Systems and methods for bios emulation of pcie device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017293448-A1
Application number	US-201615095980-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 11, 2016
Priority date	Apr 11, 2016
Publication date	Oct 12, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a processor and a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to initialize one or more information handling resources of the information handling system. The basic input/output system may be further configured to, prior to boot of an operating system of the information handling system, initialize a virtual device controller emulating a hardware controller for controlling peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the processor, and cause the virtual device controller to interact with a driver executing on the operating system to control the peripheral devices.

First claim

1 . An information handling system comprising:
a processor; and a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to initialize one or more information handling resources of the information handling system, and further configured to:
prior to boot of an operating system of the information handling system, initialize a virtual device controller emulating a hardware controller for controlling peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the processor;
cause the virtual device controller to interact with a driver executing on the operating system to control the peripheral devices; and
prevent the operating system from, in response to removal of a physical storage controller from the information handling system, unloading the driver.

2 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the virtual device controller is configured to emulate a storage controller.

3 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral devices comprise storage resources.

4 . The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein the storage resources comprise Non-Volatile Memory Express storage devices.

5 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral devices comprise Peripheral Component Interconnect devices and the virtual device controller is configured to emulate a Peripheral Component Interconnect controller.

6 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a software Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks driver.

7 . A method comprising, by a basic input/output system comprising a program of instructions executable by a processor and configured to cause the processor to initialize one or more information handling resources of an information handling system:
prior to boot of an operating system of the information handling system, initializing a virtual device controller emulating a hardware controller for controlling peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the processor; causing the virtual device controller to interact with a driver executing on the operating system to control the peripheral devices; and preventing the operating system from, in response to removal of a physical storage controller from the information handling system, unloading the driver.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the virtual device controller emulates a storage controller.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the peripheral devices comprise storage resources.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the storage resources comprise Non-Volatile Memory Express storage devices.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the peripheral devices comprise Peripheral Component Interconnect devices and the virtual device controller emulates a Peripheral Component Interconnect controller.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the driver comprises a software Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks driver.

13 . An article of manufacture comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:
prior to boot of an operating system of an information handling system, initialize a virtual device controller emulating a hardware controller for controlling peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the processor;
cause the virtual device controller to interact with a driver executing on the operating system to control the peripheral devices; and prevent the operating system from, in response to removal of a physical storage controller from the information handling system, unloading the driver.

14 . The article of claim 13 , wherein the virtual device controller is configured to emulate a storage controller.

15 . The article of claim 13 , wherein the peripheral devices comprise storage resources.

16 . The article of claim 15 , wherein the storage resources comprise Non-Volatile Memory Express storage devices.

17 . The article of claim 13 , wherein the peripheral devices comprise Peripheral Component Interconnect devices and the virtual device controller is configured to emulate a Peripheral Component Interconnect controller.

18 . The article of claim 13 , wherein the driver comprises a software Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks driver.

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Bolen Austin P
• Liu Wei

Classifications

• G06F9/4411

  Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers · CPC title

• G06F3/0629

  Configuration or reconfiguration of storage systems · CPC title

• G06F9/4406

  Loading of operating system · CPC title

• G06F3/0664

  at device level, e.g. emulation of a storage device or system · CPC title

• G06F3/061

  Improving I/O performance · CPC title