update
On server platforms, the ME FW uses a single operational image with a limited-functionality
recovery image. In order to upgrade an operational image, a boot to recovery image must be
performed. Unlike last generation platforms, the ME FW does not support an IPMI update
mechanism except for the case that the system is configured with a dual-ME (redundant) image.
In order to conserve flash space, which the ME FW shares with BIOS, Intel
®
Server systems
only support a single ME image. For this case, ME update is only supported by means of BIOS
performing a direct update of the flash component. The recovery image only provides the basic
functionality that is required to perform the update; therefore other ME FW features are not
functional therefore when the update is in progress.
4.8.1.4 SmaRT/CLST
The power supply optimization provided by SmaRT/CLST relies on a platform HW capability as
well as ME FW support. When a PMBus*-compliant power supply detects insufficient input
voltage, an overcurrent condition, or an over-temperature condition, it will assert the SMBAlert#
signal on the power supply SMBus* (that is, the PMBus*). Through the use of external gates,
this results in a momentary assertion of the PROCHOT# and MEMHOT# signals to the
processors, thereby throttling the processors and memory. The ME FW also sees the
SMBAlert# assertion, queries the power supplies to determine the condition causing the
assertion, and applies an algorithm to either release or prolong the throttling, based on the
situation.
System power control modes include:
1. SmaRT: Low AC input voltage event; results in a onetime momentary throttle for each event
to the maximum throttle state
2. Electrical Protection CLST: High output energy event; results in a throttling hiccup mode
with fixed maximum throttle time and a fix throttle release ramp time.
3. Thermal Protection CLST: High power supply thermal event; results in a throttling hiccup
mode with fixed maximum throttle time and a fix throttle release ramp time.