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Intel
®
NetStructure™ MPCHC5525 System Master Processor Board IPMI Reference Driver User’s Guide 9
IBMU Functionality
IBMU Functionality 2
2.1 Introduction
The Intelligent Board Management Unit (IBMU) equips the Intel
®
NetStructure™ MPCBL5525
board with Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) functionality as designed by Force
Computers*. IPMI is used for platform management.
IPMI is completely independent of the software running on the CPU board; it remains operative
even if the board software has crashed or the board is not powered. Due to this fact, IPMI is used to
log system status information.
IPMI functionality on the IBMU is based on the Intelligent Platform Management Standards V1.0
Rev. 1.1. In addition, the following optional features applying to the IPMI standard are offered:
• Buses that allow internal and external communication
• Optional IPMI commands
• BMC standby mode
The features of the IBMU allow platform management with devices with and without IPMI
controllers (nonintelligent devices). Both are handled differently in many aspects as explained in
the next sections.
2.1.1 Purpose of IPMI
The purpose of IPMI is to gather information and control devices (e.g., fans). The types of
information that can be gathered are:
• Inventory – Board type, manufacturer, serial number, board revision etc.
• Sensor – Temperature, fan speeds, power supply unit (PSU) voltages.
The system management software can use the gathered information to monitor system events and
trigger actions, i.e. perform so called platform management.
2.1.2 Who Gathers the Information?
In a system there are, for example, several CPU boards and fans. Each of them has inventory data
and sensors and can provide this inventory data and sensor data. To make communication within
your system easier, your system management software communicates with the CPU boards and
fans via one single IPMI controller on a CPU board. This IPMI controller will be the Base Board
Management Controller (BMC) and the other IPMI controllers on CPU boards or fans will be
Peripheral Management Controllers (PMs).
The BMC has a central function in gathering inventory and sensor-specific data, whereas the PMs
only provide data. That is why only one BMC is allowed within one system chassis.