Communication method and electronic device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a communication method applied to a baseboard management controller, comprising: receiving a first detection signal; the first detection signal is used to indicate an in-place state of a data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is in place, determining a first communication path to enable the baseboard management controller to communicate with an external switch through the data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is not in place, determining a second communication path to enable the baseboard management controller to communicate with the external switch through a physical layer chip; wherein the first communication path and the second communication path are different.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the fields of computer communication technology and out-of-band management technology, and more particularly to a communication method and an electronic device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in servers with Data Processing Units (DPUs), an additional local area network (LAN) switch is typically required to enable out-of-band management, allowing the host-side Base-board Management Controller (BMC) to interconnect with the DPU. However, this approach not only increases equipment costs but also necessitates multiple network cables to connect the switch, DPU, and BMC, resulting in cumbersome physical cabling in the data center and significantly increasing the difficulty and cost of subsequent maintenance. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present disclosure provides a communication method and an electronic device.

[0004] One aspect of this disclosure provides a communication method, comprising: receiving a first detection signal; the first detection signal indicating the presence of a data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating the presence of the data processing unit, determining a first communication path such that a substrate management controller communicates with an external switch through the data processing unit; and in response to the first detection signal indicating the absence of the data processing unit, determining a second communication path such that the substrate management controller communicates with an external switch through a physical layer chip; wherein the first communication path and the second communication path are different.

[0005] According to embodiments of this disclosure, determining a first communication path in response to a first detection signal indicating that a data processing unit is in place includes: receiving a second detection signal; the second detection signal being used to indicate whether the data processing unit supports a target communication protocol; in response to the data processing unit supporting the target communication protocol, controlling the physical layer chip to be configured in a first communication mode to establish the first communication path; in response to the data processing unit not supporting the target communication protocol, controlling the physical layer chip to be configured in a second communication mode to establish the first communication path; wherein the data transmission rate supported by the first communication mode is greater than the data transmission rate supported by the second communication mode; determining a second communication path in response to a first detection signal indicating that a data processing unit is not in place includes: controlling the physical layer chip to be configured in a second communication mode to establish the second communication path.

[0006] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the data processing unit includes a first pin and a second pin, a first detection signal is determined based on the voltage value of the first pin, and a second detection signal is determined based on the voltage value of the second pin.

[0007] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: receiving a remote management request from an external switch; the remote management request is used to request the baseboard management controller to perform an out-of-band management operation on the server to which the remote management request belongs; in response to the remote management request, performing a corresponding out-of-band management operation; and sending a management response, the management response being used to indicate the execution result of the out-of-band management operation.

[0008] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the baseboard management controller communicates with an external switch via a data processing unit, including: receiving a remote management request from the external switch based on a first communication path; and sending a management response to the external switch based on the first communication path; wherein the data processing unit is used to forward the remote management request and / or management response between the baseboard management controller and the external switch.

[0009] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the baseboard management controller communicates with an external switch via a physical layer chip, including: receiving a remote management request from the external switch based on a second communication path; and sending a management response to the external switch based on the second communication path; wherein the physical layer chip is used to forward the remote management request and / or management response between the baseboard management controller and the external switch.

[0010] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: obtaining the operating status information of the host system indicated by the remote management request; and sending a control command to the host system based on the operating status information and out-of-band management requirements, wherein the control command is used to perform the corresponding out-of-band management operation.

[0011] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: detecting the state of a first detection signal; and in response to a change in the state of the first detection signal, performing a communication path switching operation to switch the current communication path to a target communication path.

[0012] Another aspect of this disclosure provides an electronic device, including: a substrate management controller, a physical layer chip, and an external switch; the substrate management controller is configured to receive a first detection signal; the first detection signal is configured to indicate the presence status of a data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is present, a first communication path is determined such that the substrate management controller communicates with the external switch through the data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is not present, a second communication path is determined such that the substrate management controller communicates with the external switch through the physical layer chip; wherein the first communication path and the second communication path are different; the external switch is configured to communicate with the substrate management controller through the data processing unit or the physical layer chip; the physical layer chip is configured to communicate with the data processing unit or the external switch.

[0013] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic device further includes a control logic unit; the control logic unit is configured to send a first detection signal to the substrate management controller based on the presence status of the data processing unit, and in response to the presence of the data processing unit, send a second detection signal to the substrate management controller based on whether the data processing unit supports a target communication protocol.

[0014] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium having executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause a baseboard management controller to perform the methods described above.

[0015] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a baseboard management controller, implements the above-described method.

[0016] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become clearer from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the architecture of a communication system based on related technologies.

[0019] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically;

[0020] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a communication method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown schematically;

[0021] Figure 4A schematic block diagram of an electronic device that can be used to implement the communication method of the embodiments of this disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic block diagram of an electronic device that can be used to implement a communication method according to another embodiment of this disclosure is shown; and

[0023] Figure 6 A schematic block diagram of an electronic device that can be used to implement a communication method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various details of the embodiments of this disclosure are included to aid understanding and should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Similarly, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.

[0025] In the technical solutions disclosed herein, the collection, storage, use, processing, transmission, provision, disclosure, and application of data (including but not limited to user personal information) comply with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations, necessary confidentiality measures have been taken, and they do not violate public order and good morals.

[0026] In the current server architecture, the BMC typically outputs signals in Reduced Gigabit Media Independent Interface (RGMII) mode, while the internal switch integrated in the DPU supports Serial Gigabit Media Independent Interface (SGMII) mode. The physical interfaces, signal formats, and transmission rates of the two are incompatible, and the BMC and DPU cannot directly connect and communicate. Therefore, in order to achieve out-of-band management of models with DPU, the host-side board management controller and the DPU need to be on the same local area network. Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the architecture of a communication system based on related technologies, such as... Figure 1As shown, the traditional solution involves introducing a separate LAN switch board 150 as the network routing hub. In this topology, the host-side baseboard management controller 110 and baseboard management controller 130 are connected to this separate LAN switch board 150 via physical layer chips 120 and 140, respectively. Physical layer chip 120 is connected to the LAN switch board 150 via RJ45 interface 151, and physical layer chip 140 is connected to the LAN switch board 150 via RJ45 interface 152. The LAN switch board 150 then leads out lines, one end connected to the DPU 170 via RJ45 interface 154. The DPU 170 includes an RJ45 interface 171, a switching chip 172, a baseboard management controller 173, a system-on-a-chip 174, and a connector 175. The other end is connected to the external out-of-band management switch 160 in the computer room via RJ45 interface 155, thus realizing the entire topology.

[0027] Although the above solutions can achieve network interoperability, they have revealed obvious drawbacks in practical applications and large-scale deployments, such as redundant hardware functions, increased overall cost, cumbersome physical cabling, and high maintenance difficulty.

[0028] Specifically, according to Figure 1 As shown, the DPU 170 has a built-in Switch chip 172 and provides communication interfaces (such as the Conn connector 170) to the outside world. Figure 1 The topology shown ignores the DPU's native network switching capabilities and adds an extra dedicated LAN switch board 150, resulting in hardware overlap and increasing the overall cost of the server.

[0029] Furthermore, in the actual implementation in the data center, such as Figure 1 The topology shown results in relatively complex physical cabling. Maintenance personnel need to run at least four network cables from this LAN switch board to connect to the external switch 160, data processing unit 170, baseboard management controller 110, and baseboard management controller 130. This dense cabling not only increases space congestion within the server but also increases the difficulty and cost of troubleshooting and routine maintenance.

[0030] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, applied to a baseboard management controller, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the communication method includes operations S210 to S230.

[0031] In operation S210, a first detection signal is received; the first detection signal is used to indicate the presence status of the data processing unit.

[0032] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the first detection signal can be obtained by the control logic unit through the detection data processing unit. Specifically, it can be a logic trigger signal, such as 1 or 0. For example, the control logic unit can send the first detection signal to a specific register, and the baseboard management controller can determine whether the data processing unit is in place by reading the value of the register.

[0033] In operation S220, in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is in place, a first communication path is determined so that the board management controller can communicate with an external switch through the data processing unit.

[0034] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the DPU can be a pluggable hardware acceleration device that can be responsible for the management and acceleration of the host system's network, storage, and security. If the first detection signal indicates that the DPU is in place, since the DPU has a built-in switching chip, the BMC can communicate with the external switch through the first communication path, that is, communicate with the external switch through the DPU.

[0035] For example, the first communication path can be BMC → Physical Layer (PHY) chip → gold finger interface → DPU's built-in switching chip → DPU's RJ45 interface → external switch.

[0036] In operation S230, in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is not in place, a second communication path is determined so that the substrate management controller can communicate with the external switch through the physical layer chip.

[0037] In this embodiment, if the first detection signal indicates that the data processing unit is not in place, the baseboard management controller can communicate with the external switch through a second communication path. That is, it communicates with the external switch through the physical layer chip, and the first communication path and the second communication path are different.

[0038] For example, the second communication path could be BMC → PHY chip → motherboard RJ45 network port → external switch.

[0039] The embodiments disclosed herein determine the communication path based on the presence status of the DPU, enabling out-of-band management by communicating with an external switch whether the DPU is present or absent, without requiring an additional LAN switch board. For example, when the DPU is present, out-of-band management can be performed directly using the switch chip inside the DPU, reducing maintenance costs.

[0040] According to embodiments of this disclosure, determining a first communication path in response to a first detection signal indicating that a data processing unit is in place includes: receiving a second detection signal; the second detection signal being used to indicate whether the data processing unit supports a target communication protocol; in response to the data processing unit supporting the target communication protocol, controlling the physical layer chip to be configured in a first communication mode to establish the first communication path; in response to the data processing unit not supporting the target communication protocol, controlling the physical layer chip to be configured in a second communication mode to establish the first communication path; wherein the data transmission rate supported by the first communication mode is greater than the data transmission rate supported by the second communication mode; determining a second communication path in response to a first detection signal indicating that a data processing unit is not in place includes: controlling the physical layer chip to be configured in a second communication mode to establish the second communication path.

[0041] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the target communication protocol may refer to the Serial Gigabit Media Independent Interface (SGMII) protocol. The first communication mode may refer to the SGMII mode, and the second communication mode may be, for example, the Media Independent Interface (MII) mode. The PHY chip may be a chip that supports both SGMII and MII communication modes.

[0042] Specifically, when the DPU is in place, the control logic unit can detect whether the DPU supports the target communication protocol, namely the SGMII protocol. If the SGMII protocol is supported, the communication mode of the remote side of the PHY chip can be set to the first communication mode, that is, to communicate with the DPU in SGMII mode. If the SGMII protocol is not supported, the communication mode of the remote side of the PHY chip can be set to the second communication mode, that is, to communicate with the DPU in MII mode.

[0043] The PHY chip can integrate logic circuits for at least one communication mode and can dynamically change the frequency, pin definitions, and protocol format of the remote signal receiving and transmitting by configuring its internal registers to achieve the setting of the communication mode. The local end of the PHY chip is connected to the BMC, while the remote end of the PHY is connected to the external network.

[0044] Specifically, the BMC can write a specific value to a specific control register of the PHY chip, and the PHY chip can perform frequency modulation based on the value of the specific register. The PHY chip can also be equipped with a multiplexer. The PHY chip can also switch the data stream from the pin responsible for serial transmission and reception to the pin responsible for parallel transmission and reception based on the value of the specific register and the multiplexer.

[0045] When the DPU is not present, the remote side of the PHY chip can be configured to the second communication mode, namely MII mode, and communicate directly with the external switch in MII mode. Specifically, the remote side of the PHY chip can be configured to the second communication mode in the manner described above. In addition, a multiplexing logic can be designed in the physical wiring of the motherboard. That is, when the DPU is not present, the MII signal line that originally went to the DPU slot is connected to the RJ45 network port of the motherboard by hardware logic, so that the PHY chip can communicate directly with the external switch.

[0046] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a communication method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown, applied to a control logic unit, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the communication method includes operations S310 to S350.

[0047] During operation S310, the control logic unit detects whether the data processing unit is in place.

[0048] If yes, then execute operation S320; otherwise, execute operation S330.

[0049] When operating S320, the control logic unit detects whether the data processing unit supports the target communication protocol.

[0050] If the DPU is detected to be present, it is also necessary to check whether the DPU supports the target communication protocol in order to configure the communication mode of the PHY chip according to the DPU's communication model. If yes, then operation S340 is executed; otherwise, operation S350 is executed.

[0051] During operation of S330, a first detection signal is sent to enable the baseboard management controller to communicate with an external switch via the physical layer chip in a second communication mode.

[0052] When the DPU is not present, the BMC can configure the PHY chip to a second communication mode based on the first detection signal indicating that the DPU is not present. The second communication mode is a communication mode that can directly communicate with an external switch, thereby enabling the BMC to communicate directly with the external switch through the PHY chip.

[0053] During operation S340, a second detection signal is sent so that the board management controller can communicate with an external switch through the data processing unit in a first communication mode.

[0054] With the DPU in place and supporting the target communication protocol, the BMC can configure the PHY chip to the first communication mode based on the second detection signal indicating that the DPU supports the target communication protocol, thereby enabling the BMC to communicate with the external switch through the DPU.

[0055] During operation S350, a second detection signal is sent so that the board management controller can communicate with an external switch through the data processing unit in a second communication mode.

[0056] When the DPU is present and does not support the target communication protocol, the BMC can configure the PHY chip to a second communication mode based on receiving a second detection signal indicating that the DPU does not support the target communication protocol, thereby enabling the BMC to communicate with the external switch through the DPU.

[0057] According to the embodiments of this disclosure, the communication mode of the PHY chip is configured based on the presence status of the DPU and whether the DPU supports the target communication protocol. Thus, even if the DPU is not present or the DPU model is an old model that does not support SGMII mode, it is possible to perform out-of-band management without adding an additional LAN switch board, thereby reducing costs and maintenance difficulty.

[0058] According to an embodiment of this disclosure, the data processing unit includes a first pin and a second pin, a first detection signal is determined based on the voltage value of the first pin, and a second detection signal is determined based on the voltage value of the second pin.

[0059] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the first pin and the second pin can specifically be physical interfaces connecting the DPU to the server motherboard, such as two metal contacts at a specific location. The first pin can specifically be a pin for in-situ detection, and the second pin can specifically be a pin for indicating the communication modes supported by the DPU.

[0060] For example, the server motherboard can provide a pull-up resistor at the slot location corresponding to the first pin. When the DPU is not inserted, the pin is floating and remains at a high level. When the DPU is inserted, the first pin is grounded and the level is pulled low. Therefore, the presence of the DPU can be determined based on the voltage value of the first pin, thereby determining the first detection signal.

[0061] For example, when selecting a DPU, a DPU with a pin indicating the communication model can be selected. For this DPU, if the DPU model supports the target communication protocol, the second pin can be set to a high level or left floating. If the DPU model does not support the target communication protocol, the second pin can be set to ground. This setting can be the factory default setting. Therefore, whether the DPU supports the target communication protocol can be determined based on the voltage value of the second pin, thereby determining the second detection signal.

[0062] The embodiments disclosed herein determine the first detection signal and the second detection signal based on the pin signals, eliminating the need for additional complex detection methods, reducing hardware costs and design complexity, and enabling rapid and accurate determination of the DPU's presence status and whether it supports the target communication protocol.

[0063] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: receiving a remote management request from an external switch; the remote management request is used to request the baseboard management controller to perform an out-of-band management operation on the server to which the remote management request belongs; in response to the remote management request, performing a corresponding out-of-band management operation; and sending a management response, the management response being used to indicate the execution result of the out-of-band management operation.

[0064] In this embodiment of the disclosure, a remote management request may refer to a network data packet sent by an external switch that contains specific management commands, such as restarting the machine or querying the temperature. An out-of-band management operation may be a control action independent of the server's main operating system. A management response may refer to the execution result returned by the BMC after executing the corresponding out-of-band management operation based on the remote management request, such as execution completion or specific data.

[0065] For example, after receiving a remote management request from an external switch, the BMC parses the request to extract specific out-of-band management instructions. Taking a hard reboot instruction as an example, the BMC can disconnect and reconnect the power module's enable signal, forcing the server to reboot at the underlying level. After reading the server's new power state, the BMC can repackage the reboot result into a network data packet as a management response and send it to the external switch.

[0066] This embodiment of the disclosure enables remote administrators to remotely control the server through external networks and switching devices by receiving external management requests, performing out-of-band management operations, and sending management responses. Even if the host crashes, freezes, or fails to start, the BMC can still perform corresponding out-of-band management operations through out-of-band management requests, thereby improving the reliability and continuity of server management.

[0067] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the baseboard management controller communicates with an external switch via a data processing unit, including: receiving a remote management request from the external switch based on a first communication path; and sending a management response to the external switch based on the first communication path; wherein the data processing unit is used to forward the remote management request and / or management response between the baseboard management controller and the external switch.

[0068] In this embodiment, the first communication path can refer to the communication link established when the DPU is in place, i.e., the BMC communicates with the external switch through the DPU. The management response can refer to the execution result returned by the BMC after executing the operation indicated by the remote management request. Specifically, the first communication path can be remote management terminal → external switch → DPU network port → DPU internal switching chip → PHY chip → BMC, or it can be BMC → PHY chip → DPU internal switching chip → DPU network port → external switch → remote management terminal.

[0069] Figure 4 The schematic diagram illustrates an electronic device that can be used to implement the communication method of embodiments of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 4 As shown, for example, the external switch 460 can send a remote management request data packet to the interface 451 of the DPU 450. The interface 451 can be an RJ45. The DPU 450 can also include a switching chip 452, a baseboard management controller 453, a system-on-a-chip 454, and a connector 455. The switching chip 452 is used to distribute data packets and send them to the baseboard management controller through the physical layer chip in a first communication mode. The connector 455 can provide an SGMII communication interface to facilitate communication with the physical layer chip 420 or the physical layer chip 440. The baseboard management controller 453 can be used to monitor the underlying hardware status such as temperature sensors and fan speed on the DPU board. The system-on-a-chip 454 can be used to handle complex calculations and service scheduling tasks, such as network configuration tasks that require logical judgment. The switching chip can hand over the task to the multi-core processor in the system-on-a-chip 454 for execution.

[0070] After receiving a data packet, the DPU450's switching chip 452 parses the packet to determine its target Internet Protocol (IP) address, thereby identifying the BMC to which the target IP address belongs. Then, it sends the data packet to the PHY chip on the motherboard via the DPU450's connector 455. The PHY chip can then transmit the data packet to the BMC via the RGMII interface. The Baseboard Management Controller 410 and Baseboard Management Controller 430 are different BMCs on the server motherboard, each corresponding to a different host system. Baseboard Management Controller 410 communicates with 450 via Physical Layer Chip 420, while Baseboard Management Controller 430 communicates with 450 via Physical Layer Chip 440.

[0071] After executing the out-of-band management operation indicated by the out-of-band management request, the BMC can generate a management response and send the management response to the external switch 460 through the reverse data packet flow of the above process.

[0072] Based on the first communication path, the embodiments of this disclosure realize the forwarding and transmission of remote management requests and management responses with external switches through the data processing unit. By utilizing the data forwarding capability of the DPU, the independent lanSwitch board is replaced, simplifying the overall hardware architecture and reducing equipment costs and complexity. In addition, since the first communication path can communicate through SGMII mode, stable and efficient transmission of out-of-band management requests and management responses can also be realized based on the first communication path.

[0073] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the baseboard management controller communicates with an external switch via a physical layer chip, including: receiving a remote management request from the external switch based on a second communication path; and sending a management response to the external switch based on the second communication path; wherein the physical layer chip is used to forward the remote management request and / or management response between the baseboard management controller and the external switch.

[0074] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the second communication path may refer to the communication link established when the DPU is not in place, that is, the BMC communicates directly with the external switch through the PHY chip. The second communication path may be remote management terminal → external switch → PHY chip → BMC, or BMC → PHY chip → external switch → remote management terminal.

[0075] Figure 5 The schematic diagram illustrates an electronic device that can be used to implement the communication method of embodiments of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 5 As shown, for example, the baseboard management controller 510 can send low-level network frames to the external switch 570 through the physical layer chip 520, and the baseboard management controller 530 can send low-level network frames to the external switch 570 through the physical layer chip 540. After receiving the message, the external switch 570 can maintain an address forwarding table, that is, record the address of the baseboard management controller 510 corresponding to the interface 550 and the address of the baseboard management controller 530 corresponding to the interface 560 in the address forwarding table. Therefore, the external switch 570 can determine the target address by parsing the remote management request, and determine whether to send the remote management request to the baseboard management controller 510 or the baseboard management controller 530 according to the target address and the address forwarding table.

[0076] Taking the destination address as the address of the baseboard management controller 510 as an example, the external switch 570 can send a remote management request to the physical layer chip 520 through the interface 550, and then the physical layer chip 520 passes it to the baseboard management controller 510 through the interface. After the baseboard management controller 510 completes the corresponding operation, it generates a management response and sends the management response to the external switch 570 through the reverse data packet flow of the above process.

[0077] This embodiment of the disclosure communicates directly with an external switch via a second communication path through a physical layer chip, enabling remote management even when the DPU is missing or not installed. In other words, remote management can still be achieved without the need for an additional LAN switch board when the DPU is not present, simplifying the overall hardware architecture and reducing equipment costs and complexity.

[0078] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: obtaining the operating status information of the host system indicated by the remote management request; and sending a control command to the host system based on the operating status information and out-of-band management requirements, wherein the control command is used to perform the corresponding out-of-band management operation.

[0079] In this embodiment, the operating status information can refer to the current health or operational indicators of the host system, specifically including underlying hardware information and system status. Underlying hardware information includes, for example, CPU temperature, fan speed, and power supply voltage; system status includes, for example, whether the system has crashed. Out-of-band management requirements can refer to remote management requests, such as needing to check the temperature or needing to force a restart. Control commands can refer to low-level hardware-level commands sent by the BMC to the host, such as controlling the power supply module's power-on / off state. For example, in a multi-node scenario, the BMC can parse the received remote management request to determine the target host identifier. If the target host identifier corresponds to server A, the current operating status information of server A indicated by the remote management request can be obtained through a first communication path or a second communication path.

[0080] For example, taking a remote management request as a hard reboot, after receiving the remote management request, the BMC can read the host system's status register through the bus to obtain the host system's operating status information. If it is confirmed that the host system is indeed in an unresponsive state, the BMC sends a control command to the host system's power control module through the motherboard bus according to the out-of-band management requirements indicated by the remote management request. For example, the command could be to pull the power enable signal low for 5 seconds and then pull it high, so that the host system can perform the hard reboot operation.

[0081] For example, taking the server temperature rising and the remote management request being to shut down immediately, after receiving the remote management request, if the BMC reads sensor data through the bus, such as the current server temperature and the operating status information indicating that the host operating system is still running normally, then the control command issued by the BMC can be to save the data and then shut down. If the operating status obtained by the BMC is the current temperature and the operating status information indicating that the host system has crashed, then the control command issued by the BMC can be a forced control command to directly cut off the power supply.

[0082] The embodiments disclosed herein do not directly execute the remote management request upon receipt. Instead, they combine the actual operating status of the host and select the most appropriate control command based on the status information, making the BMC's control of the host more precise and reasonable, and improving the intelligence and security of out-of-band management.

[0083] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: detecting the state of a first detection signal; and in response to a change in the state of the first detection signal, performing a communication path switching operation to switch the current communication path to a target communication path.

[0084] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the status of the first detection signal can be detected by a polling mechanism. Once the presence status of the DPU changes, the control logic unit will send a new first detection signal indicating the presence status of the DPU to the register. The BMC can then detect whether the first detection signal has changed based on the polling mechanism. If it has changed, the current communication path will be switched.

[0085] For example, if the DPU is dynamically inserted, i.e., the DPU's presence status changes from absent to present, then the BMC can switch the communication path from the second communication path to the first communication path. That is, the BMC communicates with the external switch through the DPU. In this case, the BMC also needs to determine whether the communication mode of the PHY chip needs to be adjusted based on the second detection signal. If the second detection signal indicates that the DPU supports SGMII mode, then the BMC can rewrite the mode configuration register of the PHY chip, such as CFG_MODE, through the management bus, thereby configuring the remote side of the PHY chip from basic MII to SGMII. If the second detection signal indicates that the DPU does not support SGMII mode, then there is no need to adjust the communication mode of the PHY chip.

[0086] For example, if the DPU is disconnected midway, meaning its presence status changes from present to absent, the BMC can switch the communication path from the first communication path to the second communication path. In this case, the BMC communicates with the external switch through the PHY chip. The BMC also needs to determine whether the PHY chip's communication mode needs adjustment. If the PHY chip's current communication mode is SGMII mode, while the external switch supports MII mode, then the PHY chip's mode configuration register, such as CFG_MODE, needs to be rewritten via the management bus to configure the PHY chip's remote side from SGMII mode to MII mode. If the PHY chip's current communication mode is MII mode, no adjustment is needed.

[0087] This embodiment of the present disclosure ensures that communication between the BMC and the external switch is not interrupted when the presence of the DPU changes, such as when it is suddenly disconnected due to a fault, by real-time detection of the state of the first detection signal, thus ensuring the continuity and stability of the communication method.

[0088] This disclosure also provides an electronic device, including: a substrate management controller, a physical layer chip, and an external switch; the substrate management controller is configured to receive a first detection signal; the first detection signal is configured to indicate the presence status of a data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is present, a first communication path is determined, such that the substrate management controller communicates with the external switch through the data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is not present, a second communication path is determined, such that the substrate management controller communicates with the external switch through the physical layer chip; wherein the first communication path and the second communication path are different; the external switch is configured to communicate with the substrate management controller through the data processing unit or the physical layer chip; the physical layer chip is configured to communicate with the data processing unit or the external switch.

[0089] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the electronic device further includes a control logic unit; the control logic unit is configured to send a first detection signal to the substrate management controller based on the presence status of the data processing unit, and in response to the presence of the data processing unit, send a second detection signal to the substrate management controller based on whether the data processing unit supports a target communication protocol.

[0090] Figure 6 The schematic diagram illustrates an electronic device that can be used to implement a communication method according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the electronic device includes a control logic unit 610, a baseboard management controller 630, a physical layer chip 640, and an external switch 650. The control logic unit 610 is used to detect the presence status of the data processing unit 620 and whether it supports the target communication protocol, and sends a first detection signal or a second detection signal to the baseboard management controller 630 based on the detection result, so that the baseboard management controller 630 can establish a first communication path or a second communication path based on the first detection signal or the second detection signal.

[0091] The first communication path is established when the data processing unit 620 is present. Specifically, the first communication path can refer to the communication path between the baseboard management controller 630, the physical layer chip 640, the data processing unit 620, and the external switch 650. The second communication path is established when the data processing unit 620 is not present. Specifically, the second communication path can refer to the communication path between the baseboard management controller 630, the physical layer chip 640, and the external switch 650.

[0092] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium, which may be included in the device / apparatus / system described in the above embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the device / apparatus / system. The computer-readable storage medium carries one or more programs that, when executed, implement the method according to the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0093] According to embodiments of this disclosure, the computer-readable storage medium can be a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, such as including, but not limited to: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this disclosure, the computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium that contains or stores a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0094] Embodiments of this disclosure also include a computer program product comprising a computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowchart. When the computer program product is run on a computer system, the program code is used to cause the computer system to implement the methods provided in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0095] When the computer program is executed by the baseboard management controller, it performs the functions defined in the system / apparatus of this disclosure embodiments. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the systems, apparatuses, modules, units, etc., described above can be implemented by computer program modules.

[0096] In one embodiment, the computer program may rely on tangible storage media such as optical storage devices or magnetic storage devices. In another embodiment, the computer program may also be transmitted and distributed as signals over a network medium, and downloaded and installed via a communication component, and / or installed from a removable medium. The program code contained in the computer program can be transmitted using any suitable network medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wired, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0097] In such an embodiment, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication component, and / or installed from a removable medium. When the computer program is executed by the board management controller, it performs the functions defined in the system of this disclosure embodiment. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the systems, devices, apparatuses, modules, units, etc., described above can be implemented by computer program modules.

[0098] It should be noted that the collection, storage, use, processing, transmission, provision, disclosure, and application of user personal information in this disclosed technical solution comply with relevant laws and regulations, necessary confidentiality measures have been taken, and it does not violate public order and good morals. In this disclosed technical solution, user authorization or consent has been obtained before acquiring or collecting user personal information.

[0099] According to embodiments of this disclosure, program code for executing the computer programs provided in embodiments of this disclosure can be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. Specifically, these computational programs can be implemented using high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages, and / or assembly / machine languages. Programming languages ​​include, but are not limited to, languages ​​such as Java, C++, Python, "C", or similar programming languages. The program code can execute entirely on a user's computing device, partially on a user's device, partially on a remote computing device, or entirely on a remote computing device or server. In cases involving remote computing devices, the remote computing device can be connected to the user's computing device via any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or it can be connected to an external computing device (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0100] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0101] Those skilled in the art will understand that the features described in the various embodiments and / or claims of this disclosure can be combined and / or combined in various ways, even if such combinations or combinations are not explicitly described in this disclosure. In particular, the features described in the various embodiments and / or claims of this disclosure can be combined and / or combined in various ways without departing from the spirit and teachings of this disclosure. All such combinations and / or combinations fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0102] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. However, these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Although various embodiments have been described above, this does not mean that the measures in the various embodiments cannot be used advantageously in combination. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Various substitutions and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and all such substitutions and modifications should fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A communication method applied to a baseboard management controller, comprising: Receive the first detection signal; The first detection signal is used to indicate the presence status of the data processing unit; In response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is in place, a first communication path is determined so that the baseboard management controller can communicate with an external switch through the data processing unit; In response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is not in place, a second communication path is determined so that the baseboard management controller can communicate with the external switch through the physical layer chip; The first communication path is different from the second communication path.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the first communication path in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is in place includes: Receive the second detection signal; The second detection signal is used to indicate whether the data processing unit supports the target communication protocol; In response to the data processing unit supporting the target communication protocol, the physical layer chip is controlled to be configured in a first communication mode to establish the first communication path; In response to the data processing unit not supporting the target communication protocol, the physical layer chip is configured to a second communication mode to establish the first communication path; The data transmission rate supported by the first communication mode is greater than the data transmission rate supported by the second communication mode. The step of determining a second communication path in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is not in place includes: The physical layer chip is configured to the second communication mode to establish the second communication path.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data processing unit includes a first pin and a second pin, the first detection signal is determined based on the voltage value of the first pin, and the second detection signal is determined based on the voltage value of the second pin.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Receive remote management requests from the external switch; The remote management request is used to request the baseboard management controller to perform out-of-band management operations on the server to which the remote management request belongs; In response to the remote management request, perform the corresponding out-of-band management operation; Send a management response, which indicates the result of the out-of-band management operation.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the baseboard management controller communicates with the external switch through the data processing unit, comprising: The remote management request is received from the external switch based on the first communication path; The management response is sent to the external switch based on the first communication path; The data processing unit is used to forward the remote management request and / or the management response between the baseboard management controller and the external switch.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the baseboard management controller communicates with the external switch via a physical layer chip, comprising: The remote management request is received from the external switch based on the second communication path; The management response is sent to the external switch based on the second communication path; The physical layer chip is used to forward the remote management request and / or the management response between the baseboard management controller and the external switch.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising: Obtain the operating status information of the host system indicated by the remote management request; Based on the operational status information and out-of-band management requirements, control commands are sent to the host system, which are used to execute corresponding out-of-band management operations.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: Detect the state of the first detection signal; In response to a change in the state of the first detection signal, a communication path switching operation is performed to switch the current communication path to the target communication path.

9. An electronic device, the electronic device comprising a baseboard management controller, a physical layer chip, and an external switch; The substrate management controller is configured to receive a first detection signal; the first detection signal indicates the presence status of the data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is present, a first communication path is determined, enabling the substrate management controller to communicate with an external switch through the data processing unit; in response to the first detection signal indicating that the data processing unit is not present, a second communication path is determined, enabling the substrate management controller to communicate with the external switch through a physical layer chip; wherein... The first communication path is different from the second communication path; The external switch is used to communicate with the baseboard management controller via a data processing unit or a physical layer chip; The physical layer chip is used to communicate with the data processing unit or the external switch.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, further comprising a control logic unit; The control logic unit is configured to send a first detection signal to the substrate management controller based on the presence status of the data processing unit, and in response to the presence of the data processing unit, send a second detection signal to the substrate management controller based on whether the data processing unit supports the target communication protocol.

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