SMM is a processor mode, entered via SMIs, as Dan Cross explains. The BMC on server boards, or co-processor (Intel ME, AMD ASP/formerly PSP), as well as other similar designs on other boards, are meant to offer out-of-band management by virtue of being separate processing units - connected to the main processing units' reset lines, possibly the same memory bus(es) and other peripherals (e.g., network adapters). That is how they make it possible to offer KVM, serial over network, attach virtual disks, perform resets, etc.
On Thu, 13 Aug 2026, 10:16 Ethan Azariah, <[email protected]> wrote: > On Wed, Aug 12, 2026, at 9:15 PM, Lyndon Nerenberg (VE7TFX/VE6BBM) wrote: > > Ethan Azariah writes: > > > >> SMM is for when a node in your supercomputer goes down, right at the > far en= > >> d of the building. You can use SMM to reboot it rather than walking > over th= > >> ere. Why it's enabled in consumer machines, I don't want to know.=20 > > > > I think you are confusing SMM with IPMI. > > /search, read--/ I think you're right. Could SMM function as an IPMI > baseboard management controller and interface? ------------------------------------------ 9fans: 9fans Permalink: https://9fans.topicbox.com/groups/9fans/T496d301e510c8cf1-Mf688aa8a9691dfe2c5c9ac10 Delivery options: https://9fans.topicbox.com/groups/9fans/subscription
