Cloud Platform Simulation for BMC Development

Solution Overview

Problem

BMC development projects face high costs due to dependency on pre-production hardware, necessitating the sharing of available machines, which is inefficient and costly.

Innovation Solution

A cloud-based platform simulation system utilizing virtual machines to simulate management controllers and host computing devices, allowing for cost-effective development by providing a cloud network with virtual machines that include firmware and simulator modules to mimic hardware components, enabling remote control and simulation of management controllers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pre-production hardware is used for BMC development, then development can be performed with real hardware, but the cost becomes very high and hardware must be shared

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevelopment accuracyVSAvoidhardware cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of hardware components through virtual machines that simulate management controllers and host computing devices. These virtual copies replicate the behavior and interfaces of physical hardware, allowing developers to test and develop BMC software without needing expensive physical hardware. The virtual machine includes firmware modules and simulator modules that mimic hardware responses, providing a cost-effective alternative while maintaining development fidelity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical hardware system with a software-based virtualization system. Instead of using actual management controller hardware, the invention uses virtual machines running on standard cloud infrastructure, substituting physical components with software simulations that provide the same functional interfaces and behavior for development purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Quantity of substance

If pre-production hardware is shared among developers, then hardware cost is reduced, but development efficiency decreases due to sharing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehardware costVSAvoiddevelopment efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual copies of hardware components through virtual machines that simulate management controllers and host computing devices. These virtual copies replicate the behavior and interfaces of physical hardware, allowing developers to test and develop BMC software without needing expensive physical hardware. The virtual machine includes firmware modules and simulator modules that mimic hardware responses, providing a cost-effective alternative while maintaining development fidelity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal development platform using virtual machines that can serve multiple developers simultaneously. Each developer can have their own isolated virtual machine instance, allowing parallel development work without resource conflicts. The virtualization infrastructure provides multi-functionality by supporting multiple development environments on shared cloud infrastructure, eliminating the need to share physical hardware while maintaining cost efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If physical hardware is used for BMC development, then real hardware testing is possible, but the development process becomes slower and more expensive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehardware compatibilityVSAvoiddevelopment time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent sets up virtual machine environments with pre-configured firmware and simulator modules before development begins. The virtual hardware platforms are prepared in advance with all necessary drivers, interfaces, and simulation logic already in place, allowing developers to immediately start testing without hardware setup delays. This preliminary preparation of virtual environments eliminates the time-consuming process of physical hardware configuration and provisioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates virtual copies of hardware components through virtual machines that simulate management controllers and host computing devices. These virtual copies replicate the behavior and interfaces of physical hardware, allowing developers to test and develop BMC software without needing expensive physical hardware. The virtual machine includes firmware modules and simulator modules that mimic hardware responses, providing a cost-effective alternative while maintaining development fidelity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS10430222B2Cloud based platform simulation for management controller development

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 AMERICAN MEGATRENDS

AI summary

Certain aspects direct to systems and methods for cloud based platform simulation on virtual machine for development projects of a management controller. The system includes a cloud network, which include necessary computing resources to provide at least one virtual machine (VM), such that the at least one VM is accessible on the cloud network to simulate a management controller and a host computing device for the management controller. The at least one VM includes: a firmware module for the management controller, configured to receive at least one output signal from the host computing device; and a simulator module configured to simulate the host computing device. In operation, the simulator module generates the at least one output signal based on configuration data of the host computing device, and sends the at least one output signal to the firmware module.