Chassis Management Controller Wake-on-LAN Proxy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wake on LAN (WoL) support in information handling systems faces challenges such as high power demand in blade systems due to the need for network cards to remain powered, limitations in supporting multi-homed blade servers, and significant processing requirements for chassis management controllers, which hinder efficient remote management.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a host management controller with a second network interface and an input/output module as network interface proxies to receive and forward wake-up messages, enabling remote wake-up of information handling systems without requiring the host management controller to be powered on, thus reducing power consumption and supporting multi-homed configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the network card remains powered to listen for Magic Packet, then Wake on LAN functionality is enabled, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a chassis management controller as an intermediary component that receives and processes Magic Packets on behalf of the network card. When the system is in low-power state, the chassis management controller remains active and monitors the network for wake-up packets, then activates the host management controller and network card. This mediator approach allows the network card to be powered down while maintaining Wake on LAN capability through the chassis management controller's packet interception and forwarding functionality.
2Reliability
If the host management controller must be powered on to receive Wake on LAN packets, then remote wake-up is supported, but auxiliary power is required
Solution Approach 1:
The chassis management controller serves as a mediator that receives Wake on LAN packets destined for the host management controller and forwards them when the host management controller is in low-power state. This allows the system to maintain remote wake-up capability without requiring the host management controller to remain powered, as the chassis management controller handles packet reception and triggers host management controller activation only when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary configuration by registering the host management controller's network address with the chassis management controller in advance. This preliminary action enables the chassis management controller to intercept and forward Wake on LAN packets intended for the host management controller before the host management controller is powered on, eliminating the need for continuous auxiliary power while maintaining wake-up functionality.
3Reliability
If the chassis management controller scans and processes packets for WoL support, then Wake on LAN is enabled, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the packet scanning and processing functionality from the chassis management controller and implements it in the input/output module instead. The input/output module is specifically designed to intercept and process network packets at a lower level, filtering for Wake on LAN Magic Packets before they reach the chassis management controller. This extraction reduces the processing overhead on the chassis management controller while maintaining Wake on LAN support through the input/output module's dedicated packet handling capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller may be configured to receive a wake-up message, the wake-up message including an address identifying a particular one of a plurality of information handling systems to be awakened from a non-awake state of the particular information handling system. The controller may also be configured to identify the particular information handling system based at least on the address included in the received wake-up message. The controller may further be configured to cause a host management controller of the particular information handling system to awaken from a non-awake state of the host management controller. The controller may also be configured to, after the host management controller of the particular information handling system has awakened, forward the wake-up message to the particular information handling system to cause the particular information handling system to awaken.