Introducing “OpenBMC”: an open software framework for next-generation system management

This post introduces OpenBMC, an open-source Linux distribution for Baseboard Management Controllers (BMCs). It details the motivation for building a custom BMC stack due to the limitations of closed-source vendor solutions, highlighting the need for reliability and rapid iteration. The post describes the architecture of OpenBMC, including its bootloader, Linux kernel, open-source packages, and board-specific components, all built using the Yocto Project. It outlines the three-layer structure (common, SoC, board) for customization and announces the release of the OpenBMC repository on GitHub, inviting community contributions for system management applications, SoC support, and board-specific improvements.