System, method and apparatus for energy efficiency and energy conservation by configuring power management parameters during run time

A method comprising:

• clearing, by a processor executing Basic Input Output System (BIOS) firmware, a respective lock bit for a plurality of power management constraint parameters on a reset event of the processor, wherein each lock bit disables changing a respective power management constraint parameter when set;
• checking, by the processor executing the BIOS firmware, a configuration setting of the processor to determine if run time changes of the power management constraint parameters are to be permitted;
• setting, by the processor executing the BIOS firmware, a first lock bit for a first of the plurality of power management constraint parameters based on the configuration setting;
• and
• preventing software executing on the processor from performing a run time change to the first of the plurality of power management constraint parameters based on the first lock bit being set.

An apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• a power controller coupled to the processor;
• and
• a storage element to store a respective lock bit for a plurality of power management constraint parameters for the power controller to prevent software from changing a respective power management constraint parameter during runtime after the respective lock bit is set by execution of Basic Input Output System (BIOS) firmware by the processor.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing code that when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method comprising:

• clearing, by a processor executing Basic Input Output System (BIOS) firmware, a respective lock bit for a plurality of power management constraint parameters on a reset event of the processor, wherein each lock bit disables changing a respective power management constraint parameter when set;
• checking, by the processor executing the BIOS firmware, a configuration setting of the processor to determine if run time changes of the power management constraint parameters are to be permitted;
• setting, by the processor executing the BIOS firmware, a first lock bit for a first of the plurality of power management constraint parameters based on the configuration setting;
• and
• preventing software executing on the processor from performing a run time change to the first of the plurality of power management constraint parameters based on the first lock bit being set.