Standards-Based Computing For The Modern Datacenter

Author: Chris Andrada, Product Marketing Manager, MSI Enterprise Platform Solution Collection: 2025 OCP Global Summit - Expo Hall Sessions

Summary

MSI Enterprise Platform Solution presents its full adoption of the OCP DC-MHS (Data Center Modular Hardware System) architecture for all current and next-generation server motherboards. The presentation traces the evolution from single-vendor CPU environments through multi-vendor complexity (Intel, AMD, and now ARM with multiple socket types per vendor), explaining how proprietary motherboard designs created unsustainable engineering burdens -- each vendor, socket, and generation requiring custom boards with custom BMC firmware. DC-MHS addresses this by standardizing the HPM (Host Processor Module) form factor and separating the BMC onto a modular DC-SCM (Secure Control Module) card.

MSI's current DC-MHS lineup uses three form factors: DNO2 (half-width), DNO4 (3/4-width, replacing EATX, up to 24 DIMMs), and FLW (full-width, 19-inch, dual-socket, 32 DIMMs). For next generation (Gen6), these evolve to the SDNO (Standardized DNO) specification with four classes: A and C for 19-inch racks, B and D for 21-inch/ORv3 racks. SDNO specifies fixed width per class with variable depth (e.g., SDNO A305 = class A, 305mm depth). The DC-SCM module centralizes BIOS, BMC firmware (AST2600, transitioning to AST2700), hardware root of trust, and TPM onto a single card that works across multiple vendors' HPMs. MSI also introduces the EVAC (Extended Volume Air Cooler) heat sink standard, extending beyond the CPU keep-in zone to support 400W-500W TDP processors while maintaining clearance for DIMMs and full-length PCIe cards.