Intel Corporation

Chuan Song

Mohan J Kumar

Sarathy Jayakumar

Xiaoguo Liang

Haifeng Gong

Ruixia Li

Feng Jiang

Xiang Sean Zhou

Jiewen Yao

Jie Yang

Yunbiao Lin

Wenlong Yang

Nishi Ahuja

Alexander B Uan-Zo-li

Chong Han

Wenhui Shu

Siyuan Fu

Xiaojin Yuan

Lui He

Jiaxin Wu

Haili Zhang

Haiyue Wang

Sixiao Huo

A modular microcode (uCode) patch method to support runtime persistent update and associated apparatus. The method enables BIOS uCode patches to be received during platform runtime operations and written to first and second uCode extension regions as uCode images for a firmware device layout that further includes a uCode base region in which a current uCode image is stored. Following a platform reset, the first and second uCode extension regions are inspected to determine if one or more valid and newer uCode images (than the current uCode image) are present. If so, the newest uCode image is booted rather than the current uCode image. Following a successful boot, the newest uCode image is copied to the uCode base region to sync-up the current uCode image to the newest version. In one aspect, received uCode images are written to the first and second uCode extension regions in an alternating manner to support roll-back.

Modular microcode (uCode) patch method to support runtime persistent update

A microcode (uCode) hot-upgrade method for bare metal cloud deployment and associated apparatus. The uCode hot-upgrade method applies a uCode patch to a firmware storage device (e.g., BIOS SPI flash) through an out-of-band controller (e.g., baseboard management controller (BMC)). In conjunction with receiving a uCode patch, a uCode upgrade interrupt service is triggered to upgrade uCode for one or more CPUs in a bare-metal cloud platform during runtime of a tenant host operating system (OS) using an out-of-bound process. This innovation enables cloud service providers to deploy uCode hot-patches to bare metal servers for persistent storage and live-patch without touching the tenant operating system environment.

Microcode(uCode) hot-upgrade method for bare metal cloud deployment

Techniques and mechanisms for providing redundancy with multiple batteries of a backup power system. In an embodiment, switch circuits are each coupled between a power bus and a different respective one of the multiple batteries. Respective nodes of the switch circuits are each to couple to a different respective power sink, wherein power delivery to the power sinks is monitored. Based on the monitoring, the switch circuits are configured for a first battery to serve a substitute for a second battery. Configuring the switch circuits includes electrically decoupling the second battery from a first node, and electrically coupling the first battery to deliver power via both a power bus and the first node. In another embodiment, multiple backup units each include a respective battery and switch circuit, wherein respective controllers of the backup units intermittently communicate monitoring information via a data bus.

Battery backup system redundancy

In some examples, a control unit is configured to control a computer server rack having a first grid power source, a second grid power source, and a battery backup system. The control unit is adapted to monitor a failed status of one or more power supply units in the computer server rack, to determine location information relating to the one or more power supply units having the failed status, to determine input power of the one or more power supply units having the failed status, to adjust an input power of the first grid power source based on the determined input power, and to adjust an input power of the second grid power source based on the determined input power.

Limiting computing rack input power due to power supply unit failure

One embodiment provides an apparatus. The apparatus includes power thermal awareness solution (PTAS) logic to select a model from a plurality of models based, at least in part, on a configuration of a cooling zone; and determine a cooling zone volumetric airflow based, at least in part, on the selected model.

Power thermal awareness solution

A device, method and system for recovering an operating system may comprise a near field communication module; a high speed wireless communication module; and a recovery manager. In some embodiments, the recovery manager may initiate a session between a portable communication device and another portable communication device through a near field communication connection established by the near field communication module; continue the session to receive an operating system image from the another portable communication device through a high speed wireless connection established by the high speed wireless communication module; and recover the operating system of the portable communication device with use of the operating system image.

Method, apparatus and system of recovering an operating system on a portable communication device

Machine-readable media, methods, apparatus and system for enhanced digital right management framework are described. A server platform may receive a request of downloading content and first attestation information from a client platform. The server platform may examine if the client platform attests to a client platform characteristic that affects integrity of the client platform by using the attestation information, and then encrypt and download the content to the client platform if the client platform attests to the client platform characteristic. The server platform may further receive a request of viewing the content and second attestation information from the client platform. The server platform may then examine if the client platform attests to its integrity by using the second attestation information; and then send a content key to the client platform if the client platform attests to its integrity, so that the client platform can decrypt and view the content.

Enhanced digital right management framework

Growing community of inventors

Shanghai, China

Chuan Song