IP Library Granted Patent US 10,872,132
Granted Patent B2
US 10,872,132 · App. 14/304,276 · Granted Dec 22, 2020

Systems and methods for distinguishing information handling system provider-supported information handling resource via system license

Inventors: Stuart Allen Berke (Austin, TX); Mukund Purshottam Khatri (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F21/105G06F21/121G06Q10/0631
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,872,132
App. No.
14/304,276
Granted
Dec 22, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system comprising a processor, at least one information handling resource communicatively coupled to the processor, and a BIOS comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to initialize one or more information handling resources of the information handling system. The BIOS may be configured to record information regarding the at least one information handling resource, compare the information to a license for the information handling system to determine if the at least one information handling resource is supported by a provider of the information handling system, and responsive to determining that the information handling system is unsupported by the provider, initiate a remedial action with respect to at least one information handling resource.

Claims (44)

1. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

at least one information handling resource communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the at least one information handling resource is a hardware information handling resource; and

a basic input/output system (BIOS) comprising a program of instructions executable by the processor and configured to cause the processor to initialize one or more information handling resources of the information handling system, wherein the BIOS is configured to:

record information regarding the at least one information handling resource, wherein the information identifies a manufacturer of the at least one information handling resource;

compare the information to a license for the information handling system to determine if the at least one information handling resource is supported by a provider of the information handling system;

compare the manufacturer to a whitelist and/or a blacklist of manufacturers to determine that the manufacturer is an unsupported manufacturer; and

responsive to determining that the information handling system is unsupported by the provider based on the manufacturer being the unsupported manufacturer, initiate a remedial action with respect to at least one information handling resource to improve stability of the information handling system to a greater stability level than would be present in the absence of the remedial action, wherein the remedial action includes disabling the at least one information handling resource from being used by the information handling system such that the information handling system is configured to continue functioning without using the at least one information handling resource.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the remedial action further comprises at least one of:

displaying an alert indicating that the at least one information handling resource is unsupported; and

recording an indication that the at least one information handling resource is unsupported.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the BIOS is further configured to enable one or more operational features associated with the at least one information handling resource responsive to determining that the at least one information handling resource is supported by the provider.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the information comprises a unique identifier of the at least one information handling resource, and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the unique identifier to a list of one or more unique identifiers set forth in the license.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one information handling resource comprises at least one memory module.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 , wherein the information comprises a memory capacity of the at least one memory module and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the memory capacity to a licensed memory capacity set forth in the license.

7. The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein the information further comprises a number of memory modules comprising the at least one memory module and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the number of memory modules to a licensed number of memory modules set forth in the license.

8. A method comprising:

recording information regarding at least one information handling resource present in an information handling system, wherein the at least one information handling resource is a hardware information handling resource, and wherein the information identifies a manufacturer of the at least one information handling resource;

comparing the information to a license for the information handling system to determine if the at least one information handling resource is supported by a provider of the information handling system;

comparing the manufacturer to a whitelist and/or a blacklist of manufacturers to determine that the manufacturer is an unsupported manufacturer; and

responsive to determining that the information handling system is unsupported by the provider based on the manufacturer being the unsupported manufacturer, initiating a remedial action with respect to at least one information handling resource to improve stability of the information handling system to a greater stability level than would be present in the absence of the remedial action, wherein the remedial action includes disabling the at least one information handling resource from being used by the information handling system such that the information handling system continues functioning without using the at least one information handling resource.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the remedial action further comprises at least one of:

displaying an alert indicating that the at least one information handling resource is unsupported; and

recording an indication that the at least one information handling resource is unsupported.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising enabling one or more operational features associated with the at least one information handling resource responsive to determining that the at least one information handling resource is supported by the provider.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the information comprises a unique identifier of the at least one information handling resource, and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the unique identifier to a list of one or more unique identifiers set forth in the license.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one information handling resource comprises at least one memory module.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the information comprises a memory capacity of the at least one memory module and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the memory capacity to a licensed memory capacity set forth in the license.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the information further comprises a number of memory modules comprising the at least one memory module and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the number of memory modules to a licensed number of memory modules set forth in the license.

15. An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium; and

computer-executable instructions carried on the computer readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:

record information regarding at least one information handling resource present in an information handling system, wherein the at least one information handling resource is a hardware information handling resource, and wherein the information identifies a manufacturer of the at least one information handling resource;

compare the information to a license for the information handling system to determine if the at least one information handling resource is supported by a provider of the information handling system;

compare the manufacturer to a whitelist and/or a blacklist of manufacturers to determine that the manufacturer is an unsupported manufacturer; and

responsive to determining that the information handling system is unsupported by the provider based on the manufacturer being the unsupported manufacturer, initiate a remedial action with respect to at least one information handling resource to improve stability of the information handling system to a greater stability level than would be present in the absence of the remedial action, wherein the remedial action includes disabling the at least one information handling resource from being used by the information handling system such that the information handling system is configured to continue functioning without using the at least one information handling resource.

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the remedial action further comprises at least one of:

displaying an alert indicating that the at least one information handling resource is unsupported; and

recording an indication that the at least one information handling resource is unsupported.

17. The article of claim 15 , the instructions for further causing the processor to enable one or more operational features associated with the at least one information handling resource responsive to determining that the at least one information handling resource is supported by the provider.

18. The article of claim 15 , wherein the information comprises a unique identifier of the at least one information handling resource, and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the unique identifier to a list of one or more unique identifiers set forth in the license.

19. The article of claim 15 , wherein the at least one information handling resource comprises at least one memory module.

20. The article of claim 19 , wherein the information comprises a memory capacity of the at least one memory module and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the memory capacity to a licensed memory capacity set forth in the license.

21. The article of claim 20 , wherein the information further comprises a number of memory modules comprising the at least one memory module and comparing the information to the license comprises comparing the number of memory modules to a licensed number of memory modules set forth in the license.

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: 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: 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 REEL 033625 FRAME 0748 (NOTE) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040027/0050 →
RELEASE OF REEL 033625 FRAME 0688 (TL) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040027/0757 →
RELEASE OF REEL 033625 FRAME 0711 (ABL) Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 040016/0903 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Aug 27, 2014
From: COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033625/0688 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Aug 27, 2014
From: COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033625/0748 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Aug 27, 2014
From: COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; SECUREWORKS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 033625/0711 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2014
From: BERKE, STUART ALLEN; KHATRI, MUKUND PURSHOTTAM
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 033100/0249 →