IP Library Granted Patent US 10,628,151
Granted Patent B2
US 10,628,151 · App. 15/674,279 · Granted Apr 21, 2020

Systems and methods for usage driven determination of update criticality

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,628,151
App. No.
15/674,279
Granted
Apr 21, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, an information handling system may include a host system comprising a host system processor and a management controller communicatively coupled to the host system processor and configured to provide management of the information handling system. The management controller may be further configured to read a features-to-fixes database having one or more entries, each entry of the features-to-fixes database setting forth an association between an information handling resource feature and one or more firmware fixes, read a usage database having one or more entries, each entry of the usage database setting forth usage of information handling resource features by the information handling system, and compare entries of the features-to-fixes database and the usage database to determine at least one of a criticality and an applicability of the one or more firmware fixes to the information handling system.

Claims (51)

1. An information handling system comprising:

a host system comprising a host system processor; and

a management controller communicatively coupled to the host system processor and configured to provide management of the information handling system and further configured to:

accessing a features-to-fixes database having one or more entries, each entry of the features-to-fixes database setting forth an association between a feature of an information handling resource and one or more firmware fixes, wherein the accessing of the features-to-fixes database includes:

building a features table associated with an information handling resource, wherein the features table includes one or more feature records wherein each of the one or more feature records indicates a corresponding feature supported by the information handling resource;

building a components table associated with the information handling resource wherein the components table includes one or more component records, wherein each of the one or more component records indicates a corresponding component of the information handling resource;

identifying associations between the one or more feature records and the one or more component records;

creating a fix record pertaining to a firmware fix for the information handling system;

creating associations between the fix record and one or more source records, wherein the one or more source records indicate source code affected by the firmware fix;

accessing information indicative of associations between the one or more source records and the one or more component records; and

generating associations between the one or more feature records and the fix record;

accessing a usage database having one or more entries, each entry of the usage database setting forth usage of a feature of information handling resource by the information handling system;

compare entries of the features-to-fixes database and the usage database to determine a criticality of the one or more firmware fixes such that a first of the firmware fixes has a first determined criticality, and a second of the firmware fixes has a second, different determined criticality; and

transmit a report indicative of the criticality of the one or more firmware fixes, the report including an indication of the first criticality and the second criticality.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more feature records, each feature record setting forth information regarding whether an information handling resource feature associated with the feature record is enabled for use on the information handling system.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more feature records, each feature record setting forth information regarding a usage frequency of an information handling resource feature associated with the feature record.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more hardware records, each hardware record indicative of a presence within the information handling system of an information handling resource associated with the hardware record.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein creating associations between the one or more feature records and the one or more component records includes creating associations indicative the one or more components corresponding to each of the one or more features.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the fix record includes information indicative of a criticality of the firmware fix.

7. A method comprising:

accessing a features-to-fixes database having one or more entries, each entry of the features-to-fixes database setting forth an association between an information handling resource feature and one or more firmware fixes, wherein the accessing of the features-to-fixes database includes:

building a features table associated with an information handling resource, wherein the features table includes one or more feature records wherein each of the one or more feature records indicates a corresponding feature supported by the information handling resource;

building a components table associated with the information handling resource wherein the components table includes one or more component records, wherein each of the one or more component records indicates a corresponding component of the information handling resource;

identifying associations between the one or more feature records and the one or more component records;

creating a fix record pertaining to a firmware fix for the information handling system;

creating associations between the fix record and one or more source records, wherein the one or more source records indicate source code affected by the firmware fix;

accessing information indicative of associations between the one or more source records and the one or more component records; and

generating associations between the one or more feature records and the fix record;

reading a usage database having one or more entries, each entry of the usage database setting forth usage of information handling resource features by an information handling system;

comparing entries of the features-to-fixes database and the usage database to determine a criticality of the one or more firmware fixes to the information handling system such that a first of the firmware fixes has a first determined criticality, and a second of the firmware fixes has a second, different determined criticality; and

transmitting a report indicative of the criticality of the one or more firmware fixes, the report including an indication of the first criticality and the second criticality.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more feature records, each feature record setting forth information regarding whether an information handling resource feature associated with the feature record is enabled for use on the information handling system.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more feature records, each feature record setting forth information regarding a usage frequency of an information handling resource feature associated with the feature record.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more hardware records, each hardware record indicative of a presence within the information handling system of an information handling resource associated with the hardware record.

11. An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory read-only computer-readable medium; and

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

access a features-to-fixes database having one or more entries, each entry of the features-to-fixes database setting forth an association between an information handling resource feature and one or more firmware fixes wherein the accessing of the features-to-fixes database includes:

building a features table associated with an information handling resource, wherein the features table includes one or more feature records wherein each of the one or more feature records indicates a corresponding feature supported by the information handling resource;

building a components table associated with the information handling resource wherein the components table includes one or more component records, wherein each of the one or more component records indicates a corresponding component of the information handling resource;

identifying associations between the one or more feature records and the one or more component records;

creating a fix record pertaining to a firmware fix for the information handling system;

creating associations between the fix record and one or more source records, wherein the one or more source records indicate source code affected by the firmware fix;

accessing information indicative of associations between the one or more source records and the one or more component records; and

generating associations between the one or more feature records and the fix record;

access a usage database having one or more entries, each entry of the usage database setting forth usage of information handling resource features by an information handling system;

compare entries of the features-to-fixes database and the usage database to determine a criticality of the one or more firmware fixes to the information handling system such that a first of the firmware fixes has a first determined criticality, and a second of the firmware fixes has a second, different determined criticality; and

transmit a report indicative of the criticality of the one or more firmware fixes, the report including an indication of the first criticality and the second criticality.

12. The article of claim 11 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more feature records, each feature record setting forth information regarding whether an information handling resource feature associated with the feature record is enabled for use on the information handling system.

13. The article of claim 11 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more feature records, each feature record setting forth information regarding a usage frequency of an information handling resource feature associated with the feature record.

14. The article of claim 11 , wherein the usage database comprises one or more hardware records, each hardware record indicative of a presence within the information handling system of an information handling resource associated with the hardware record.

Assignments (8)
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 (044535/0109) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.)
Reel/Frame 060753/0414 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 044535 FRAME 0001 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058298/0475 →
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 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044535/0109 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (CREDIT) Recorded Nov 29, 2017
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044535/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2017
From: WEILNAU, WAYNE R.; CONTRERAS, ROBERT A.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 043263/0927 →