Solutions for the Intel Platform

Innovation Framework for EFI

July 26, 2005
Slide 1

AMI introduces Aptio

AMIs Framework-based product offering

Offers all innovations of the Intel Platform

Innovation Framework for EFI
Enhanced by AMIs product capabilities

Enhance the Framework with specialized

development tools & value-add
components
Available on multiple Intel chipset & CPUs
Includes documentation & utilities plus QA
testing
2

Intels Framework Structure

The

Foundation code under

open source provides a
skeleton
This is common code &
specifications used to build
a solution
However, this is just the
start and it not the entire
solution

AMI enables the OEM/ODM

Build

a solution on the Intel

Framework
Technology

Drivers
Chipset Enabling
Compatibility Support Module
(CSM)
Porting to enable OS boot
(ACPI, SMBIOS, protocols, )
Create

a body on top of the

skeleton

AMI has a full Framework solution

Engineering/Porting

Services
Value-add
Pre-boot

Applications
Recovery & Diagnostics
Graphical Setup Client
Support
Flash,

Utilities
SMBIOS, Logo Change

Development
Visual

Utilities

eBIOS & AMI Debug

Customized

body to meet
the OEM/ODM requirements
5

History with EFI & the Framework

AMI first worked with EFI on Itanium (Enterprise64)

Announced AMI Debug for EFI in 2002
4+ years experience with the Framework
Aptio product announced in July 2004
Numerous IDF & WinHEC presentations on EFI

AMI GSE featured at Spring IDF 2005

WinHEC 2005: Demo Win2003 boot using EFI loader
IDF Fall 2005 Topic: Implementing RAS Features

AMI provides instructors for Intel Framework Base

Training in Taipei, Tokyo, & Shanghai
Founder & Promoter of Unified EFI Forum
Planning to join & promote new Intel Firmware
Foundation group, promoting PEI & DXE specs
6

AMIs Industry Leadership & UEFI

AMI is a promoter & founding member of

the Unified EFI (UEFI) Forum

Development of the Unified Extensible

Firmware Interface (UEFI) Specification
EFI 1.10 specification contributed to the Forum by

Intel and Microsoft to be used as a starting draft

Forum will add any new functionality required

to produce UEFI 2.0 specification
All licensing for UEFI 2.0 specification will
come from UEFI Forum
Forum promotes worldwide adoption of
UEFI specifications
Brian Richardson: UEFI Forum board member

AMI is currently engaged in formation of

new industry group to govern firmware
foundation (PEI & DXE specifications)
7

Transition from AMIBIOS8 to Aptio

Customers will decide how & when to

transition from AMIBIOS8 to Aptio at their
own pace
AMIs goal is feature parity between
AMIBIOS8 & Aptio platform solutions
AMI has ported to Aptio all development
tools available for AMIBIOS8 to Aptio

Developers can use the same interface and

processes for both codebases

AMI continues to support AMIBIOS8 for an

extended time, according to customer needs
8

Aptio Evaluation Kit

Aptio

2.0 ported to an AMI Olympus III

motherboard

Intel Pentium4 CPU, i875/ICH5 chipset

Bundled

with Aptio utilities & applications

Support Utilities (flash, SMBIOS, )

Pre-Boot Application Samples

Framework

on production
quality hardware
A vehicle for
customers to
evaluate the Framework
Available now

Aptio Scope & Deliverables

Development tools: VeB & AMI Debug

Value-add tools, EFI applications

Stable CSM based on AMIBIOS8

Used by Intel on several Framework platforms

Improved technology drivers

Support for Intel processors & chipsets
Twenty years of firmware experience

Setup interface, PBA & related drivers

Worldwide OEM/ODM support capability

Working with EFI & Framework since 1999
Broad firmware & application experience

AMI provides modules & functionality not available

in open source or Intels Tiano release code
10

Release Milestone - Aptio 3.0

Aptio

2.0 is the current

core release
Aptio 3.0 is under
development for server
platforms, adding:
PCI

3.0 Option ROM

Setup Interface
Energy Lake
Intel Virtualization
Technology
ASF 2.0
SMBIOS 2.4
Multi Core CPU
IPMI Error Logging

Drop-in

components
after Aptio 3.0 release

ACPI 3.0 Support

Intel AMT
High definition Audio
Playback support in DXE
AMIBCP support
Security features

LaGrande & TPM 1.2

support
Biometric device
support
Release

scheduled for

Q3 2005
11

What does product release mean?

AMI doesnt release a product until

it satisfies our standards
Aptio has undergone multiple cycles of
QA testing for the past 6 months
Customers who have been evaluating
Aptio, such as Intel, have given feedback
Support utilities are available at release
Product releases come with
documentation for development tools &
support utilities

12

Development Tools: Visual eBIOS

Visual

eBIOS (VeB) was

designed for AMIBIOS8
Graphical

BIOS porting
environment
Facilitates AMIBIOS8
modular design
Smooth transition from BIOS
porting to using the
Framework
Integrated source control
Provides advanced porting
tools to simplify BIOS
development
AMI

adapted the
Framework & build process
to use VeB
AMIs

improved development
tools with a next-generation
firmware architecture
13

VeB 6.0 features for Aptio

Porting of VeB
Wizards to Visual
Studio plug-in

BIOS parameter
PCI Routing
eKernel Table
New Project
New Component
New driver
Setup Wizard

SDL Manager
ASM Intellisense
EFI driver
dependency
browser
Protocol Browser
Driver/Component
properties

Disable
Compile in release
mode or debug mode

Availability scheduled late Q3 2005

14

Development Tools: AMI Debug

Debug

source level

DXE

drivers
EFI Applications
Software

debugger

Null-modem

cable links
host and target
Supports redirect of
remote console and
driver messages
Functionally equivalent
to AMI Debug for
AMIBIOS8
Developing USB 2.0 &
PEI debug features
15

AMI Debug for EFI

Debug Aptio firmware & EFI applications

without hardware-based ICE/ITP

v1.10 features

Debug over USB 2.0 interface

PEI debug (in validation)
PEI symbolic debugger, PEI-to-DXE handoff
Debug in SMI

v2.0 under definition

Common GUI for Aptio & AMIBIOS8 debug

PCIe support, LAN transport, breakpoint history

Available Q4 2005

16

Utilities Firmware Image Support

Once the firmware image is created, the OEM/ODM

must maintain the image. AMI provides these
utilities with Aptio

SMBIOS Data (UUID, Serial Number, )

DMIEDIT for EFI, DOS & Microsoft Windows

Flash Update Utilities

AMI Flash Utility & WinFLASH console & GUI utilities

DOS, Windows, WinPE, Linux, BSD & EFI Shell

Logo Change Utility (boot graphic)

Change boot graphics (BMP stored w/EFI compression)

Module Utility (MMTool)

Change modules in firmware image without rebuilding

CSM, Legacy Option ROM, EFI Drivers,

AMI BIOS Configuration Program (AMIBCP)

Change parameters & setup in ROM file without source code

17

BIOS Compatibility Support

Compatibility Support Module (CSM)

CSM16 version 2.0

BIOS compatibility code based on AMIBIOS8
Updated for CSM specification version 0.94
from Intel SSG

UGA/VESA driver

UGA protocols via an overlay on legacy VGA

BIOS & VESA BIOS Extensions (VBE)
Designed for development purposes
Works with most VGA cards on the market

Development completed
Validated with several Aptio releases

18

Aptio USB 2.0 Driver for EFI

Based on AMIBIOS8 USB support

Supports EHCI & UHCI Controllers
Low, full & hi speed modes supported
OHCI under development

Supports keyboard, mouse, hub &

mass storage devices
Works in EFI & Legacy (CSM)
Legacy OS can boot from Mass Storage
Not supported in Intels USB driver

19

Aptio Setup GSE & TSE

Graphical Setup Environment

(GSE)

Text Setup Environment (TSE)

Takes advantage of UGA protocols

for EFI for a clean pre-OS interface
Keyboard/mouse GUI
Images can be stored in ROM or disk
partition (minimizes footprint)
UNICODE support & multiple fonts
Small ROM footprint
UNICODE support
Look & feel consistent with current
BIOS setup

Changing setup environments

does not change setup porting

Completely modular
20

Continuing Improvements

Aptio is an evolving product

More processors, chipsets, flash & super I/O

devices being added to the source tree
Improvements to GSE & TSE usability
SMBIOS data management & health monitoring
Future flash utility integrated into GSE
PBA usability & OEM configuration tools
Optimizing code to reduce ROM footprint

Development utility improvement

VeB
AMI Debug for EFI
Support Utilities: MMTool, AMIBCP,
21

Aptio Taking Concept to Product

AMIs goal with Aptio is taking Intels

Framework concepts & technology to
market
AMI development is focused on
product delivery issues
Firmware identification scheme, similar
to BIOS tag, implemented by AMI
Full suite of OEM & user utilities
Development & debug applications
Source code & project management

22

Backup Materials
Source Licensing

Slide 23

Source Distribution

EFI

Pre-EFI Modules

Hardware

Initiialization
(PEI)
Driver Pre-EFI
Execution
Environment

Compatibility
Support Module

EFI
Drivers
Platform
Drivers

Framework
Drivers

legacy Option
ROMs

legacy OS
Loader

Heres the total package of source used to

build a framework solution, according to Intels
graphical representation
The big green H
EFI OS Loader
(Foundation) is the
main part of the
Intel code available
under open-source
Provides the core, but
not the whole solution
Intels chipset & CPU
reference code delivered
Foundations
DXE
Foundation
PEI
Foundation
as platform drivers in
this model

24

What does AMI bring to the party?

AMIs solution fills in the gaps left by Intel

Graphical Setup

Value-add Applications

User-friendly & easily

customized by OEM/ODM
Pre-boot, recovery

DXE/PEI silicon drivers

Foundations
PEI
Foundation

Pre-EFI Modules

Hardware

Driver Execution Environment

Aptio USB 2.0 Driver, with

improved USB Boot support

Compatibility
Support Module

EFI
Drivers
Platform
Drivers

Improved Technology
Drivers by AMI

EFI OS Loader

Framework
Drivers

Stable CSM based on

AMIBIOS, for legacy OS
DOS, Win9x/2K/XP/2003

legacy Option
ROMs

Compatibility Support
Module (CSM)

legacy OS
Loader

Creates a real firmware product

EFI

25

Aptio Training

AMI has planned extensive engineering

training for our engineering teams,
with theory & hands-on practice

Training duration is 10-15 days

flexible based on customer needs
Stage

Introduction

to
Aptio, EFI & the
Framework
Tools & utilities

Stage

Advanced
programming
under the
Framework
26