The rapid scaling of AI-driven data centers is creating a critical fragmentation in how infrastructure is managed, secured, and verified across diverse hardware ecosystems. To address this, Lattice Semiconductor and AMI have announced the launch of the Secure Control and Management Plane (SCMP), a new Open Compute Project (OCP) workstream designed to establish a vendor-neutral architecture for data center control. As AI capital expenditure is projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2027, the industry faces significant integration risks stemming from proprietary boot sequences and non-standardized telemetry interfaces. SCMP aims to mitigate these risks by defining how a control authority maintains trust from the silicon root of trust through the entire rack and pod hierarchy, providing a standardized framework for secure, interoperable management in increasingly autonomous environments.
Standardizing the AI Control and Management Plane
The SCMP workstream targets specific technical gaps that currently exist within the data center lifecycle, particularly as compute density and complexity increase. According to the announcement made at the 2026 OCP Global Summit, current infrastructure control remains largely vendor-specific, leaving critical processes like boot-up sequences above the device boundary unspecified. SCMP intends to define the control authority and the specific bring-up sequences required to govern how a rack is booted, verified, and supplied with firmware. By standardizing these procedures, the initiative seeks to move away from fragmented, platform-specific control and telemetry interfaces that vary by Original Design Manufacturer (ODM).
Furthermore, the architecture addresses the limitations of current distributed security models, where attestation often terminates at the device boundary. SCMP specifies how component identities can compose into a verifiable trust chain at the rack and pod tiers, leveraging existing technologies such as Caliptra™, DMTF SPDM, and OCP S.A.F.E.™. The workstream also focuses on future-proofing infrastructure by defining open, verifiable interfaces for critical recovery tasks, including recovery from failed trusted boots, ownership transfers, and certificate revocations. This standardization is intended to ensure that infrastructure can be secured, recovered, and re-provisioned across different vendors and hardware generations, reducing the "lock-in" typically associated with proprietary management planes.
Scaling Trusted Infrastructure via OCP Collaboration
The development of SCMP is being led by Lattice and AMI under the auspices of the Open Compute Project (OCP) Foundation. The initiative is supported by a group of founding contributors that includes major industry players such as AMD, Arm, ASPEED, Intel, Jabil, Microsoft, and NXP. This coalition brings together expertise across the silicon, firmware, manufacturing, and operations sectors to build a "Chip-to-Grid" foundation. For enterprise operators, the goal of this collaboration is to provide a common architecture that allows complex AI systems to function predictably across various vendors and platforms, thereby reducing the integration complexity inherent in multi-vendor AI clusters.
The SCMP workstream is scheduled to officially launch in Q4 2026. While the founding members provide the initial technical momentum, the OCP has opened the workstream to its broader community of over 400 member companies. This includes silicon suppliers, system integrators, and large-scale operators who require interoperable standards to manage the next generation of AI-scale infrastructure. By integrating open firmware designs—specifically for Baseboard Management Controllers (BMC) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)—with open hardware, the SCMP initiative positions itself as a foundational layer for the end-to-end computer continuum required for autonomous AI operations.
Key Takeaways
- Lattice and AMI are leading the new SCMP workstream within the Open Compute Project to create a vendor-neutral architecture for secure data center management.
- The initiative addresses critical infrastructure gaps, including unspecified boot-up sequences, non-standardized telemetry interfaces, and limited attestation at the rack and pod levels.
- Founding contributors to the SCMP workstream include AMD, AMI, Arm, ASPEED, Intel, Jabil, Lattice, Microsoft, and NXP.
TechInsyte's Take
In our view, the launch of the SCMP workstream is a direct response to the "complexity tax" currently being paid by hyperscalers and enterprise AI adopters. As AI workloads push data center design toward the rack level, the lack of a unified management plane has become a significant bottleneck for both security and operational agility. By moving the industry toward a standardized "control authority" model, Lattice and its partners are attempting to decouple management logic from proprietary hardware silos. This signals a shift where the value proposition for infrastructure providers will increasingly rely on how well their components integrate into a verifiable, open trust chain rather than how effectively they can lock customers into a closed ecosystem. If SCMP achieves widespread adoption, it could significantly lower the barrier to entry for multi-vendor AI deployments.
Questions & Answers
How does SCMP address the security limitations of current device-level attestation?
SCMP specifies a method for component identities to compose into a verifiable trust chain that extends beyond the individual device to the rack and pod tiers. It builds upon existing standards like Caliptra™, DMTF SPDM, and OCP S.A.F.E.™ to ensure security is maintained across the broader infrastructure hierarchy.
What specific operational risks does the SCMP workstream aim to mitigate for data center operators?
The workstream targets risks associated with vendor-specific boot sequences, fragmented telemetry interfaces, and undefined procedures for infrastructure recovery. By standardizing these elements, SCMP aims to reduce integration risks and provide more predictable management of complex AI systems across different platforms.
Which industry sectors and roles are invited to participate in the SCMP development?
The SCMP workstream is open to all OCP participants, specifically targeting silicon suppliers, Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs), system integrators, and large-scale data center operators who require interoperable and secure management standards.
When is the SCMP workstream expected to begin its formal development phase?
According to the announcement, the SCMP workstream is scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2026.
Source: Lattice Semiconductor
