IP Library Granted Patent US 10,936,295
Granted Patent B2
US 10,936,295 · App. 16/178,355 · Granted Mar 2, 2021

Software update system

Inventors: Sanjay Rao (Austin, TX); Divya Vijayvargiya (Cedar Park, TX); Rajib Saha (KA, IN)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F8/65G06F9/4406
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,936,295
App. No.
16/178,355
Granted
Mar 2, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A software update system includes a chassis housing a plurality of component, an Operating System (OS) engine that is configured to provide an OS, and a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC). The BMC is coupled to each of the plurality of components, as well as to the OS engine via an OS-to-BMC interface. The BMC retrieves a software update catalog that includes a plurality of software updates, and identifies OS software updates that are included in the plurality of software updates in the software update catalog, and component software updates that are included in the plurality of software updates in the software update catalog. The BMC provides the OS software updates to the OS engine via the OS-to-BMC interface, and the OS engine provides the OS software updates for the OS. The BMC then provides the component software updates for the plurality of components.

Claims (55)

1. A software update system, comprising:

a chassis;

a plurality of components that are included in the chassis;

an Operating System (OS) engine that is included in the chassis and that is configured to provide an OS; and

a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) that is included in the chassis, coupled to each of the plurality of components, and coupled to the OS engine via an OS-to-BMC interface, wherein the BMC is configured to:

retrieve a software update catalog that includes a plurality of software updates;

identify OS software updates that are included in the plurality of software updates in the software update catalog, and component software updates that are included in the plurality of software updates in the software update catalog; and

provide the OS software updates to the OS engine via the OS-to-BMC interface,

wherein the OS engine is configured to:

install the OS software updates for the OS; and

transmit an OS software update installation confirmation to the BMC in response to completion of the installation of the OS software updates for the OS, and wherein the BMC is further configured to:

wait to begin installation of the component software updates for the plurality of components until the OS software updates are completed; and

install, in response to receiving the OS software update installation confirmation, the component software updates for the plurality of components.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the OS software updates include at least one of a driver update and an application update, and wherein the component software updates include a firmware update.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the OS-to-BMC interface is provided by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Network Interface Controller (NIC) interface.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the OS engine is configured to provide a service module, and wherein the service module is configured to receive the OS software updates and provide the OS software updates for the OS.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein OS engine is configured, during an initial boot operation, to:

receive a service module installer from the BMC;

verify the service module installer; and

install the service module using the service module installer.

6. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) that is coupled to an Operating System (OS)-to-BMC interface, wherein the BMC is configured to:

identify OS software updates that are included in a plurality of software updates provided in a software update catalog, and component software updates that are included in the plurality of software updates provided in the software update catalog;

transmit the OS software updates through the OS-to-BMC interface;

provide the component software updates for a plurality of components;

a processing system that is coupled to the OS-to-BMC interface; and

a memory system that is coupled to the processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to:

receive the OS software updates via the OS-to-BMC interface;

install the OS software updates for an OS; and

transmit an OS software update installation confirmation to the BMC in response to completion of the installation of the OS software updates for the OS, wherein the BMC is configured to:

wait to begin installation of the component software updates for the plurality of components until the OS software updates are completed; and

begin installing the component software updates for the plurality of components in response to receiving the OS software update installation confirmation.

7. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein the OS software updates include at least one of a driver update and an application update, and wherein the component software updates include a firmware update.

8. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein the OS-to-BMC interface is provided by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Network Interface Controller (NIC) interface.

9. The IHS of claim 6 , wherein the memory system includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide a service module, and wherein the service module is configured to receive the OS software updates and provide the OS software updates for the OS.

10. The IHS of claim 9 , the memory system includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system, during an initial boot operation, to:

receive a service module installer from the BMC;

verify the service module installer; and

install the service module using the service module installer.

11. A method for providing software updates, comprising:

identifying, by a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC), Operating System (OS) software updates that are included in a plurality of software updates provided in a software update catalog, and component software updates that are included in the plurality of software updates provided in the software update catalog;

transmitting, by the BMC, the OS software updates through an OS-to-BMC interface;

receiving, by an OS engine, the OS software updates via the OS-to-BMC interface;

installing, by the OS engine, the OS software updates for an OS;

transmitting, by the OS engine in response to receiving the OS software update installation confirmation, an OS software update installation confirmation to the BMC in response to the completion of the installation of the OS software updates for the OS;

waiting, by the BMC, to begin installation of the component software updates for the plurality of components until the OS software updates are completed; and

begin installing, by the BMC in response to receiving the OS software update installation confirmation, the component software updates for a plurality of components.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the OS software updates include at least one of a driver update and an application update, and wherein the component software updates include a firmware update.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the OS-to-BMC interface is provided by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) Network Interface Controller (NIC) interface.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

providing, by the OS engine, a service module, wherein the service module is configured to receive the OS software updates and provide the OS software updates for the OS.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, by the OS engine during an initial boot operation, a service module installer from the BMC;

verifying, by the OS engine during the initial boot operation, the service module installer; and

installing, by the OS engine during the initial boot operation, the service module installer using the service module installer.

Assignments (6)
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 AT REEL 052771 FRAME 0906 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0298 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052771/0906 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2018
From: RAO, SANJAY; VIJAYVARGIYA, DIVYA; SAHA, RAJIB
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 047388/0354 →