IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,239,665
Granted Patent B2
US 8,239,665 · App. 11/933,410 · Granted Aug 7, 2012

Methods, systems and media for configuring boot options

Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,239,665
App. No.
11/933,410
Filed
Oct 31, 2007
Granted
Aug 7, 2012
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2116
USPC
713/2
Abstract

Implementations described herein generally provide methods of configuring boot options. One method may generally include receiving on a remote management information handling system (IHS), boot information relating to a remotely configured HIS, using the boot information on the remote management IHS to create boot options and sending the boot options from the remote management IHS to the remotely configured IHS.

Claims (41)

1. A method of configuring boot options, comprising:

receiving on a remote management information handling system (IHS), boot information relating to a remotely configured IHS, wherein the boot information comprises information identifying a plurality of bootable devices installed on the remotely configured IHS, wherein the boot information comprises unique signatures identifying plurality of bootable devices, device description strings describing the bootable devices, and boot priority values together identifying a boot order;

presenting the boot information in a graphical user interface to a user of the remote management IHS;

allowing the user to modify the boot information in the graphical user interface to create boot options, wherein the boot options indicate a persistent boot order change or a one-shot boot order change;

sending the boot options from the remote management IHS to the remotely configured IHS;

and modifying a boot configuration of the remotely configured IHS based on the boot options.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the boot information comprises information identifying the plurality of bootable devices installed on the remotely configured IHS and a plurality of boot priority values corresponding to bootable devices installed on the remotely configured IHS; and wherein the information identifying the plurality of bootable devices and their corresponding boot priority values make up a first boot order.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the boot options comprise information identifying the plurality of bootable devices installed on the remotely configured IHS and a plurality of priority values corresponding to the plurality of bootable devices installed on the remotely configured IHS; and wherein the information identifying the plurality of bootable devices and their corresponding boot priority values make up a second boot order.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second boot order is different than the first boot order.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the information identifying the plurality of bootable devices installed on the remotely configured IHS in the second boot order comprises a unique signature for at least one bootable device installed on the remotely configured IHS and a corresponding boot priority value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving boot information relating to a remotely configured IHS on a remote management IHS, comprises:

sending the boot information from memory of the remotely configured IHS to a baseboard management controller (BMC) installed in the remotely configured IHS;

sending the boot information from the BMC to the remote management IHS; and

receiving the boot information on the remote management IHS.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions comprising:

a first instruction for receiving boot information relating to a remotely configured information handling system (IHS) on a remote management IHS, wherein the boot information comprises unique signatures corresponding to bootable devices installed in the remotely configured IHS, device description strings corresponding to the bootable devices, and priority values corresponding to the bootable devices; and wherein the boot information indicates a first boot order;

a second instruction for presenting the boot information in a graphical user interface to a user of the remote management IHS;

a third instruction for allowing the user to modify the boot information in the graphical user interface to create boot options, wherein the boot options indicate a persistent boot order change or a one-shot boot order change; and

a fourth instruction for sending the boot options from the remote management IHS to the remotely configured IHS.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein:

the boot options comprise unique signatures corresponding to bootable devices installed in the remotely configured IHS, device description strings corresponding to the bootable devices, and priority values corresponding to the bootable devices; and

wherein the boot options indicate a second boot order.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the first instruction for receiving boot information relating to a remotely configured IHS on a remote management IHS comprises:

a first set of instructions for sending the boot information from memory of the remotely configured IHS to a baseboard management controller (BMC) installed in the remotely configured IHS;

a second set of instructions for sending the boot information from the baseboard management controller to the remote management IHS; and

a third set of instructions for receiving the boot information on the remote management IHS.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the boot configuration of the remotely configured IHS based on the boot options comprises:

comparing a boot order specified by the boot options to a current boot order specified in a current boot table saved in the remotely configured IHS; and

if the boot order specified by the boot options is different than the current boot order, saving the boot order specified by the boot options as the current boot order.

11. A system comprising:

a remote management information handling system (IHS) configured to present boot information in a graphical user interface to a user of the remote management IHS, the remote management IHS further configured to accept input related to the boot information from the user of the remote management IHS, and create boot options based on the input allowing the user to modify the boot information in the graphical user interface to create boot options, wherein the boot options indicate a persistent boot order change or a one-shot boot order change;

a communication network; and

a remotely configured IHS comprising:

memory;

a baseboard management controller (BMC) coupled to a communications network and configured to send the boot information via the communication network to the remote management IHS; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the BMC and configured to send boot information to the BMC, wherein the boot information comprises unique signatures identifying plurality of bootable devices, device description strings describing the bootable devices, and boot priority values together identifying a boot order.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the remote management IHS is further configured to send the boot options to the BMC.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the BMC is further configured to receive the boot options and, in response to receiving the boot options, store the boot options and reset the remotely configured IHS.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein after a reset of the remotely configured IHS, the processor may be further configured to query the BMC for the boot options and compare a boot order specified by the boot options to a boot order specified by a current boot table stored in the memory.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor may be further configured to modify the current boot table stored in the memory if the boot order specified by the boot options differs from the boot order specified by the current boot table stored in memory.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor may be further configured to attempt to load an operating system from a bootable device specified in the boot options.

Assignments (15)
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: 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 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 (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 (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 (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 Dec 27, 2007
From: LIU, WEI; MUNGER, WILLIAM CARL; CHAO, CHING-LUNG
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 020292/0760 →
Continuity (1)
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