Installation Guide, Third Edition - HP Integrity rx2620 (August 2006)

Introduction
Firmware
Chapter 1
26
Firmware
Firmware consists of many individually linked binary images that are bound together by a single framework
at run time. Internally, the firmware employs a software database called a device tree to represent the
structure of the hardware platform and to provide a means of associating software elements with hardware
functionality.
The firmware incorporates the following main interfaces:
• Processor Abstraction Layer (PAL). PAL provides a seamless firmware abstraction between the processor
and system software and platform firmware.
• System Abstraction Layer (SAL). SAL provides a uniform firmware interface and initializes and
configures the platform.
• Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI). EFI provides an interface between the operating system and the
platform firmware. EFI uses data tables that contain platform-related information, and boot and runtime
service calls that are available to the operating system and its loader to provide a standard environment
for booting.
• Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI). ACPI provides a standard environment for
configuring and managing server systems. ACPI moves system power configuration and management
from the system firmware to the operating system and abstracts the interface between the platform
hardware and the operating system software. This allows each to evolve independently of the other.
The firmware supports the HP-UX 11i version 2, June 2006 release, Linux®, Windows®, and OpenVMS 8.3
operating systems through the Itanium processor family standards and extensions, and has no operating
system-specific functionality included. All operating systems are presented with the same interface to system
firmware, and all features are available to the operating system.
User Interface
The Itanium processor family firmware employs a user interface defined by an HP standard called Pre-OS
System Startup Environment (POSSE). The POSSE shell is based on the EFI standard shell. Several
commands were added to the standard EFI shell to support HP value-added functionality. Refer to the
POSSE specifications for further details.
Event IDs for Errors and Events
The system firmware generates event IDs for errors, events, and forward progress to the MP through common
shared memory. The MP interprets and stores event IDs. Reviewing these events helps you diagnose and
troubleshoot problems with the server.