IP Library Granted Patent US 9,819,722
Granted Patent B2
US 9,819,722 · App. 14/580,445 · Granted Nov 14, 2017

System and method for controlling an information handling system in response to environmental events

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,819,722
App. No.
14/580,445
Granted
Nov 14, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and information handling system (IHS) for controlling an IHS in response to an environmental event includes a management controller dynamically polling at least one environmental event source for environmental event data. The environmental event data is received from the environmental event source. A first environmental event value is identified within the environmental event data. The method further includes determining if the first environmental event value is outside of a threshold specification. In response to the first environmental event value being outside of the threshold specification, a first action associated with the first environmental event value is identified. The IHS is triggered to perform the first action.

Claims (96)

1. A computer-implemented method for controlling an information handling system (IHS) in response to an environmental event, the method comprising:

a management controller dynamically polling at least one environmental event source for environmental event data;

receiving the environmental event data from the environmental event source;

identifying a first environmental event value within the environmental event data;

determining if the first environmental event value is outside of a threshold specification; and

in response to the first environmental event value being outside of the threshold specification:

identifying a first action associated with the first environmental event value; and

triggering the IHS to perform the first action that protects the IHS or another communicatively-coupled IHS from damages and/or data loss potentially caused by the environmental event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein triggering the IHS to perform the first action further comprises:

transmitting the first action associated with the first environmental event value to at least one of a server, a blade, or another communicatively-coupled IHS; and

triggering at least one of the server, the blade, or the another communicatively coupled IHS to perform the first action.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing the first environmental event value to a previously saved second environmental event value; and

in response to the first environmental event value being different from the second environmental event value, replacing the second environmental event value with the first environmental event value.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental event data comprises at least one of:

a flood;

a tornado;

a hurricane;

a storm warning;

a fire; and

an earthquake.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first action comprises at least one action from among:

throttling power to the IHS;

backing up data of the IHS;

shutting down the IHS;

migrating the IHS to another IHS;

operating the IHS in a maintenance mode; and

operating the IHS in an acoustic mode.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the environmental event source comprises at least one of: a sensor; a monitoring server; and an external communication source; and

the environmental event data comprises at least one of: a power failure; and a cooling system failure.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

retrieving at least one environmental event source;

transmitting authentication data to the environmental event source to authenticate the sending IHS; and

provided the environmental event source authenticates the sending IHS, receiving the environmental event data from the environmental event source.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting the at least one environmental event source; and

in response to at least one of the environmental event sources being detected, displaying the detected environmental event source on a display device associated with the IHS.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the environmental event source displayed on the display device;

assigning a source identifier to the selected environmental event source; and

storing the source identifier and a name of the selected environmental event source to an environmental event source database.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

displaying at least one action associated with the environmental event source;

receiving a user selection of the action to associate with the environmental event source from among the at least one action displayed; and

storing the action to an entry corresponding to the environmental even source within the environmental event action database.

11. An information handling system (IHS) comprising:

a management controller;

a memory communicatively coupled to the management controller via a system interconnect, the management controller having firmware executing thereon to enable control of the IHS in response to an environmental event, wherein the firmware configures the management controller to:

dynamically poll at least one environmental event source for environmental event data;

receive the environmental event data from the environmental event source;

identify a first environmental event value within the environmental event data;

determine if the first environmental event value is outside of a threshold specification;

in response to the first environmental event value being outside of the threshold specification, identify a first action associated with the first environmental event value; and

trigger the IHS to perform the first action that protects the IHS or another communicatively-coupled IHS from damages and/or data loss potentially caused by the environmental event.

12. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein triggering the IHS to perform the first environmental event action includes the firmware further configuring the management controller to:

transmit the first action associated with the first environmental event value to at least one of a server, a blade, or another communicatively coupled IHS; and

trigger at least one of the server, the blade, or the other communicatively coupled IHS to perform the first action.

13. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein the firmware further configures the management controller to:

compare the first environmental event value to a previously saved second environmental event value; and

in response to the first environmental event value being different from the second environmental event value, replace the second environmental event value with the first environmental event value.

14. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein the environmental event data comprises at least one of:

a power failure;

a flood;

a tornado;

a hurricane;

a cooling system failure;

a storm warning;

a fire; and

an earthquake.

15. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein the first action comprises at least one of:

throttling power to the IHS;

backing up data of the IHS;

shutting down the IHS;

migrating the IHS to another IHS;

operating the IHS in a maintenance mode; and

operating the IHS in an acoustic mode.

16. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein the environmental event source comprises at least one of:

a sensor;

a monitoring server; and

an external communication source.

17. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein the firmware further configures the management controller to:

retrieve at least one environmental event source;

transmit authentication data to the environmental event source to authenticate the sending IHS; and

provided the environmental event source authenticates the sending IHS, receive the environmental event data from the environmental event source.

18. The information handling system of claim 11 , wherein the firmware further configures the management controller to:

detect the at least one environmental event source; and

in response to at least one of the environmental event sources being detected, display the detected environmental event source on a display device associated with the IHS.

19. The information handling system of claim 18 , wherein the firmware further configures the management controller to:

receive a user selection of the environmental event source displayed on the display device;

assign a source identifier to the selected environmental event source; and

store the source identifier and a name of the selected environmental event source to an environmental event source database.

20. The information handling system of claim 19 , wherein the firmware further configures the management controller to:

display at least one action associated with the environmental event source;

receive a user selection of the action to associate with the environmental event source from among the at least one action displayed; and

store the action to an entry corresponding to the environmental even source within the environmental event action database.

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: 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 035104 FRAME 0043 (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.
Reel/Frame 040027/0123 →
RELEASE OF REEL 035103 FRAME 0809 (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.
Reel/Frame 040027/0934 →
RELEASE OF REEL 035103 FRAME 0536 (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.
Reel/Frame 040016/0864 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Feb 26, 2015
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035104/0043 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Feb 26, 2015
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 035103/0536 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Feb 26, 2015
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035103/0809 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 23, 2014
From: RAGUPATHI, DINESH KUNNATHUR; SHABBIR, HASNAIN; MUTHAIYAN, ARUN
To: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
Reel/Frame 034574/0438 →