Host independent peripheral controller with on-board firmware

摘要

A particular, appropriate BIOS extension image is selected from a potential set of multiple images for use in initializing a peripheral adapter. To enable proper selection, the peripheral adapter includes a firmware image of a BIOS extension that is storable on the peripheral adapter. The firmware image includes a nominal identifier of a BIOS extension and a set of one or more firmware markers that are compliant with the valid identification of the BIOS extension by a first predetermined host computer and that ensures that the firmware image is identifiable by a second predetermined host computer as being invalid. By specific selection of the firmware markers, these markers can be used to uniquely enable a predetermined one of the host processors to appropriately execute an appropriate BIOS extension image.