IP Library Granted Patent US 10,855,659
Granted Patent B2
US 10,855,659 · App. 15/702,532 · Granted Dec 1, 2020

Commanding a new device into a provisioning state

Inventors: Gary D. Cudak (Wake Forest, NC); Fred A. Bower (Durham, NC)
Assignee: LENOVO Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) PTE. LTD
H04L63/0272G06F21/00H04L12/4641H04L41/0806H04L41/0816H04L63/06H04L63/083H04L63/0807
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,855,659
App. No.
15/702,532
Granted
Dec 1, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

An apparatus for securely configuring a tenant VLAN includes a processor and a memory that stores code executable by the processor. The code is executable by the processor to detect connection of a new device to a computing system. The new device is designated for use by a new tenant and the new device in a default state prior to configuration for use by the new tenant. The computing system is a multi-tenant system. The code is executable by the processor to command the new device to enter a provisioning state in response to detecting connection of the new device. The new device in the provisioning state is unable to access operational equipment of the computing system and data stored by tenants of the computing system.

Claims (55)

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory that stores code executable by the processor to:

detect connection of a new device to a computing system, the new device comprising a physical device and designated for use by a new tenant, the new device in a default state prior to configuration for use by the new tenant, the computing system comprising a multi-tenant system;

place the new device in a provisioning virtual local area network (“VLAN”) in response to detecting connection of the new device, the provisioning VLAN comprising a provisioning server; and

command the new device to enter a provisioning state in response to detecting connection of the new device,

wherein the new device in the provisioning state is unable to access operational tenant equipment of the computing system and is unable to access data stored by tenants of the computing system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to configure the new device as part of a tenant virtual local area network (“VLAN”) accessible by the new tenant during a provisioning process in response to receiving tenant configuration information.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to assign a token to the new tenant, wherein the token enables access to devices within a tenant VLAN of the new tenant.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to enable an additional tenant VLAN in response to a command by the new tenant, wherein the additional VLAN is configured through a provisioning VLAN during the provisioning process and the token allows the new tenant access to the additional tenant VLAN.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the token is configured to be accessible by a landlord server to grant and revoke access by the new tenant to one or more of:

the tenant VLAN; and

the additional tenant VLAN.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to:

place an existing device in a repurposing VLAN, the existing device comprising a physical device and connected to the computing system and previously used by a tenant;

reset the existing device to a default state, wherein devices of tenants of the computing system are inaccessible to the existing device after the existing device is reset;

move the existing device to the provisioning VLAN; and

configure the existing device as part of the tenant VLAN accessible by the new tenant in response to receiving tenant configuration information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the computing system comprises a plurality of tenants, each tenant accessing one or more VLANs, each VLAN accessible by a tenant is inaccessible by other tenants.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the new device is accessible by the new tenant through the tenant VLAN of the new tenant in response to configuration through a provisioning server and in response to exiting the provisioning state.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the new device comprises one of a computing device with a processor, a processing core, a server, a mainframe computer, a switch, a router, a data storage device, and a networking device.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tenant VLAN is accessible through a global network address and computing resources accessible through the tenant VLAN are configured using local network addresses.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory that stores code executable by the processor to:

place one or more devices connected to a computing system into a provisioning virtual local area network (“VLAN”), the provisioning VLAN comprising a provisioning server;

command the one or more devices to enter a provisioning state, the one or more devices comprising physical devices, the computing system comprising a multi-tenant system, wherein the one or more devices in the provisioning state are unable to access operational tenant equipment of the computing system and is unable to access data stored by tenants of the computing system;

configure the one or more devices as part of a tenant virtual local area network (“VLAN”) accessible by a new tenant during a provisioning process in response to receiving tenant configuration information; and

assign a token to the new tenant, wherein the token enables access to the one or more devices within the tenant VLAN of the new tenant.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to:

detect connection of a new device to the computing system, the new device comprising a physical device and designated for use by the new tenant, the new device in a default state prior to configuration for use by the new tenant;

place the new device into the provisioning VLAN in response to detecting connection of the new device; and

command the new device to enter a provisioning state in response to detecting connection of the new device, wherein the new device comprises a device of the one or more devices.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the code is further executable by the processor to:

place an existing device in a repurposing VLAN, the existing device comprising a physical device and connected to the computing system and previously used by a tenant;

reset the existing device to a default state, wherein devices of tenants of the computing system are inaccessible to the existing device after the existing device is reset;

move the existing device to the provisioning VLAN; and

configure the existing device as part of the tenant VLAN accessible by the new tenant in response to receiving tenant configuration information, wherein the existing device comprises a device of the one or more devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the token is configured to be accessible by a landlord server to grant and revoke access by the new tenant to the one or more devices of the tenant VLAN.

15. A method comprising:

detecting connection of a new device to a computing system, the new device comprising a physical device and designated for use by a new tenant, the new device in a default state prior to configuration for use by the new tenant, the computing system comprising a multi-tenant system;

placing the new device in a provisioning virtual local area network (“VLAN”) in response to detecting connection of the new device, the provisioning VLAN comprising a provisioning server; and

commanding the new device to enter a provisioning state in response to detecting connection of the new device,

wherein the new device in the provisioning state is unable to access operational tenant equipment of the computing system and is unable to access data stored by tenants of the computing system.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising configuring the new device as part of a tenant virtual local area network (“VLAN”) accessible by the new tenant during a provisioning process in response to receiving configuration through the provisioning VLAN.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising assigning a token to the new tenant, wherein the token enables access to devices within a tenant VLAN of the new tenant.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising enabling an additional tenant VLAN in response to a command by the new tenant, wherein the additional VLAN is configured through the provisioning VLAN during the provisioning process and the token allows the new tenant access to the additional tenant VLAN.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the token is configured to be accessible by a landlord server to grant and revoke access by the new tenant to one or more of:

the tenant VLAN; and

the additional tenant VLAN.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

placing an existing device in a repurposing VLAN, the existing device comprising a physical device and connected to the computing system and previously used by a tenant;

resetting the existing device to a default state, wherein devices of tenants of the computing system are inaccessible to the existing device after the existing device is reset;

moving the existing device to the provisioning VLAN; and

configuring the existing device as part of the tenant VLAN accessible by the new tenant in response to receiving tenant configuration information.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2025
From: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 069869/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2022
From: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
To: LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL LTD
Reel/Frame 060649/0865 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2017
From: CUDAK, GARY D.; BOWER, FRED A.
To: LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
Reel/Frame 043593/0217 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190081929A1 · Mar 14, 2019