From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S932924AbYEWHKU (ORCPT ); Fri, 23 May 2008 03:10:20 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S932891AbYEWHJ4 (ORCPT ); Fri, 23 May 2008 03:09:56 -0400 Received: from gprs189-60.eurotel.cz ([160.218.189.60]:3207 "EHLO spitz.ucw.cz" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-FAIL) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S936022AbYEWHJy (ORCPT ); Fri, 23 May 2008 03:09:54 -0400 Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 18:51:57 +0200 From: Pavel Machek To: Andrew Morton Cc: Anas Nashif , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: [PATCH] Intel Management Engine Interface Message-ID: <20080522165156.GA7431@ucw.cz> References: <4832174A.20905@linux.intel.com> <20080519172821.023fb28f.akpm@linux-foundation.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20080519172821.023fb28f.akpm@linux-foundation.org> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.9i Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org 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