Systems and methods for enabling virtual keyboard-video-mouse for external graphics controllers

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor and a management controller communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to provide out-of-band management of the information handling system. The management controller may be further configured to receive video data from an external graphics controller external to a motherboard upon which the processor resides, wherein each of the external graphics controller and the management controller are endpoints of a root complex instantiated on the processor and forward the video data to a remote management console communicatively coupled to the management controller via a network.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates in general to information handling systems, and more particularly to methods and systems for enabling virtual keyboard-virtual-mouse functionality for an information handling system having an external graphics controller.

BACKGROUND

An information handling system may include a management controller for providing out-of-band management facilities for management of the information handling system. Such management may be made by the management controller even if the information handling system is powered off or powered to a standby state, as a management controller may include an out-of-band network interface separate from and physically isolated from an in-band network interface of the information handling system. Such management controllers may include or may be an integral part of a baseboard management controller (BMC), a remote access controller (e.g., a Dell Remote Access Controller of Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller), an enclosure controller, or a chassis management controller (CMC).

Often, a management controller may interface with a remote management console coupled to the management controller via the out-of-band network interface, such that the remote console may execute a virtual keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) interface which replicates video display data of a host system to a display of the remote console and/or receives and transmits input (e.g., via a keyboard, mouse, and/or other input device of the remote console) from the remote console to the host system in order to manipulate the host system. However, in existing approaches, a host system typically uses an embedded graphics controller disposed on the same printed circuit board (e.g., motherboard) of the management controller in order to render its video display data, and such existing approaches may render management controllers unable to use external graphics controllers (e.g., graphics controllers coupled via an PCI port) to render video display data.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure, the disadvantages and problems associated with existing approaches to enabling virtual keyboard-video-mouse capability in an information handling system comprising an external graphics controller may be reduced or eliminated.

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor and a management controller communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to provide out-of-band management of the information handling system. The management controller may be further configured to receive video data from an external graphics controller external to a motherboard upon which the processor resides, wherein each of the external graphics controller and the management controller are endpoints of a root complex instantiated on the processor and forward the video data to a remote management console communicatively coupled to the management controller via a network.

In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include, in an information handling system comprising a management controller communicatively coupled to a processor of the information handling system and configured to provide out-of-band management of the information handling system: receiving video data at the management controller from an external graphics controller external to a motherboard upon which the processor resides, wherein each of the external graphics controller and the management controller are endpoints of a root complex instantiated on the processor; and forwarding the video data from the management controller to a remote management console communicatively coupled to the management controller via a network.

In accordance with these and other embodiments of the present disclosure, an article of manufacture may include a non-transitory computer-readable medium and computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium. The instructions may be readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to, in an information handling system comprising a management controller communicatively coupled to a processor of the information handling system and configured to provide out-of-band management of the information handling system: receive video data at the management controller from an external graphics controller external to a motherboard upon which the processor resides, wherein each of the external graphics controller and the management controller are endpoints of a root complex instantiated on the processor; and forwarding the video data from the management controller to a remote management console communicatively coupled to the management controller via a network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Preferred embodiments and their advantages are best understood by reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, wherein like numbers are used to indicate like and corresponding parts.

FIG. 1illustrates a block diagram of a system100for remote management of an information handling system102. As shown inFIG. 1, such system100may include information handling system102, a network128, and a remote console130.

In some embodiments, information handling system102may be a personal computer. In some embodiments, information handling system102may comprise or be an integral part of a server. In other embodiments, information handling system102may be a portable information handling system (e.g., a laptop, notebook, tablet, handheld, smart phone, personal digital assistant, etc.). As depicted inFIG. 1, information handling system102may include a motherboard101, a network interface108communicatively coupled to a processor103of motherboard101, and an external graphics controller116communicatively coupled to processor103.

Motherboard101may include a circuit board configured to provide structural support for one or more information handling resources of information handling system102and/or electrically couple one or more of such information handling resources to each other and/or to other electric or electronic components external to information handling system102. As shown inFIG. 1, motherboard101may include processor103, a memory104communicatively coupled to processor103, a platform controller hub (PCH)106communicatively coupled to processor103, and a management controller112communicatively coupled to processor103.

Memory104may be communicatively coupled to processor103and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to retain program instructions and/or data for a period of time (e.g., computer-readable media). Memory104may include RAM, EEPROM, a PCMCIA card, flash memory, magnetic storage, opto-magnetic storage, or any suitable selection and/or array of volatile or non-volatile memory that retains data after power to information handling system102is turned off. Although memory104is depicted inFIG. 1as integral to motherboard101, in some embodiments, all or a portion of memory104may reside external to motherboard101. In operation, processor103and memory104may comprise at least a portion of a host system98.

PCH106may be any system, device, or apparatus configured to control certain data paths (e.g., data flow between processor103, memory104, and peripherals) and support certain functions of processor103. A PCH106may also be known as a “chipset” of an information handling system102. One such function may include management engine110. Management engine110may comprise hardware and/or firmware that enables remote out-of-band management for information handling system102in order to monitor, maintain, update, upgrade, and/or repair information handling system102. In some embodiments, management engine110may include hardware and firmware compliant with Intel's Active Management Technology.

Management controller112may be configured to provide out-of-band management facilities for management of information handling system102. Such management may be made by management controller112even if information handling system102is powered off or powered to a standby state. Management controller112may include a processor113, memory114, and an out-of-band network interface118separate from and physically isolated from in-band network interface108. In certain embodiments, management controller112may include or may be an integral part of a baseboard management controller (BMC), a remote access controller (e.g., a Dell Remote Access Controller of Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller), or an enclosure controller. In other embodiments, management controller112may include or may be an integral part of a chassis management controller (CMC).

Processor113may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to interpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data, and may include, without limitation, a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or any other digital or analog circuitry configured to interpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data. In some embodiments, processor113may interpret and/or execute program instructions and/or process data stored in memory114and/or another component of information handling system102or management controller112.

Memory114may be communicatively coupled to processor113and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to retain program instructions and/or data for a period of time (e.g., computer-readable media). Memory114may include RAM, EEPROM, a PCMCIA card, flash memory, magnetic storage, opto-magnetic storage, or any suitable selection and/or array of volatile or non-volatile memory that retains data after power to management controller112is turned off. As shown inFIG. 1, memory114may have stored thereon a vendor-defined message (VDM) driver118, a frame buffer120, one or more rendering modules122, and a console server124.

A VDM driver118may comprise any program of instructions configured to, when read and executed by processor113, provide an interface between console server124and host system98in order to process VDMs communicated from management controller112to other devices of information handling system102.

Frame buffer120may comprise a portion of memory114comprising a bitmap that may be driven to a video display from a memory buffer containing a complete frame of video data. For example, the information in frame buffer120typically may comprise color values for every pixel to be displayed on a display device.

A rendering module122may comprise any program of instructions configured to, when read and executed by processor113, perform operations to process and/or render video data. Such operations may include, without limitation, computations of differences between successive video frames, video compression, and/or other tasks.

Console server124may comprise any program of instructions configured to, when read and executed by processor113, provide a network service to remote console130to facilitate remote management of information handling system102by remote console130.

Network interface118may comprise any suitable system, apparatus, or device operable to serve as an interface between management controller112, network128, and/or one or more other information handling systems. Network interface118may enable management controller112to communicate using any suitable transmission protocol and/or standard. In these and other embodiments, network interface118may comprise a network interface card, or “NIC.”

Network interface108may comprise any suitable system, apparatus, or device operable to serve as an interface between information handling system102, network128, and/or and one or more other information handling systems. Network interface108may enable information handling system102to communicate using any suitable transmission protocol and/or standard. In these and other embodiments, network interface108may comprise a network interface card, or “NIC.”

External graphics controller116may be communicatively coupled to host system98and may include any system, device, or apparatus configured to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display. As shown inFIG. 1, external graphics controller116may reside external to motherboard101. For example, in some embodiments, graphics controller116may couple to an external port facing externally to an enclosure for information handling system102.

PCH106, management controller112, and graphics controller116may be communicatively coupled to host processor98via any suitable communications interface or bus. For example, in some embodiments, PCH106, management controller112, and graphics controller116may be communicatively coupled to host system98via one or more Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) buses.

Network128may be a network and/or fabric configured to couple information handling system102, remote console130, and/or one or more other information handling systems to one another. In these and other embodiments, network128may include a communication infrastructure, which provides physical connections, and a management layer, which organizes the physical connections and information handling systems communicatively coupled to network128. Network128may be implemented as, or may be a part of, a storage area network (SAN), personal area network (PAN), local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a virtual private network (VPN), an intranet, the Internet or any other appropriate architecture or system that facilitates the communication of signals, data and/or messages (generally referred to as data). Network128may transmit data via wireless transmissions and/or wire-line transmissions using any storage and/or communication protocol, including without limitation, Fibre Channel, Frame Relay, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Internet protocol (IP), other packet-based protocol, small computer system interface (SCSI), Internet SCSI (iSCSI), Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) or any other transport that operates with the SCSI protocol, advanced technology attachment (ATA), serial ATA (SATA), advanced technology attachment packet interface (ATAPI), serial storage architecture (SSA), integrated drive electronics (IDE), and/or any combination thereof. Network128and its various components may be implemented using hardware, software, or any combination thereof.

Remote console130may comprise any information handling system including requisite hardware, software, and/or firmware for interfacing with console server124via network interface118in order to facilitate remote management of information handling system102by remote console130. In some embodiments, such remote management may be in accordance with Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) and/or another suitable interface or standard.

In operation, host system98may operate as a root complex (e.g., a PCIe root complex) for communication among various endpoints (e.g., PCIe endpoints) within or associated with information handling system102. Such endpoints may include management controller112and external graphics controller116. In addition, management engine110may serve as a proxy for routing data to different endpoints coupled to the root complex of host system98. To facilitate virtual KVM functionality, management controller112may exchange instructions and data via VDMs to and/or from all VDM-capable devices coupled to the root complex. Accordingly, references herein to communication between management controller112and graphics controller116may refer to communication via VDMs.

FIG. 2illustrates a flow chart of an example method200for enabling virtual KVM in information handling system102, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. According to some embodiments, method200may begin at block202. As noted above, teachings of the present disclosure may be implemented in a variety of configurations of information handling system102. As such, the preferred initialization point for method200and the order of the steps comprising method200may depend on the implementation chosen.

At step202, processor113, executing management firmware of management controller112including console server124and VDM driver118, may initiate discovery of PCie devices, using management engine110as a proxy for VDMs. Such discovery may initiate following enumeration of PCie devices by a basic input/output system (BIOS) of information handling system102during a boot of information handling system102and/or following a “hot plug” of one or more PCie devices during runtime.

At step204, following discovery processor113may filter the devices (e.g., by PCie class code) to determine which devices are video controllers. At step206, processor113may determine if an external graphics controller116is present and enabled. If an external graphics controller116is present and enabled, method200may proceed to step208. Otherwise, method200may end.

At step208, processor113may request (e.g., via VDMs) video parameters (e.g., screen resolution, color depth, etc.) from external graphics controller116. Additionally, processor113may register management controller112to external graphics controller116so that graphics controller116forwards converted frame buffers to management controller112.

At step210, external graphics controller116may communicate to management controller112an initial frame buffer. Such frame buffer may be rendered by external graphics controller116in response to screen buffers received by external graphics controller116from a host operating system executing on host system98. After receipt, such frame buffer may be stored as frame buffer120in memory114. Management controller112may communicate data of frame buffer120to remote console130for rendering at remote console130.

At step212, changes or deltas to the frame buffer may be communicated from external graphics controller116at management controller112, and step212may repeat until no video data remains to be communicated to remote console130.

AlthoughFIG. 2discloses a particular number of steps to be taken with respect to method200, method200may be executed with greater or fewer steps than those depicted inFIG. 2. In addition, althoughFIG. 2discloses a certain order of steps to be taken with respect to method200, the steps comprising method200may be completed in any suitable order.

Method200may be implemented using system200or any other system operable to implement method200. In certain embodiments, method200may be implemented partially or fully in software and/or firmware embodied in computer-readable media.

Although method200contemplates a “push” mechanism by which external graphics controller116communicates video data to management controller112as it is processed by external graphics controller116, in some embodiments communication between external graphics controller116and management controller112may be undertaken in a request-response mechanism in which video data is communicated by external graphics controller116only when requested by management controller112. This may be desirable in situations in which management controller112may not require all frames from external graphics controller116.

In embodiments in which video compression is desirable, rendering modules122may be executed by processor113to compress video data before communication to remote console130.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, in response to a video resolution change by an operating system executing on host system98, external graphics controller116may communicate a message to management controller112indicating the change in resolution. Management controller112may respond by dropping existing frame buffers and re-requesting new frame buffers in a manner identical or similar to that described above with respect to method200.