docs/system/arm/sbsa.rst

Arm Server Base System Architecture Reference board (``sbsa-ref``)
==================================================================

While the ``virt`` board is a generic board platform that doesn't match
any real hardware the ``sbsa-ref`` board intends to look like real
hardware. The `Server Base System Architecture
<https://developer.arm.com/documentation/den0029/latest>`_ defines a
minimum base line of hardware support and importantly how the firmware
reports that to any operating system.

It is intended to be a machine for developing firmware and testing
standards compliance with operating systems.

Supported devices
"""""""""""""""""

The ``sbsa-ref`` board supports:

  - A configurable number of AArch64 CPUs
  - GIC version 3
  - System bus AHCI controller
  - System bus XHCI controller
  - CDROM and hard disc on AHCI bus
  - E1000E ethernet card on PCIe bus
  - Bochs display adapter on PCIe bus
  - A generic SBSA watchdog device


Board to firmware interface
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""

``sbsa-ref`` is a static system that reports a very minimal devicetree to the
firmware for non-discoverable information about system components. This
includes both internal hardware and parts affected by the qemu command line
(i.e. CPUs and memory). As a result it must have a firmware specifically built
to expect a certain hardware layout (as you would in a real machine).

DeviceTree information
''''''''''''''''''''''

The devicetree provided by the board model to the firmware is not intended
to be a complete compliant DT. It currently reports:

   - CPUs
   - memory
   - platform version
   - GIC addresses

Platform version
''''''''''''''''

The platform version is only for informing platform firmware about
what kind of ``sbsa-ref`` board it is running on. It is neither
a QEMU versioned machine type nor a reflection of the level of the
SBSA/SystemReady SR support provided.

The ``machine-version-major`` value is updated when changes breaking
fw compatibility are introduced. The ``machine-version-minor`` value
is updated when features are added that don't break fw compatibility.

Platform version changes:

0.0
  Devicetree holds information about CPUs, memory and platform version.

0.1
  GIC information is present in devicetree.

0.2
  GIC ITS information is present in devicetree.

0.3
  The USB controller is an XHCI device, not EHCI