IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,849,454
Granted Patent B2
US 7,849,454 · App. 11/331,509 · Granted Dec 7, 2010

Automatic firmware corruption recovery and update

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,849,454
App. No.
11/331,509
Granted
Dec 7, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

Firmware for a baseboard management controller (BMC) of a blade server module in an information handling system may have automatic firmware corruption recovery and updating through a TFTP transfer from a central storage location having the most recent BMC firmware image. Upon blade power-on or reset the BMC firmware image is checked for corruption and if corrupted a new BMC firmware image is loaded into the BMC memory. If the BMC firmware image is not corrupted then it is checked to determine if it is the latest version. If it is the latest version the BMC starts normal program execution. If not the latest version then the BMC firmware is updated through the TFTP transfer from the central storage location having the most recent BMC firmware image.

Claims (47)

1. A method for automatic firmware corruption recovery and update of an information handling system, wherein the information handling system comprises a memory and at least one or more processors, said method comprising the steps of:

checking a firmware image for corruption whenever a power-on or reset occurs;

requesting a replacement firmware image only from a central location connected to each of a plurality of networked computers for the corrupted firmware image, if the firmware image is corrupted;

booting from the firmware image then checking only at the central location if a newer version of the firmware image is available, if the firmware image is not corrupted, wherein

if the newer version of the firmware image is available at the central location then:

executing at the at least one or more processors a file transfer protocol command to retrieve the newer version of the firmware image from the central location,

loading the newer version of the firmware image directly to a memory location of the firmware image, and

booting the newer version of the firmware image, and

if the newer version of the firmware image is not available at the central location then beginning normal program execution until another power-on or reset occurs;

determining only at the central location whether the replacement firmware image is available, if the firmware image is corrupted, wherein

if the replacement firmware image is available at the central location then retrieving and loading the replacement firmware image directly to the memory location of the firmware image from the central location,

if the replacement firmware image is not available at the central location then setting a mode and serial port so that a serial port recovery is available then resetting, and

executing the serial port recovery.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the firmware image is stored in a non-volatile read only memory.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the firmware image is used with a baseboard management controller (BMC) of a blade server in a blade server system.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of loading the newer version of the firmware image into the BMC further comprises the step of loading from a chassis management controller (CMC).

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of loading the replacement of the firmware image into the BMC further comprises the step of loading from a chassis management controller (CMC).

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the firmware image is used with a baseboard management controller (BMC) of a rack server in a rack server system.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of loading the newer version of the firmware image into the BMC further comprises the step of loading from a remote assistant card (RAC).

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of loading the replacement of the firmware image into the BMC further comprises the step of loading from a remote assistant card (RAC).

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the firmware image is used with a management controller of a tower server.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the file transfer protocol command executed to retrieve the newer version of the firmware image from the central location is a trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP) command.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of retrieving the replacement of the firmware image includes the step of executing a trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP) command.

12. A computer program, stored in a tangible medium, for automatic firmware corruption recovery and update comprising executable instructions that cause at least one processor to:

check a firmware image for corruption whenever a power-on or reset occurs;

request a replacement firmware image only from a central location connected to each of a plurality of networked computers for the corrupted firmware image, if the firmware image is corrupted;

boot from the firmware image then checking only at the central location if a newer version of the firmware image is available, if the firmware image is not corrupted, wherein

if the newer version of the firmware image is available at the central location then:

execute a file transfer protocol command to retrieve the newer version of the firmware image from the central location,

load the newer version of the firmware image directly to a memory location of the firmware image, and

boot the newer version of the firmware image, and

if the newer version of the firmware image is not available at the central location then begin normal program execution until another power-on or reset occurs;

determine only at the central location whether the replacement firmware image is available, if the firmware image is corrupted, wherein

if the replacement firmware image is available at the central location then retrieve and load the replacement firmware image directly to the memory location of the firmware image from the central location, if the replacement firmware image is not available at the central location then set a mode and serial port so that a serial port recovery is available then reset, and execute the serial port recovery.

13. The computer program of claim 12 , wherein the firmware image is stored in a non-volatile read only memory.

14. The computer program of claim 12 , wherein the firmware image is used with a baseboard management controller (BMC) of a blade server in a blade server system.

15. The computer program of claim 12 , wherein the firmware image is used with a baseboard management controller (BMC) of a rack server in a rack server system.

16. The computer program of claim 12 , wherein the file transfer protocol command executed to retrieve the newer version of the firmware image from the central location is a trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP).

17. The computer program of claim 12 , further comprising executable instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one of the one or more processors to execute a trivial file transfer protocol (TFTP) command at the retrieve the replacement of the firmware image step.

18. A computer program, stored in a tangible medium, for automatic firmware corruption recovery comprising executable instructions that cause at least one processor to:

check a firmware image for corruption whenever a power-on or reset occurs to determine whether the firmware image is corrupted;

request a replacement firmware image only from a central location connected to each of a plurality of networked computers for the corrupted firmware image, if the firmware image is corrupted;

determine only at the central location whether the replacement firmware image is available, if the firmware image is corrupted;

retrieve and load the replacement firmware image directly to a memory location of the firmware image from the central location, if the replacement firmware image is available at the central location;

set a mode and serial port so that a serial port recovery is available then reset and execute the serial port recovery, if the replacement firmware image is not available at the central location.

19. The computer program of claim 18 , wherein the firmware image is used with a baseboard management controller (BMC) of a blade server in a blade server system.

20. The computer program of claim 19 , further comprising executable instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one of the one or more processors to load the replacement firmware image from a chassis management controller (CMC).

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: DELL USA L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; 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: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
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: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
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 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 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 Sep 1, 2006
From: LAMBERT, TIMOTHY; COCHRAN, STEPHEN; LOPEZ, PEDRO
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 018235/0692 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2006
From: LAMBERT, TIMOTHY; COCHRAM, STEPHEN; LOPEZ, PEDRO
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 017460/0471 →