Out-of-band authentication for multi-port memory systems

An apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of memory devices;
• a plurality of ports coupled with the plurality of memory devices and coupled with one or more host systems via one or more host interfaces, wherein the plurality of ports is configured to:
• restrict one or more first commands from the one or more host systems based at least in part on a port management mode of the apparatus;
• facilitate an authentication process between the apparatus and the one or more host systems based at least in part on the port management mode;
• and
• receive the one or more first commands from the one or more host systems via the one or more host interfaces based at least in part on the authentication process;
• and
• a management port coupled with the plurality of memory devices and coupled with a management system via an out-of-band interface, wherein the management port is configured to:
• receive, based at least in part on the port management mode of the apparatus, one or more second commands from the management system via the out-of-band interface;
• and
• transmit, via the out-of-band interface, one or more requests for the authentication process between the apparatus and the one or more host systems based at least in part on a quantity of ports included in the plurality of ports of the apparatus.

A method by a memory system, comprising:

• entering, based at least in part on a bootup sequence associated with the memory system, a port security management mode associated with reduced access, to the memory system, by one or more host systems prior to authentication of the one or more host systems with the memory system, wherein the one or more host systems are each coupled with one or more ports of the memory system via one or more host interfaces, and wherein the port security management mode is associated with a reduced set of one or more commands supported by the memory system via the one or more host interfaces;
• granting, based at least in part on an attestation process between the memory system and an authentication management controller, access by the authentication management controller to a first port of the one or more ports of the memory system, wherein the authentication management controller communicates with the memory system via the first port and a system management channel different from the one or more host interfaces;
• and
• receiving, from the authentication management controller via the system management channel, one or more commands that request increased access for at least a first host system of the one or more host systems based at least in part on granting the access to the authentication management controller, wherein the first host system is coupled with the memory system via a second port of the one or more ports of the memory system.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code, the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to:

• enter, based at least in part on a bootup sequence associated with a memory system, a port security management mode associated with reduced access, to the memory system, by one or more host systems prior to authentication of the one or more host systems with the memory system, wherein the one or more host systems are each coupled with one or more ports of the memory system via one or more host interfaces, and wherein the port security management mode is associated with a reduced set of one or more commands supported by the memory system via the one or more host interfaces;
• grant, based at least in part on an attestation process between the memory system and an authentication management controller, access by the authentication management controller to a first port of the one or more ports of the memory system, wherein the authentication management controller communicates with the memory system via the first port and a system management channel different from the one or more host interfaces;
• and
• receive, from the authentication management controller via the system management channel, one or more commands that request increased access for at least a first host system of the one or more host systems based at least in part on granting the access to the authentication management controller, wherein the first host system is coupled with the memory system via a second port of the one or more ports of the memory system.

A memory system, comprising:

• means for entering, based at least in part on a bootup sequence associated with the memory system, a port security management mode associated with reduced access, to the memory system, by one or more host systems prior to authentication of the one or more host systems with the memory system, wherein the one or more host systems are each coupled with one or more ports of the memory system via one or more host interfaces, and wherein the port security management mode is associated with a reduced set of one or more commands supported by the memory system via the one or more host interfaces;
• means for granting, based at least in part on an attestation process between the memory system and an authentication management controller, access by the authentication management controller to a first port of the one or more ports of the memory system, wherein the authentication management controller communicates with the memory system via the first port and a system management channel different from the one or more host interfaces;
• and
• means for receiving, from the authentication management controller via the system management channel, one or more commands that request increased access for at least a first host system of the one or more host systems based at least in part on granting the access to the authentication management controller, wherein the first host system is coupled with the memory system via a second port of the one or more ports of the memory system.