Secure system for remote management and wake-up commands

An apparatus for connecting a host computer having management circuits to a network, comprising:

• a medium access control unit which receives network packets having a destination address within a set of destination addresses;
• a host interface for communication of received network packets to the host computer;
• logic coupled to the medium access control unit to detect received network packets carrying a message from a source to the management circuits in the host computer, the messages including a message authentication code;
• and
• security logic to verify the message authentication code of the message, to accept messages which pass authentication and generate a signal to the management circuits in the host computer, and to discard messages which fail authentication.

An apparatus for connecting a host computer having management circuits to a network, comprising;

• a medium access controller unit which receives network packets having a destination address within a set of destination addresses;
• a host interface for communication of received network packets to the host computer;
• logic coupled to the medium access control unit to detect received network packets carrying a message from a source to the management circuits in the host computer, the messages including a message authentication code;
• and
• security logic to verify the message authentication code of the message, to accept messages which pass authentication and generate a signal to the management circuits in the host computer, and to discard messages which fail authentication,
• wherein the message includes information to indicate re-use of the message, a timestamp, and the resources to detect re-use include logic to ensure that the timestamp in the message being authenticated is more recent than that in a last received and authenticated message.

A method for signaling management circuits in an end station from a management station through a network, comprising:

• establishing a protocol for transmitting management messages including authentication with the end station;
• producing a management message according to the protocol including a command selected from a set of commands including at least one of boot and wake up from a sleeping state;
• and
• transmitting the management message to the end station.

A method for signaling management circuits in an end station from a management station through a network, comprising:

• establishing a protocol for transmitting management messages including authentication with the end station;
• producing a management message according to the protocol including a command selected from a set of commands including at least one of boot and wake up from a sleeping state;
• and
• transmitting the management message to the end station,
• wherein the message includes a message authentication code and a timestamp, and including ensuring that the timestamp in the message being authenticated is more recent than that in a last received and authenticated message.