Specifications

BIOS Role in Server Management QSSC-S4R Technical Product Specification
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20. BIOS Role in Server Management
The BIOS supports many standard-based server management features and several proprietary features. The
Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) is an industry standard and defines standardized, abstracted
interfaces to platform management hardware. The BIOS implements many proprietary features that are allowed by the
IPMI specification, but these features are outside the scope of the IPMI specification. This chapter describes the
implementation of the standard and proprietary features.
20.1 IPMI
Intelligent platform management refers to autonomous monitoring and recovery features that are implemented in the
platform hardware and firmware. Platform management functions such as inventory, event log, monitoring, and system
health reporting are available without help from the host processors and when the server is in a powered down state,
as long as AC power is attached. The baseboard management controller (BMC) and other controllers perform these
tasks independently of the host processor. The BIOS interacts with the platform management controllers through
standard interfaces.
The BIOS enables the system interface to the BMC in early POST. The BIOS logs system events and POST error
codes during the system operation. The BIOS logs a boot event to BMC early in POST. The events logged by the BIOS
follow the Intelligent Platform Management Interface Specification, Version 2.0. All IPMI 2.0 required commands are
supported, as well as the CMOS clear command.
If BMC is absent or fail to respond to BIOS during early POST, BIOS will not issue IPMI commands to BMC. This will
result in no SEL events, LED indication like DIMM Fault LED, etc. However, BIOS will continue to handle errors/events
and clear them but not log them to SEL.
IPMI defines the required use of all but three bytes in each event log entry, called Event Data 2, Event Data 2 and
Event Data 3. An event generator can specify that these bytes contain OEM- specified values. The contents of these
bytes are defined in Section 21.2.
20.2 Console Redirection
The BIOS supports redirection of both video and keyboard via a serial link (serial port). When console redirection is
enabled, the local (host server) keyboard input and video output are passed both to the local keyboard and video
connections, and to the remote console through the serial link. Keyboard inputs from both sources are considered valid
and video is displayed to both outputs.
As an option, the system can be operated without a host keyboard or monitor attached to the system and run entirely
via the remote console. Utilities that can be executed remotely include the BIOS setup.
20.2.1 Serial Configuration Settings
For optimal configuration of Serial Over LAN (SOL) or EMP, see Intel® Server System Integrated Baseboard
Management Controller Core External Product Specification.
The BIOS does not require that splash logo to be turned off for console redirection to function. The BIOS supports
multiple consoles, some of which are in graphics mode and some in text mode. The graphics consoles can display the
logo and the text consoles receive the redirected text.
Console redirection normally ends at the beginning of the legacy OS boot (INT 19h). The OS is responsible for
continuing the redirection from that point, unless legacy OS redirection is selected via the BIOS setup.
20.2.2 Keystroke Mappings
During console redirection, the remote terminal sends keystrokes to the local server. The remote terminal can be a
dumb terminal with a direct connection and running a communication program. The keystroke mappings follow VT-
UTF8 format with the following extensions.
20.2.2.1 Standalone <Esc> Key for Headless Operation
The Microsoft Headless Design Guidelines describes a specific implementation for the <Esc>key as a single
standalone keystroke: