AMD is working to replace its existing AGESA Firmware with a more open-source implementation known as openSIL which will support both client & server chips.
AMD Preps AGESA Replacement For 2026 CPUs & Beyond With Open-Source openSIL, Works For Both Client & Server Chips
During the OCP Regional Summit held in Prague last month, AMD hosted its openSIL presentation where it talked about replacing the current AGESA implementation. The implementation will work across AMD's client & server chips which is great news as it was previously expected that only the server "EPYC" chips would get the openSIL treatment.
The AMD openSIL project is an open-source firmware solution that like the existing AGESA BIOS firmware allows the platform to work with different CPU architectures, memory subsystems, the DRAM, and a host of other utilities. Each AGESA firmware adds or removes certain things, but it's mostly used to expand upon the processors and platform capabilities.
For example, AMD AGESA firmware is currently a hot topic given the recent burnout issues and the necessary code is being put in place with upcoming firmware that will mitigate and correct the flaws within the processor's architecture such as adjusting voltages across different rails or making sure that EXPO runs fine.
Moving forward, AMD wants to go open-source and replace the AGESA firmware implementation entirely since openSIL will offer:
- Agnostic 3 Static Library solution written in C-17 (Silicon, Platform & Utilities)
- Simple & Scalable integration with any x86 Host FW
- Flexible Platform library scalable to customer and x86 host FW needs
- Lightweight & Low chirp density for increased security
- Open-Source - right from the get-go!
While the initial support for openSIL will be delivered to the 4th Gen EPYC CPU family known as Genoa / Bergamo, the firmware will also come to client chips starting in 2026. AMD expects first openSIL firmware's to go into production around 2026 which is about the time we get the Zen 6 core architecture which is codenamed "Morpheus". The openSIL firmware will land on both the client desktop and client mobility side.
Raj said during his presentation, "AMD openSIL will be scaling to both server and client platforms by the 2026 timeframe." It was very refreshing to hear the entire AMD openSIL expanse and that it's not being limited to just server processors with hyperscaler deployments and Chromebooks on the Ryzen side or so. In being more versatile than AGESA, this is a great open-source system firmware outlook for the future.
Furthermore, AMD's Chief Firmware Architect, Raj Kapoor, states that the move to openSIL will solve some of the challenges the company has had with AGESA for its Chromebook solutions, as stated by Phoronix. Going open-source definitely has major advantages and work done on future firmware for Ryzen and EPYC CPUs can be streamlined while security itself can be hardened based on the requirements of the platform. It's going to be some time before we see it in action on client but the the server side will give us a sneak peek of what to expect soon!
News Source: Phoronix
