Intel SC5299WS User Manual

 

4.3.2.1 

SATA Enclosure Management Controller 

The QLogic* GEM424 enclosure management controller for the SATA backplane monitors 
various aspects of the storage enclosure. The chip provides out-of-band SAF-TE management 
through the SATA Host I

2

C interface. The GEM424 controller also supports the IPMI 

specification by providing management data to a baseboard management controller through the 
IPMB.  

The GEM424 controller has general input and output pins (GPIOs) that allow for customization. 
These GPIOs are used for hardware drive detection and driving FAULT and ACTIVITY LEDs. 

The GEM424 controller comes in an 80-pin Thin Quad Flat Pack (TQFP) package and operates 
from 3.3V and an input clock frequency of 20MHz.  

4.3.2.2 

SATA Interface 

The GEM424 controller implements SAF-TE over the HBA I

2

C interface. The GEM424 controller 

supports the following SAF-TE Command Set: 

ƒ 

Read Enclosure Configuration 

ƒ 

Read Enclosure Status 

ƒ 

Read Device Slot Status 

ƒ 

Read Global Flags 

ƒ 

Write Device Slot Status 

ƒ 

Perform Slot Operation 

4.3.2.3 

I

2

C Serial Bus Interface 

The GEM424 controller supports two independent I

2

C interface ports with bus speeds of up to 

400Kbits. The I

2

C core incorporates 8-bit FIFOs for data transfer buffering. The I

2

C bus supports 

a National* LM75 or equivalent I

2

C -based temperature sensor. This enables actual temperature 

value readings to be returned to the host. The Intelligent Platform Management Bus (IPMB) is 
supported through the I

2

C port 0. 

The following figure provides a block diagram of I

2

C bus connection implemented on the 6HDD 

SATA HSBP.