Robust firmware update with recovery logic
View Patent ↗Systems and methods for updating firmware include a firmware update module executing on a client device. A firmware package to be installed on the client device may be verified by the firmware update module, including verifying that firmware files included in the firmware package are intact prior to beginning a firmware update. Recovery logic for enabling a client device to boot-up from a functional partition after a failed firmware update may be provided. The recovery logic may ensure that, when a firmware update failure occurs, the client device may boot-up from a functional partition. A recovery process may back up certain components stored in the client device. An update status related to the firmware update process may be provided.
1. A method for updating firmware components of a client device using a firmware update module running on the client device, the method comprising:
receiving of a firmware update configuration file at the client device, wherein the firmware update configuration file identifies a firmware update repository, one or more firmware updates, and a firmware update package name, size, and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value for each of the one or more firmware updates;
parsing of the firmware update configuration file on the client device;
communicating with the firmware update repository to validate each of the one or more firmware updates by comparing, for each of the one or more firmware updates, the firmware update package name and size identified in the firmware update configuration file and a firmware update package name and size stored in the firmware update repository;
receiving, on the client device, from the firmware update repository, the firmware update package for each of the one or more firmware updates, calculating a CRC value of each received firmware update package, and comparing the calculated CRC value with the CRC value identified for the firmware update package in the firmware update configuration file;
performing a backup of one or more firmware components on the client device corresponding to the one or more firmware updates; and
updating of the one or more firmware components on the client device using the received firmware update package for each of the one or more firmware updates.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more firmware updates include an update for at least one of a master boot record (MBR), a basic input/output system (BIOS), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) memory, a firmware update module, and an operating system on the client device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the firmware update module is stored in a dedicated partition of a non-volatile memory of the client device, the method further comprising:
booting the client device from the dedicated partition of the non-volatile memory storing the firmware update module.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
booting the client device using a pre-boot execution (PXE) module of the client device; and
retrieving, as part of the booting of the client device, the firmware update module from a PXE server in communication with the client device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the firmware update module and the firmware update configuration file are stored in a removable storage device connected to the client device, the method further comprising:
booting the client device from the removable storage device storing the firmware update module and the firmware update configuration file.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client device is in communication with a remote management server, the method further comprising:
scheduling, on the remote management server, a firmware update for updating firmware components of the client device; and
receiving, on the client device from the remote management server, the firmware update configuration file.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determination that the updating of a particular firmware component of the one or more firmware components on the client has failed; and
in response to the determination, restoring of the particular firmware component on the client device from the backup of the firmware component.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client device comprises a non-volatile memory having first and second partitions, the method further comprising:
prior to updating of a firmware components located on the first partition of the non-volatile memory, setting of the second partition of the non-volatile memory as the primary boot partition on the client device.
9. A machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions executable by one or more processors to perform one or more operations for updating firmware components of a client device using a firmware update module running on the client device, the one or more operations comprising:
receiving of a firmware update configuration file at the client device, wherein the firmware update configuration file identifies a firmware update repository, one or more firmware updates, and a firmware update package name, size, and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value for each of the one or more firmware updates;
parsing of the firmware update configuration file on the client device;
communicating with the firmware update repository to validate each of the one or more firmware updates by comparing, for each of the one or more firmware updates, the firmware update package name and size identified in the firmware update configuration file and a firmware update package name and size stored in the firmware update repository;
receiving, on the client device, from the firmware update repository, the firmware update package for each of the one or more firmware updates, calculating a CRC value of each received firmware update package, and comparing the calculated CRC value with the CRC value identified for the firmware update package in the firmware update configuration file;
performing a backup of one or more firmware components on the client device corresponding to the one or more firmware updates; and
updating of the one or more firmware components on the client device using the received firmware update package for each of the one or more firmware updates.
10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more firmware updates include an update for at least one of a master boot record (MBR), a basic input/output system (BIOS), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) memory, a firmware update module, and an operating system on the client device.
11. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the firmware update module is stored in a dedicated partition of a non-volatile memory of the client device, and wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
booting the client device from the dedicated partition of the non-volatile memory storing the firmware update module.
12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
booting the client device using a pre-boot execution (PXE) module of the client device; and
retrieving, as part of the booting of the client device, the firmware update module from a PXE server in communication with the client device.
13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the firmware update module and the firmware update configuration file are stored in a removable storage device connected to the client device, and wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
booting the client device from the removable storage device storing the firmware update module and the firmware update configuration file.
14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the client device is in communication with a remote management server, and wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
scheduling, on the remote management server, a firmware update for updating firmware components of the client device; and
receiving, on the client device from the remote management server, the firmware update configuration file.
15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
determination that the updating of a particular firmware component of the one or more firmware components on the client has failed; and
in response to the determination, restoring of the particular firmware component on the client device from the backup of the firmware component.
16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the client device comprises a non-volatile memory having first and second partitions, and wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
prior to updating of a firmware components located on the first partition of the non-volatile memory, setting of the second partition of the non-volatile memory as the primary boot partition on the client device.
17. A hardware apparatus for updating firmware components of a client device using a firmware update module running on the client device, the hardware apparatus comprising:
one or more modules configured to perform one or more operations comprising:
receiving of a firmware update configuration file at the client device, wherein the firmware update configuration file identifies a firmware update repository, one or more firmware updates, and a firmware update package name, size, and cyclic redundancy check (CRC) value for each of the one or more firmware updates;
parsing of the firmware update configuration file on the client device;
communicating with the firmware update repository to validate each of the one or more firmware updates by comparing, for each of the one or more firmware updates, the firmware update package name and size identified in the firmware update configuration file and a firmware update package name and size stored in the firmware update repository;
receiving, on the client device, from the firmware update repository, the firmware update package for each of the one or more firmware updates, calculating a CRC value of each received firmware update package, and comparing the calculated CRC value with the CRC value identified for the firmware update package in the firmware update configuration file;
performing a backup of one or more firmware components on the client device corresponding to the one or more firmware updates; and
updating of the one or more firmware components on the client device using the received firmware update package for each of the one or more firmware updates.
18. The hardware apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the one or more firmware updates include an update for at least one of a master boot record (MBR), a basic input/output system (BIOS), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) memory, a firmware update module, and an operating system on the client device.
19. The hardware apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the firmware update module is stored in a dedicated partition of a non-volatile memory of the client device, and wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
booting the client device from the dedicated partition of the non-volatile memory storing the firmware update module.
20. The hardware apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
booting the client device using a pre-boot execution (PXE) module of the client device; and
retrieving, as part of the booting of the client device, the firmware update module from a PXE server in communication with the client device.
21. The hardware apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the firmware update module and the firmware update configuration file are stored in a removable storage device connected to the client device, and wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
booting the client device from the removable storage device storing the firmware update module and the firmware update configuration file.
22. The hardware apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the client device is in communication with a remote management server, and wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
scheduling, on the remote management server, a firmware update for updating firmware components of the client device; and
receiving, on the client device from the remote management server, the firmware update configuration file.
23. The hardware apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
determination that the updating of a particular firmware component of the one or more firmware components on the client has failed; and in response to the determination, restoring of the particular firmware component on the client device from the backup of the firmware component.
24. The hardware apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the client device comprises a non-volatile memory having first and second partitions, and wherein the one or more operations further comprise:
prior to updating of a firmware components located on the first partition of the non-volatile memory, setting of the second partition of the non-volatile memory as the primary boot partition on the client device.