[Libre-soc-dev] Raptor announces FPGA BMC

[Lauri Kasanen]

On Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:07:53 +0000
Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton <lkcl at lkcl.net> wrote:

> On Fri, Jan 22, 2021 at 7:03 AM Lauri Kasanen <cand at gmx.com> wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Raptor-Kestrel
> >
> > Raptor are using Microwatt on a FPGA as an open source BMC. IIRC they
> > wanted libresoc for this, so this is clearly a plan B for delays or not
> > delivering. FPGAs are slow and power-hungry compared to ASICs.
>
> they are... however given that in this very special case the FPGA is
> loading like... 1k of executable then uploading like... 1MB of data to
> the POWER9 core its job is done within milliseconds.

A BMC runs as long as the computer is plugged in, even when the main
computer is off. Besides boot it provides remote management etc.

- Lauri