Monday, May 8th 2023
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AMD Open-Source Firmware is Coming, openSIL will Replace AGESA by 2026
During the OCP Regional Summit, AMD has shared plans to replace AGESA with openSIL. The change will not come soon, and according to details, it will be a slow process starting in 2026. AGESA firmware updates are quite important but also vulnerable to cyber-attacks, which is one of the key points for the new OpenSIL, which is proposed as an open-source solution.
As detailed by Phoronix, AMD mentioned the Open-Source Silicon Initialization Library (openSIL) back in mid-April, when it launched initial support for 4th Gen EPYC processors and its reference platform. Although initially aimed at server processors, AMD has made clear during the OCP presentation that the OpenSIL is meant to be a replacement to AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA), covering the entire product stack. As said, AMD plans for openSIL to be simple, easily scalable, lightweight, and open-source, thus increasing the overall security.Raj Kapoor, AMD Fellow and Chief Firmware Architect shared a bit more details about the challenges that AGESA brings, and said that: "AMD openSIL will be scaling to both server and client platforms by the 2026 timeframe." During Q&A, he added that "AGESA will be end of life, openSIL will replace it."
Considering the timeframe, openSIL won't be ready before AMD launches Zen 6 or even Zen 7 CPUs, at least on the client side, while the proof of concept code for the AMD 4th Gen EPYC Genoa server CPUs will be ready soon.
Source:
Phoronix
As detailed by Phoronix, AMD mentioned the Open-Source Silicon Initialization Library (openSIL) back in mid-April, when it launched initial support for 4th Gen EPYC processors and its reference platform. Although initially aimed at server processors, AMD has made clear during the OCP presentation that the OpenSIL is meant to be a replacement to AMD Generic Encapsulated Software Architecture (AGESA), covering the entire product stack. As said, AMD plans for openSIL to be simple, easily scalable, lightweight, and open-source, thus increasing the overall security.Raj Kapoor, AMD Fellow and Chief Firmware Architect shared a bit more details about the challenges that AGESA brings, and said that: "AMD openSIL will be scaling to both server and client platforms by the 2026 timeframe." During Q&A, he added that "AGESA will be end of life, openSIL will replace it."
Considering the timeframe, openSIL won't be ready before AMD launches Zen 6 or even Zen 7 CPUs, at least on the client side, while the proof of concept code for the AMD 4th Gen EPYC Genoa server CPUs will be ready soon.
47 Comments on AMD Open-Source Firmware is Coming, openSIL will Replace AGESA by 2026
For the record when you get paid at this level your tasks are dictated by jira board not bug report and those jira boards are populated by TAMs that want you to push new features they can charge for not security issues in C++. That’s what lawyers are for.
That last part will still be the weakest and slowest
To be fair, "just google it" is a favourite answer coming from any Linux fan. Literally every single conversation I have with Linux fans goes like this:
Me: "I don't know how to do X. Can you help?"
Linux fan: "Sure. Just open the terminal and use the commands."
Me: "What commands?"
Linux fan: "Just google it."
This is why I don't use Linux (open source, closed community). Huh? The fixed BIOS for my motherboard was out two days before Gamer's Nexus' video on the issue.
What I would like AMD to do in the future is get rid of the chipset driver, and find a way to control everything from firmware.
Too much to ask from a PC enthusiast, I know. That's far better than being completely ignored which seems exactly what an entitled tourist like you deserves. Thank you. Now if you want to be a good citizen you could stop complaining about something you don't understand.
As for closed community... Most Linux users can be pricks*, at least in some aspects, that much is true. In spite of that, Ubuntu's or Arch's wiki would like to have a word with you.
*not necessarily a Linux exclusive, just look up a random TPU thread that mentions Intel or Nvidia.
You don't even need .exe files, handy little icon for everything, and a virtual assistant if you get lost.
It goes upwards like this in terms of OS potential and requirements for user proficiency - OSX - Windows - Linux.
Ubuntu is the distribution that is most geared towards home users coming from Windows. It has all these graphical utilities to install extra codecs, that distros can't carry directly, install various drivers. If that didn't work for you, nothing will.