Systems and methods for extended support of deprecated products
Method and systems support management of deprecated components within a system of IHSs (Information Handling Systems), such as within a datacenter. Upon receiving notification of a deprecated component, instances of the deprecated component are identified within the datacenter. Usage information is collected for the deprecated component by remote access capabilities of the IHSs and by management capabilities of chassis in which the IHSs may be housed. Based on the collected usage information, usages are determined for individual features of the deprecated component. Even though a component has been deprecated, some features of the component may still be supported. Such supported features of the deprecated components are identified. Licenses may be provided for use of features that are that are supported and that are actually utilized, as determined from the usage information.
1. A method for managing a plurality of IHSs (Information Handling Systems), the method comprising:
receiving, from a datacenter administration tool providing management of the plurality of IHSs that are deployed within a datacenter, a notification of a deprecated component;
identifying a first IHS of the plurality of IHSs that are deployed within the datacenter that includes the deprecated component;
collecting usage information for the deprecated component by the first IHS, wherein the usage information is collected by a remote access controller of the first IHS that provides out-of-band management of a plurality of hardware components of the first IHS;
based on the collected usage information for the deprecated component, determining a usage for a first feature of the deprecated component; and
based on the usage of the identified first feature, providing a recommendation whether to extend support for the first feature of the deprecated component.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first IHS is identified as including the deprecated component based on a query by the datacenter administration tool to a chassis in which the first IHS is installed.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remote access controller collects the usage information from the plurality of hardware components of the IHS via an out-of-band management coupling between the remote access controller and each of the plurality of hardware component.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a risk level for the deprecated component; and
recommending an extension of a license for use of the first feature when the risk level for the deprecated component is above a risk threshold.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of hardware components providing usage information via the out-of-band management coupling with the remote access controller comprises a storage controller of the first IHS, and wherein the first feature of the deprecated component comprises a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) operation implemented by the storage controller.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the usage information is collected from the remote access controller of the first IHS by a chassis management controller that manages a first portion of the plurality of IHSs that are housed within a first chassis in which the first IHS is installed.
7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of hardware components providing usage information via the out-of-band management coupling with the remote access controller comprises a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) of the first IHS, and wherein the first feature of the of the deprecated component comprises a processing capability implemented by the FPGA.
8. A remote access controller configured as a component of an IHS (Information Handling Systems), the remote access controller comprising:
a plurality of out-of-band management coupling, each coupling supported management of a respective hardware component of the IHS by the remote access controller;
one or more processors; and
a memory device coupled to the one or more processors, the memory device storing computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the remote access controller to:
receive a notification of a deprecated component from a datacenter administration tool providing management of a plurality of IHSs that are deployed within a datacenter;
identify an instance of the deprecated component within the IHS;
collect usage information for the deprecated component identified within the IHS, wherein the usage information is collected via the out-of-band management couplings supporting the hardware components of the IHS;
based on the collected usage information for the deprecated component, determine a usage for a first feature of the deprecated component;
based on the usage of the identified first feature, provide a recommendation whether to extend support for the first feature of the deprecated component.
9. The remote access controller of claim 8 , wherein the remote access controller comprises a usage monitor that utilizes the out-of-band management couplings to collect the usage information for the deprecated component.
10. The remote access controller of claim 9 , wherein the usage monitor of the remote access controller reports the collected usage information to a chassis management controller of a chassis in which the IHS is installed.
11. The remote access controller of claim 10 , wherein the collected usage information is reported to the chassis management controller via a network adapter of the remote access controller.
12. The remote access controller of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of hardware components providing usage information via the out-of-band management coupling with the remote access controller comprises a storage controller of the IHS, and wherein the first feature of the of the deprecated component comprises a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) operation implemented by the storage controller.
13. The remote access controller of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of hardware components providing usage information via the out-of-band management coupling with the remote access controller comprises a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) of the first IHS, and wherein the first feature of the of the deprecated component comprises a processing capability implemented by the FPGA.
14. A memory device coupled to one or more processors, wherein the memory device stores computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the processors to:
receive, from a datacenter administration tool providing management of the plurality of IHSs that are deployed within a datacenter, a notification of a deprecated component within the plurality of IHSs (Information Handling Systems) deployed within the datacenter;
identify a first IHS of the plurality of IHSs that are deployed within the datacenter that includes the deprecated component;
collect usage information for the instances of the deprecated component identified within the plurality of IHSs, wherein the usage information is collected by a remote access controller of the first IHS that provides out-of-band management of a plurality of hardware components of the first IHS;
based on the collected usage information for the deprecated component, determine a usage for a first feature of the deprecated component; and
based on the usage of the identified first feature, provide a recommendation whether to extend support for the deprecated component.
15. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein the first IHS is identified as including the deprecated component based on a query by the datacenter administration tool to a chassis in which the first IHS is installed.
16. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein the remote access controller collects the usage information from the plurality of hardware components of the first IHS via an out-of-band management coupling between the remote access controller and each of the plurality of hardware component.
17. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of hardware components providing usage information via the out-of-band management coupling with the remote access controller comprises a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) of the first IHS, and wherein the first feature of the of the deprecated component comprises a processing capability implemented by the FPGA.
18. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processors to:
receive a risk level for the deprecated component; and
recommend an extension of support for the first feature when the risk level for the deprecated component is above a risk threshold.
19. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein the usage information is collected from the remote access controller of the first IHS by a chassis management controller that manages a chassis in which the first IHS is installed.
20. The memory device of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of hardware components providing usage information via the out-of-band management coupling with the remote access controller comprises a storage controller of the IHS, and wherein the first feature of the of the deprecated component comprises a RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) operation implemented by the storage controller.