英特尔正准备为 Linux 提供 Windows 用户所没有的 “超能力”
固件

> 
> 英特尔计划在 Linux 内核 5.17 中引入一个特殊的变化，可以在不重启系统的情况下更新系统固件。
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![](/data/attachment/album/202201/06/140244iepkefghpeeezgzg.png)


去年发现的几个安全漏洞，使得系统管理员很难在不停机的情况下迅速修补系统。


如果能做出一些改进，在不重启系统的情况下更新一些关键组件以提高安全/性能呢？


英特尔旨在通过其新的 PFRUT（<ruby> 平台固件运行时更新和遥测 <rt>  Platform Firmware Runtime Update and Telemetry </rt></ruby>）驱动程序来实现这一目标。


### 英特尔计划在 Linux 内核 5.17 中提供 PFRUT


虽然 Linux 内核 5.16 将在本周晚些时候发布，不过英特尔的目标是将这一新的功能合并到即将发布的 Linux 内核 5.17 稳定版。


但是，它究竟是什么？


有了 PFRUT 驱动，特定组件（或系统固件）可以在系统运行时进行更新，而不需要重新启动。


最初，英特尔倾向于将其称为“无缝更新”解决方案。然而，随着最近被添加到 Linux 电源管理的 linux-next 分支中的 Linux 内核提交，他们可能会继续使用一个厂商中立的名字，即 `pfrut_driver`。


顺便说一句，linux-next 分支代表着这些变化将进入下一个 Linux 内核稳定版（5.17）。


在技术上，这个 [提交](https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/rafael/linux-pm.git/commit/?h=linux-next&id=0db89fa243e5edc5de38c88b369e4c3755c5fb74) 对该变化的解释如下：



> 
> 用户应该提供 EFI 封包，并通过将该封包写入设备的特殊文件以将其传递给驱动程序。驱动程序在特定的 <ruby> ACPI 平台固件运行时更新 <rt>  ACPI Platform Firmware Runtime Update </rt></ruby>设备（INTC1080）的 ACPI \_DSM 方法的帮助下，将封包传输到平台固件，而实际的固件更新是由平台固件中的低级管理模式代码进行的。
> 
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就像人们通常期望的那样，这应该可以消除停机时间，可以对解决任何安全和性能改进的固件进行基本更新。而且，系统固件更新可以很容易地直接通过操作系统（这里是 Linux）进行。


正如其中一个 [详细说明其工作原理的 PDF 文件](https://uefi.org/sites/default/files/resources/Intel_MM_OS_Interface_Spec_Rev100.pdf) 中强调的那样，驱动程序的遥测部分是为了 “从 MM 中检索日志信息，以进行监控并找出问题的根本原因”。


请注意，这只有在 Linux 系统和英特尔芯片上才能实现。


考虑到当你需要修补系统固件以抵御安全问题时，等待系统上的任务完成不是一种理想状况，这种能力的增加应该是非常方便的。


### 这是为 Linux 桌面或服务器准备的吗？


该改进主要是为服务器专用硬件量身定做的。


英特尔的官方文件指出，这是为具有高服务水平协议（SLA）的系统准备的，这种 SLA 需要尽量减少重启。


然而，这对拥有企业级系统的特定桌面用户群应该也是有用的。


虽然这可能不是桌面 Linux 发行版必不可少的东西，但它可能是改善用户体验的一个令人兴奋的开始。特别是对于热衷于保持系统固件更新而不严重干扰其工作的用户。


这也应该可以引入更多类型的更新的可能性，当涉及到 BIOS 或 UEFI 时，可以由操作系统而不是主板处理。


这不仅限于为你的桌面配置服务器级别的硬件的 Linux 桌面用户。


虽然目前只限于 Linux 系统，但这也应该很快可以用于 Windows 和其他操作系统。


你对英特尔推出的这一变化有何看法？你认为这是对系统固件更新处理方式的一个重大改进吗？


欢迎在下面的评论中分享你的想法。




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via: <https://news.itsfoss.com/intel-linux-kernel/>


作者：[Ankush Das](https://news.itsfoss.com/author/ankush/) 选题：[lujun9972](https://github.com/lujun9972) 译者：[wxy](https://github.com/wxy) 校对：[wxy](https://github.com/wxy)


本文由 [LCTT](https://github.com/LCTT/TranslateProject) 原创编译，[Linux中国](https://linux.cn/) 荣誉推出


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Last year, several security vulnerabilities were discovered, making it difficult for system administrators to patch the systems without downtime quickly.

What if some improvements can be made to update some critical components for security/performance improvements without rebooting a system?

Intel aims to achieve that with its new PFRUT (Platform Firmware Runtime Update and Telemetry) driver.

## Intel Plans to Make PFRUT Available With Linux Kernel 5.17

While Linux Kernel 5.16 is due later this weekend, Intel aims to merge this new addition with the upcoming Linux Kernel 5.17 stable release.

But, what exactly is it?

With PFRUT driver, specific components (or the system firmware) can be updated while the system is running without needing to reboot.

Initially, Intel preferred to call it a “Seamless Update” solution. However, with the recent commit for Linux Kernel added to the Linux power management’s “linux-next” branch, they might be sticking to a vendor-neutral name, **pfrut_driver**.

If you are curious, the “linux-next” branch means that those changes will make their way to the next Linux Kernel 5.17 stable release.

In technical terms, the [commit](https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/rafael/linux-pm.git/commit/?h=linux-next&id=0db89fa243e5edc5de38c88b369e4c3755c5fb74&ref=news.itsfoss.com) explains the change as follows:

The user is expected to provide the EFI capsule, and pass it to the driver by writing the capsule to a device special file. The capsule is transferred by the driver to the platform firmware with the help of an ACPI _DSM method under the special ACPI Platform Firmware Runtime Update device (INTC1080), and the actual firmware update is carried out by the low-level Management Mode code in the platform firmware


This should eliminate any downtime, as one would typically expect with an essential update to firmware addressing any security and performance improvements. And, system firmware updates can be easily applied directly through the operating system (Linux, here).

The telemetry part of the driver exists to “*retrieve log messages from MM for monitoringand the root cause of issues*,” as highlighted in one of the

[PDFs detailing how this works](https://uefi.org/sites/default/files/resources/Intel_MM_OS_Interface_Spec_Rev100.pdf?ref=news.itsfoss.com).

Note that this is only possible with a Linux system and an Intel chip on board.

The addition of this ability should come in incredibly handy, considering it is not ideal to wait for a task to complete when you need to patch the system firmware to defend against a security issue.

## Is This for Linux Desktop or Server?

Primarily, the improvement is tailored to benefit server-specific hardware.

The official Intel documentation states it is meant for systems with high service level agreements (SLAs) requiring a minimal number of reboots.

However, this should be useful for a specific group of desktop users with enterprise-grade systems.

While this may not be something essential for desktop Linux distros, it could be an exciting start to something that improves the user experience. Specifically for users keen to keep their system firmware updated without severe interruptions to their active work.

This should also introduce the possibility of more types of updates that can be handled by the operating system instead of the motherboard when it comes to BIOS or UEFI.

Not just limited to the support for Linux desktop users, one would need to have server-grade hardware configured for your desktop.

This is limited to Linux systems, but this should also be possible for Windows and other operating systems soon.

*What do you think about this change introduced by Intel? Do you think it is a significant improvement to how system firmware updates are being handled?*

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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