Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Pingfan Song

Mallik Bulusu

Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmed

Bryan David Kelly

Neeraj Ladkani

Ramakoti R Bhimanadhuni

Karunakara Kotary

Akram Hamdy

A platform-independent method of securely resetting a processing device includes detecting a predefined trigger event by a baseboard management controller (BMC) that executes system firmware on behalf of a managed host. In response to the predefined trigger event, the system is booted into a safe mode. While in the safe mode, a central processing system of the managed host is maintained in an off state, and a self-heal agent detects architectural characteristics of the managed host, establishes a connection to a cloud-based firmware catalog service, transmits the architectural characteristics of the managed host to the cloud-based firmware catalog service, and downloads a new version of system firmware from the cloud-based firmware catalog service that is compatible with the architectural characteristics of the managed host. The new version of the system firmware is automatically installed without powering on the central processing system of the managed host.

Platform-independent architecture for secure system reset

A computing device is provided, including memory storing an instruction storage location. The computing device may further include a processor system including a plurality of processor threads. The processor system may suspend execution of one or more respective processor threads of the plurality of processor threads. The processor system may store one or more respective processor thread contexts of the one or more processor threads in the memory. The processor system may enter a system management mode (SMM). The processor system may determine that the instruction storage location includes a code update instruction. The processor system may perform a code update based on the code update instruction. The processor system may exit the SMM. The processor system may retrieve the one or more processor thread contexts from the memory and resume execution of the one or more processor threads without rebooting the computing device.

Code update in system management mode

Optimizations are provided for remotely debugging a node in the cloud. Initially, a SMM environment is initialized in a computer's BIOS. Then, a debug agent that is located within the SMM environment receives an instruction indicative of a chipset-specific or platform-specific health-related issue. Based on this instruction, the debug agent executes a script entry by fetching health-related information from the computer's addressable endpoints. This information includes health-related metadata and/or counter information. The debug agent then records the information. Furthermore, the debug agent obtains a resolution for the health-related issue. Here, this resolution is at least partially based on the recorded information.

In-band monitor in system management mode context for improved cloud platform availability

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Newcastle, WA, United States of America

Pingfan Song