IP Library Granted Patent US 11,222,120
Granted Patent B2
US 11,222,120 · App. 16/688,347 · Granted Jan 11, 2022

Storage device firmware bootloader recovery system and method therefor

Inventors: Simon Kan Lip Vui (Hillbrooks, SG); Nicholas D. Grobelny (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F21/575G06F9/4403G06F13/20G06F13/4282H04L9/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,222,120
App. No.
16/688,347
Granted
Jan 11, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes receiving an indicator at a basic input/output system of an information handling system, the indicator identifying that validation of a boot loader at a non-volatile memory at a data storage device failed authentication. The boot loader is configured to identify application layer firmware at the data storage device. The method further includes retrieving a replacement boot loader from a predetermined storage location and providing the replacement boot loader to a baseboard management controller (BMC). The method further includes transmitting the replacement boot loader to the data storage device via a serial interface other than a primary interface configured to support access of user data at the data storage device.

Claims (50)

1. An information handling system comprising:

a baseboard management controller (BMC);

a basic input-output system (BIOS) memory device to store firmware executable to initialize operation of the information handling system; and

a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) data storage device including:

a controller including a program memory;

a non-volatile memory to store:

user data;

application layer firmware executable by the controller to manage operation of the NVMe data storage device; and

a boot loader executable by the controller to identify the application layer firmware;

a serial interface configured to communicatively couple the controller and the BMC via a serial communication bus; and

a primary interface configured to support access to the user data,

wherein the program memory includes instructions executable by the controller to:

authenticate the boot loader; and

initiate replacement of the boot loader in response to determining that the boot loader failed authentication.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein initiating replacement comprises:

generating an interrupt at the serial interface; and

receiving a replacement boot loader from the BMC via the serial interface.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein a replacement boot loader is stored at the BMC.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein a replacement boot loader is stored at the BIOS memory device.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein a replacement boot loader is stored at a storage location that is physically remote to the information handling system and communicatively coupled to the BMC via a communication network.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further configured to authenticate a replacement boot loader.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the application layer firmware is responsible for initializing the primary interface at the data storage device.

8. A method comprising:

receiving an indicator at a basic input/output system of an information handling system, the indicator identifying that validation of a boot loader at a non-volatile memory express (NVMe) data storage device failed authentication, the boot loader configured to identify application layer firmware at the NVMe data storage device, the application layer firmware responsible for managing operation of the NVMe data storage device;

retrieving a replacement boot loader from a predetermined storage location;

providing the replacement boot loader to a baseboard management controller (BMC); and

transmitting the replacement boot loader, by the BMC, to the NVMe data storage device via a serial interface, the serial interface different than a primary interface configured to support access of user data at the NVMe data storage device.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising storing the replacement boot loader at the NVMe data storage device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the application layer firmware is responsible for initializing the primary interface at the NVMe data storage device.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the replacement boot loader is retrieved from the BMC.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the replacement boot loader is retrieved from a non-volatile memory configured to store a primary basic input/output system at the information handling system.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the replacement boot loader is retrieved from a storage location that is physically remote to the information handling system and communicatively coupled to the BMC via a communication network.

14. A non-volatile memory express (NVMe) data storage device comprising:

a controller including a program memory;

a non-volatile memory to store:

user data;

application layer firmware executable by the controller to manage operation of the NVMe data storage device; and

a boot loader executable by the controller to identify the application layer firmware,

wherein the program memory includes instructions executable by the controller to:

authenticate the boot loader; and

initiate replacement of the boot loader in response to determining that the boot loader failed authentication.

15. The NVMe data storage device of claim 14 , wherein the controller further includes:

a serial interface configured to communicatively couple the NVMe data storage device to a baseboard management controller (BMC) at an information handling system via a serial communication bus; and

a primary interface configured to support access to the user data at the non-volatile memory.

16. The NVMe data storage device of claim 15 , wherein initiating replacement comprises:

generating an interrupt at the serial interface; and

receiving a replacement boot loader from the BMC via the serial interface.

17. The NVMe data storage device of claim 15 , wherein a replacement boot loader is stored at the BMC.

18. The NVMe data storage device of claim 15 , wherein a replacement boot loader is stored at a non-volatile memory configured to store a primary basic input/output system at the information handling system.

19. The NVMe data storage device of claim 15 , wherein a replacement boot loader is stored at storage location that is physically remote to the information handling system and communicatively coupled to the BMC via a communication network.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053311/0169) Recorded Jun 23, 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
Reel/Frame 060438/0742 →
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 (052216/0758) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 060438/0680 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AF REEL 052243 FRAME 0773 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0152 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0169 →
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 26, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 052243/0773 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Mar 24, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052216/0758 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2019
From: KAN, SIMON; GROBELNY, NICHOLAS
To: DELL PRODUCTS, LP
Reel/Frame 051053/0167 →