linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] Intel Management Engine Interface

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Date:	Thu, 22 May 2008 18:51:57 +0200
From:	Pavel Machek <pavel@....cz>
To:	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>
Cc:	Anas Nashif <nashif@...ux.intel.com>, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Intel Management Engine Interface

Hi!

> > We have addressed more issues raised on lkml after initial submission,
> > especially the legacy device support issue which was removed in this
> > patch.
> > 
> > The Intel Management Engine Interface (aka HECI: Host Embedded
> > Controller Interface ) enables communication between the host OS and
> > the Management Engine firmware. MEI is bi-directional, and either the
> > host or Intel AMT firmware can initiate transactions.
> > 
> > The core hardware architecture of Intel Active Management Technology
> > (Intel AMT) is resident in firmware. The micro-controller within the
> > chipset's graphics and memory controller (GMCH) hub houses the
> > Management Engine (ME) firmware, which implements various services
> > on behalf of management applications.
> > 
> > Some of the ME subsystems that can be access via MEI driver:
> > 
> > - Intel(R) Quiet System Technology (QST) is implemented as a firmware
> > subsystem  that  runs in the ME.  Programs that wish to expose the
> > health monitoring and fan speed control capabilities of Intel(R) QST
> > will need to use the MEI driver to communicate with the ME sub-system.
> > - ASF is the "Alert Standard Format" which is an DMTF manageability
> > standard. It is implemented in the PC's hardware and firmware, and is
> > managed from a remote console.
> > 
> > Most recent Intel desktop chipsets have one or more of the above ME
> > services. The MEI driver will make it possible to support the above
> > features on Linux and provides applications access to the ME and it's
> > features.
> 
> What a lot of code.
> 
> It'd be nice if the changelog were to describe the proposed and
> all-important kernel<->userspace interface, please.  From a five-second
> peek it looks like a miscdev with ioctls?  Ah, and there's read and
> write too.

Actuallly, we already have perfectly good interface for sensor-like
stuff -- in lm_sensors. Even acpi is moving in that direction...

-- 
(english) http://www.livejournal.com/~pavelmachek
(cesky, pictures) http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~pavel/picture/horses/blog.html
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