IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,650,490
Granted Patent B2
US 7,650,490 · App. 11/323,738 · Granted Jan 19, 2010

Embedded device for implementing a boot process on a host

Assignee: Augmentix Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,650,490
App. No.
11/323,738
Filed
Dec 30, 2005
Granted
Jan 19, 2010
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2116
USPC
713/2
Abstract

An embedded device, for implementing a boot process on a host, is provided. This embedded device includes servers supporting various industry-standard Internet protocols and services related to the boot process. This embedded device also includes a storage medium that stores boot options for multiple Operating Systems (OSs). In addition, this embedded device includes a user-friendly interface for configuring the servers for the boot process.

Claims (27)

1. An embedded device for implementing a Pre-boot execution Environment (PXE) boot on a host, the embedded device comprising:

a. a first microprocessor on the embedded device, the first microprocessor distinct from a second microprocessor of the host, the first microprocessor on the embedded device comprising one or more servers, each of the one or more servers supporting at least one protocol related to the PXE boot, and a management interface, the management interface being provided for configuring the embedded device;

b. a first storage medium on the embedded device, the first storage medium distinct from a second storage medium of the host, the first storage medium on the embedded device storing one or more boot options, each of the one or more boot options being related to an Operating System (OS); and

c. a communication medium on the embedded device, the communication medium providing an interface between the embedded device and the host, the communication medium being connected to a communication bus on the host, wherein when the embedded device is physically attached to the host the embedded device is operable to receive communications from the host associated with the PXE boot from the host, including one or more requests from the host, and respond to the one or more requests using only the one or more servers and the boot options on the first storage medium on the embedded device and wherein during a PXE boot the second storage medium of the host is bypassed and the communications occurring between the host and the embedded device during the PXE boot occur through the communication medium.

2. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the management interface comprises at least one of a web Application Programming Interface (API), a Secure Shell (SSH) API, and a Hardware Platform Interface (HPI) API.

3. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the management interface being used to select an OS to be loaded for booting the host.

4. The embedded device of claim 1 further comprising a PXE Read Only Memory (ROM), wherein the PXE ROM comprises a PXE loader, the PXE loader initiating the PXE boot on the host on being provided to the host through the communication medium.

5. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the communication medium comprises an Ethernet controller.

6. The embedded device of claim 5 further comprising a local device driver, the local device driver interfacing the Ethernet controller to a local OS running on the microprocessor.

7. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the first microprocessor further comprises a PXE GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB), the PXE GRUB being provided to the host through the communication medium, the PXE GRUB loading a selected OS on the host.

8. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more servers comprise a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, the DHCP server responding to one or more DHCP requests through the communication medium, the one or more DHCP requests being requested by the host.

9. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more servers comprise a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server, the TFTP server responding to one or more TFTP requests through the communication medium, the one or more TFTP requests being requested by the host.

10. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more servers comprise a Network File System (NFS) server, the NFS server responding to one or more NFS requests through the communication medium, the one or more NES requests being requested by the host.

11. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more servers comprise a Server Message Block/Common Internet File System (SMB/CIFS) server, the SMB/CIFS server responding to one or more SMB/CIFS requests through the communication medium, the one or more SMB/CIFS requests being requested by the host.

12. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the storage medium comprises a flash memory.

13. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein the storage medium comprises a micro drive.

14. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein a boot option from the one or more boot options comprises one or more boot images of an OS.

15. The embedded device of claim 1 , wherein a boot option from the one or more boot options comprises a kernel, an initial Random Access Memory (RAM) disk, and a Root File System (RES), of an OS.

16. The embedded device of claim 1 wherein the embedded device is capable of booting the host from a remote location.

17. An embedded device for implementing a boot process on a host, the embedded device comprising:

a. a first microprocessor on the embedded device, the first microprocessor distinct from a second microprocessor of the host, the first microprocessor on the embedded device comprising one or more servers, each of the one or more servers supporting at least one protocol related to the boot process, and a management interface, the management interface being provided for configuring the embedded device;

b. a first storage medium on the embedded device, the first storage medium distinct from a second storage medium of the host, the first storage medium on the embedded device storing one or more boot options, each of the one or more boot options being related to an Operating System (OS); and

c. a communication medium on the embedded device, the communication medium providing an interface between the embedded device and the host, the communication medium being connected to a communication bus on the host, wherein when the embedded device is physically attached to the host the embedded device is operable to receive communications from the host associated with the PXE boot from the host, including one or more requests from the host, and respond to the one or more requests using only the one or more servers and the boot options on the first storage medium on the embedded device and wherein during a PXE boot the second storage medium of the host is bypassed and the communications occurring between the host and the embedded device during the PXE boot occur through the communication medium.

18. An add-on card for implementing a Pre-boot execution Environment (PXE) boot on a host, the add-on card comprising:

a. a first microprocessor on the add-on card, the first microprocessor distinct from a second microprocessor of the host the first microprocessor on the add-on card comprising one or more servers, each of the one or more servers supporting at least one protocol related to the PXE boot, and a management interface, the management interface being provided for configuring the embedded device;

b. a first storage medium on the add-on card, the first storage medium distinct from a second storage medium of the host the first storage medium on the add-on card storing one or more boot options, each of the one or more boot options being related to an Operating System (OS); and

c. a communication medium, the communication medium providing an interface between the add-on card and the host, the communication medium being connected to a communication bus on the host, wherein when the add-on card is physically attached to the host the add-on card is operable to receive communications from the host associated with the PXE boot from the host, including one or more requests from the host, and respond to the one or more requests using only the one or more servers and the boot options on the first storage medium on the add-on card and wherein during a PXE boot a the second storage medium of the host is bypassed and the communications occurring between the host and the add-on card during the PXE boot occur through the communication medium.

Assignments (16)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040040/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0618 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0216 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031899/0261 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031898/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031897/0348 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2013
From: AUGMENTIX CORPORATION
To: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
Reel/Frame 029775/0843 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2006
From: BARRON, MATTHEW D., JR.; GRABBE, TODD D.
To: AUGMENTIX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018657/0331 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20070157017A1 · Jul 5, 2007