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Chapter 1
Overview
Utilities Subsystem
30
Utilities Subsystem
The Superdome utilities subsystem is comprised of a number of hardware and firmware components located
throughout the Superdome system.
Platform Management
The sx2000 platform management subsystem consists of a number of hardware and firmware components
located throughout the sx2000 system. The sx2000 uses the sx1000 platform management components, with
firmware changes to support new functionality.
The following list describes the major hardware components of the platform management subsystem and the
changes required for the sx2000:
The PDH microcontroller is located on Cell's PDH Daughter-card assembly. It provides communication
between the Management firmware, the PDH space, and the USB bus. The microcontroller represents a
change from the prior implementation, Intel
80C251 processes, to a more powerful 16-bit microcontroller
(ARM). This microcontroller change enables the PDH daughter-card design to be compatible across all three
new CEC platforms. It also enables the extra processing power to be used to move the console UARTs into
PDH memory space located on the Cell eliminating the sx1000 Core I/O (CIO) card.
The Universal Glob of Utilities (UGUY) on Superdome contains the power monitor (PM), the cabinet level
utilities (CLU), and the system clock source circuitry. No changes are planned for the sx2000 but the entire
clock section on the UGUY assembly is made obsolete by new redundant clock source circuitry.
The CLU circuitry on the UGUY assembly that provides cabinet -evel cable interconnect for backplane and
I/O card cage utility signal communication and scan support.
The PM circuitry on the UGUY assembly monitors and controls the 48 V dc, the cabinet environment
(ambient temperature and fans), and controls power to the entities (cells, I/O bays).
The Management Processor (MP) is a single board computer (SBC) that controls the console (local and
remote), the front panel display and its redirection on the console, maintains logs for the Event IDs,
coordinates messages between devices, and performs other service processor functions.
The SBCH board provides USB hubs into the cabinet from an upstream HUB or the MP. No changes are
planned for the sx2000.
IPF Firmware
- The firmware supports four different operating systems (HP-UX, Linux, Windows, OpenVMS)
- The firmware is compliant with IPF industry standards (SAL, PAL, ACPI, EFI)
- Provides an IPMI (intelligent platform management interface)
- Supports architecture that extends across product line and next generation systems
- Supports a new interface for user (mfg./diag/), etc.
- Supports PCI hot-plug
- Supports cell hot-plug (online add and delete)
- Supports I/O chassis hot-plug (online add and delete)
- Supports Cell-Local memory