Patent ID: 8352722

Claim:
A method comprising: in a platform subsystem of a host device, the platform subsystem comprising a plurality of platform subsystem components, wherein one or more of said plurality of platform subsystem components stores system management basic input output system (SMBIOS) information, said stored SMBIOS information comprising system information for said platform subsystem, corresponding metadata, or any combination thereof: communicating at least a portion of said SMBIOS information from a first of said plurality of platform subsystem components to one or more other of said plurality of platform subsystem components, wherein said at least a portion of said SMBIOS information is communicated: in one or more messages communicated via a protocol layer above a physical layer, said one or more messages being communicated based on a Management Component Transport Protocol (MCTP); and via a communication link between said first of said plurality of platform subsystem components and said one or more other of said plurality of platform subsystem components; and communicating said SMBIOS information from a management controller (MC) of said platform subsystem to an entity external to said platform subsystem independent of whether said platform subsystem is powered ON or powered OFF when a platform subsystem basic input output system (BIOS) comprising said SMBIOS information is inaccessible by said entity.