Intel® vPro™ Technology

Extreme Programming with Intel® vPro™ Technology: Pushing the Limits with Innovative Software

Introduction

The Intel® vPro™ brand identifies computers optimized for business, and these computers comprise components that are specifically tailored to the business market. One such component of a computer with Intel vPro technology is Intel® Active Management Technology (Intel® AMT), an out-of-band (OOB) management module that is built right into the platform and is used to remotely monitor and fix problems, independent of the operating system (OS). The complete set of Intel AMT features is often divided into three categories: discover, protect, and heal. Most of the well-known and frequently used Intel AMT features have been around since Version 2.0 of Intel vPro technology, which was released in 2006. These features are used by independent software vendors (ISVs) to diagnose and fix computers, thus lowering the total cost of ownership of the platform. For readers just getting to know Intel AMT, an overview of the underlying technology can be found on the Intel Web site at Intel AMT.

To ensure the highest possible security in a business environment, Intel AMT is a signed firmware that can only be updated with another Intel verified firmware. Developers cannot add new features to Intel AMT directly, but, by using the existing functions creatively as software building blocks, developers can build solutions that are well beyond the original intended usage of Intel AMT. These innovative uses increase the value of deploying and activating Intel vPro technology, and expand remote management capabilities to an already large installed base. Table 1 describes four Intel AMT features commonly used today that offer opportunities for innovation. These four Intel AMT features are the focus of this paper.

Table 1: Four features of Intel® AMT with opportunities for innovation

Feature	Acronym	Definition
Serial-over-LAN	(SOL)	A virtual communication port that carries data through the network to the administration console. It generally works at 115 Kb/sec. but can be made to work at speeds nearing 1 Mb/sec.
IDE Redirection	(IDE-R)	A virtual CD-ROM and floppy device mounted through the network to a computer enabled with Intel® vPro™ technology. Used with remote boot to fix operating-system issues. Compatible software running in the host operating system is monitored by Intel® vPro™ technology, and changes in state can be logged or reported to the administrator.
Agent Presence	N/A	Compatible software running in the host operating system is monitored by Intel® vPro™ technology, and changes in state can be logged or reported to the administrator.
Third-Party Data Storage	(3PDS)	192 KB of flash memory on the platform can be accessed regardless of the state of the operating system.

Back to Top