Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 20:43, 28 September 2010

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== Shelf Management ==

[[Image:ATCA Shelf Manager.jpg|thumb|AdvancedTCA Shelf manager]]

The Shelf Manager monitors and controls the boards (blades) and FRU in the shelf. If any sensor reports a problem the Shelf Manager can take action or report the problem to a System Manager. This action could be something simple like making the fans go faster, or more drastic such as powering off a board (blade). Each board (blade) and [[Field Replaceable Unit]] contains inventory information (FRU Data) that can be retrieved by the Shelf Manager. The FRU data is used by the Shelf Manager to determine if there is enough power available for a board (blade) or FRU and if the Fabric ports that interconnect boards (blades) are compatible. The FRU data can also reveal the manufacturer, manufacturing date, model number, serial number, and asset tag.

Each blade, intelligent FRU, and Shelf Manager contains an Intelligent Platform Management Controller (IPMC). The Shelf Manager communicates with the boards (blades) and intelligent FRUs with [[IPMI]] protocols running on redundant [[I²C]] buses. [[IPMI]] protocols include packet checksums to ensure that data transmission is reliable. It is also possible to have non-intelligent FRUs managed by an intelligent FRUs. These are called Managed FRUs and have the same capabilities as an intelligent FRU.

The interconnection between the Shelf Manager and the boards (blades) is a redundant pair of Intelligent Platform Management Buses (IPMBs). The IPMB architecture can be a pair of buses (Bused IPMB) or a pair of radial connections (Radial IPMB). Radial IPMB implementations usually include the capability to isolate individual IPMB connections to improve reliability in the event of an IPMC failure.

The Shelf Manager communicates with outside entities with RMCP (IPMI over TCP/IP), [[HTTP]], [[Simple Network Management Protocol|SNMP]] over an [[Ethernet]] [[computer network|network]]. Some Shelf Managers support the Hardware Platform Interface, a technical specification defined by the [[Service Availability Forum]].