Method for updating firmware of unassigned drives
A system for managing distributed data storage drives is disclosed that includes a plurality of computing devices, a plurality of data storage devices and an update system configured to determine whether one of the plurality of storage devices is associated with one of the plurality of computing devices, and to implement a firmware update to the storage device only if the storage device is not associated with one of the plurality of computing devices.
1. A system for managing distributed data storage drives comprising:
a plurality of computing devices;
a plurality of data storage devices; and
an update system configured to determine whether one of the plurality of storage devices is associated with one of the plurality of computing devices, and to implement a firmware update to the storage device only if the storage device is not associated with one of the plurality of computing devices, and further comprising means to determine whether a drive is assigned to a compute rack.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the update system is associated with a zoning mechanism, and determines whether the storage device is associated with one of the plurality of computing devices by querying the zoning mechanism.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second update system configured to implement the firmware update to the storage device only if the storage device is associated with one of the plurality of computing devices.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the update system is configured to determine whether one of the plurality of storage devices is associated with one of the plurality of computing devices, and to implement a firmware update to the storage device only if the storage device is not associated with one of the plurality of computing devices or the associated computing device is not operable.
5. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to determine whether a drive is assigned to a compute rack after a drive update is initiated.
6. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to determine whether a drive is assigned to a compute rack and to obtain a firmware update if it is determined that the drive is not assigned to a compute rack.
7. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to determine whether a drive is assigned to a compute rack and to determine whether the compute rack is present if it is determined that the drive is assigned to a compute rack.
8. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to obtain a firmware update.
9. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to obtain a firmware update if it is determined that the drive is not assigned to a compute rack.
10. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to obtain a firmware update if it is determined that the drive is not assigned to a compute rack or that the drive is assigned to the compute rack but that the compute rack is not operable.
11. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to read a drive and determine an update method.
12. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to read a drive and determine an update method after obtaining a firmware update.
13. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to read a drive and determine an update method before sending a firmware image to the drive.
14. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to verify a checksum and signature of a firmware image.
15. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to verify a checksum and signature of a firmware image after receiving the firmware image at the storage device.
16. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to verify a checksum and signature of a firmware image prior to determining whether the firmware image is valid.
17. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to determine whether a firmware image is valid.
18. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to determine whether a firmware image is valid after verifying a checksum and signature of the firmware image.
19. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to determine whether a firmware image is valid prior to activating the firmware image at the storage device.
20. A system for managing distributed data storage drives comprising:
a plurality of computing devices;
a plurality of data storage devices; and
an update system separate from the plurality of computing devices and configured to determine whether one of the plurality of storage devices is assigned to one of the plurality of computing devices, and to implement a firmware update to the storage device without one of the plurality of computing devices only if the storage device is not assigned to one of the plurality of computing devices and to update the storage device using the associated computing device if the update system determines that the storage device is assigned to the computing device, and further comprising means to determine whether a drive is assigned to a compute rack.