AMD Publishes Initial openSIL Open-Source CPU Silicon Initialization Code

Following an exciting AMD AI Day yesterday where they launched the Ryzen PRO 7000 series for desktops and laptops, launched Genoa-X and Bergamo server processors, and introduced the MI300X, there is additional exciting news today... AMD just published the code for their new openSIL project that is working on open-source CPU silicon initialization with Coreboot support and in the coming years will ultimately replace AGESA.

Ever since learning of openSIL in March I've been very excited for this new AMD open-source project. In April they then revealed more details such as support for not only EPYC but Ryzen too and being open-source from the get-go and very future-oriented. AMD openSIL will play a big role on AMD servers moving forward and their initial focus has been on providing a proof-of-concept for use on 4th Gen EPYC "Genoa" processors.

AMD openSIL is a long-term project that should reach "production" status in 2026 and replace AGESA with that generation of hardware. The proof-of-concept phase is expected to run through 2024.

Today that very early proof-of-concept code for running on AMD EPYC Genoa processors has been posted! openSIL/openSIL on GitHub is where the code is now being developed in the open.

"The AMD open Silicon Initialization Library (openSIL) is a collection of C libraries which can be integrated into an x86 host firmware, by directly compiling source or by linking with static libraries.

AMD openSIL consists of three statically linked libraries; xSIM (x86 Silicon Initialization Libraries), xPRF (x86 Platform Reference Library), and xUSL (x86 Utilities & Services Library). These libraries can be statically linked to a host firmware during compile/link time.

Source for the libraries resides under xSIM, xPRF, and xUSL."

The code is still in its early phase and is MIT licensed. For now the initial motherboard target is the AMD Onyx CRB reference board for 4th Gen EPYC. Sadly, I don't have the AMD Onyx CRB but rather the 2P Titanite, but it's going to take some time anyhow before AMD openSIL will be a viable alternative with Coreboot to running the proprietary BIOS.

With 4th Gen EPYC is also the exciting point where AMD's reference boards now use OpenBMC rather than a proprietary BMC stack.

Cheers to all the AMD engineers involved on this start of what is sure to be a very exciting but long journey, I'll be following closely at Phoronix.