ASF Support

Common Options : Automatic, Enabled, Disabled

 

Quick Review

ASF is short for Alert Standard Format. It is a remote client management technology born out of the simpler Alert on LAN (AoL) standard. Note though that Alert on LAN is quite different from the Wake on LAN (WoL) feature found in many network interface cards.

This BIOS feature serves to control the ASF functions in your system.

When set to Automatic, the ASF controller will be activated and allowed to communicate with a remote management server, if and when one queries it.

When enabled, the ASF controller will be activated and allowed to communicate with a remote management server. When disabled, the ASF controller will be disabled. The system will not communicate with any remote management server.

Please note that ASF support does not end at the BIOS level. It must be properly configured on both the client and server end to function properly. Therefore, there is no need to enable this BIOS feature unless you want to configure ASF for this system, as part of a remote client management network.

 

Details

ASF is short for Alert Standard Format. It is a remote client management technology born out of the simpler Alert on LAN (AoL) standard. Note though that Alert on LAN is quite different from the Wake on LAN (WoL) feature found in many network interface cards.

[adrotate banner=”4″]Residing with the Ethernet controller, the ASF controller collects information about various components and sensors in the system. This ranges from POST alerts, operating system failure notifications to fan speeds and CPU temperature.

It continuously sends these information to a remote server running a management console. Essentially, it serves to keep the remote server informed about the client system’s health. If necessary, the server can send instructions to the ASF controller, ordering it to perform corrective or maintenance tasks on the system. For example, if the client is not responsive, the server can remotely attempt to power it up, reboot the client or power it down.

It is even possible to change the boot sequence of the client system to switch to a different operating system, or run a diagnostic routine. The ASF is independent of any operating system. In fact, it can even work in the absence of an operating system.

This BIOS feature serves to control the ASF functions in your system.

When enabled, the ASF controller will be activated and allowed to communicate with a remote management server.

When disabled, the ASF controller will be disabled. The system will not communicate with any remote management server.

Please note that ASF support does not end at the BIOS level. It must be properly configured on both the client and server end to function properly. Therefore, there is no need to enable this BIOS feature unless you want to configure ASF for this system, as part of a remote client management network.

 

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