Intel® Server Board SDS2 BIOS
Revision 1.2
Order Number: A85874-002
35
6. BIOS
This section describes the BIOS-embedded software for the SDS2 server board. The BIOS
contains standard PC-compatible basic input/output (I/O) services, system-specific hardware
configuration routines and register default settings that are embedded in Flash read-only
memory (ROM). This document also describes BIOS support utilities (not ROM-resident) that
are required for system configuration and flash ROM update. The BIOS is implemented as
firmware that resides in the flash ROM.
The term BIOS, as used in the context of this document, refers to the system BIOS, the BIOS
Setup, and option ROMs for on-board peripheral devices that are contained in the system flash.
The system BIOS controls basic system functionality using stored configuration values. The
terms flash ROM, system flash, and BIOS flash may be used interchangeably in this document.
BIOS Setup is a Flash ROM-resident setup utility that provides the user with control of
configuration values stored in battery-backed CMOS configuration RAM. BIOS options can also
be set utilizing the System Setup Utility (SSU). Operation of the SSU is discussed in a separate
document. BIOS Setup is closely tied with the system BIOS and is considered a part of BIOS.
Phoenix* Phlash (PHLASH.EXE) is used to load areas of flash ROM with Setup, BIOS, and other
code/data.
The following is the breakdown of the SDS2 product ID string.
• 4-byte board ID, ‘SDS2’
• 1-byte board revision, starting from ‘0’
• 3-byte OEM ID, ‘86B’ for standard BIOS
• 4-byte build number
• 1-3 bytes describing build type (D for development, A for Alpha, B for Beta, Pxx for
production version xx)
• 6-byte build date in yymmdd format
• 4-byte time in hhmm format
6.1 System BIOS
The system BIOS is the core of the flash ROM-resident portion of the BIOS. The system BIOS
provides standard PC-BIOS services and support for industry standards, such as the Advanced
Configuration and Power Interface Specification, Revision 1.0b and Wired for Management
Baseline Specification, Revision 2.0.
In addition, the system BIOS supports the following features.
• Security
• MPS support
• Server management and error handling
• CMOS configuration RAM management