Method for indirect access to a support interface for memory-mapped resources to reduce system connectivity from out-of-band support processor

• Main Authors: REICK KEVIN F, MONWAI BRIAN C, FIELDS JAMES S.JR, SWANEY SCOTT B, LECOCQ PAUL F, PFLUEGER THOMAS, SKERGAN TIMOTHY M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.08.2006
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; ELECTRICITY; PHYSICS; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A method and apparatus are provided for a support interface for memory-mapped resources. A support processor sends a sequence of commands over and FSI interface to a memory-mapped support interface on a processor chip. The memory-mapped support interface updates memory, memory-mapped registers or memory-mapped resources. The interface uses fabric packet generation logic to generate a single command packet in a protocol for the coherency fabric which consists of an address, command and/or data. Fabric commands are converted to FSI protocol and forwarded to attached support chips to access the memory-mapped resource, and responses from the support chips are converted back to fabric response packets. Fabric snoop logic monitors the coherency fabric and decodes responses for packets previously sent by fabric packet generation logic. The fabric snoop logic updates status register and/or writes response data to a read data register. The system also reports any errors that are encountered.