IP Library Granted Patent US 11,256,521
Granted Patent B2
US 11,256,521 · App. 16/773,529 · Granted Feb 22, 2022

Systems and methods for evaluating and updating deprecated products

Inventors: Viswanath Ponnuru (Bangalore, IN); Raveendra Babu Madala (Bangalore, IN); Vaideeswaran G (Bangalore, IN); Ramesha He (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: Dell Products, L.P.
G06F9/44505
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,256,521
App. No.
16/773,529
Granted
Feb 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Method and systems provide tools for evaluating the impact of component deprecations with a datacenter formed from a plurality of IHSs. Upon receiving a notification of a deprecated component, configuration files that invoke the deprecated component and are in use within the datacenter are identified. Estimates are generated for the resources that would be required to replace references to the deprecated component within the identified configuration files. Estimates may be generated based on compilation errors, test suite failures and historical error repair data. A tree is generated of the dependencies on the deprecated component within the identified configuration files. Based on characteristics of the dependency tree and also based on the resource estimates for replacing references to the deprecated component, a risk level is generated for the deprecated component. The risk level may be generated for individual IHSs, groups of IHSs, or an entire data center.

Claims (42)

1. A method for managing a system comprising a plurality of IHSs (Information Handling Systems), the method comprising:

monitoring usage of a plurality of instances of a component installed in each of the plurality of IHSs, wherein the usage is monitored through a sideband management connection between a respective component and a remote access controller of each of the plurality of IHSs;

receiving a notification of a deprecation of the component;

identifying configuration files invoking the deprecated component, wherein the configuration files are utilized within the plurality of IHSs;

estimating resources required for replacing uses of the deprecated component within the identified configuration files;

generating a tree of dependencies on the deprecated component; and

determining a risk level for the deprecated component based on the dependencies on the deprecated component and further based on the resource estimates for replacing uses of the deprecated component, and further based on the monitored usage for the deprecated component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the deprecated component comprises a storage controller, and wherein monitored usage of storage controller instances within the plurality of IHSs comprises monitoring a number of a RAID operation performed by the storage controller.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

replacing references to the deprecated component with updated instructions within the identified configuration files.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the resources required for replacing references to the deprecated component are estimated based on compilation errors resulting from the replacement of references to the deprecated component with updated instructions.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the resources required for replacing references to the deprecated component are estimated based on results of test routines conducted on the identified configuration files that include the updated instructions.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimate of resources for replacing references to the deprecated component is determined based on time durations required to repair prior defects in the identified configuration files.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the risk level is based on a duration required to sequentially repair all dependencies within a branch of the dependency tree.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, based on the generated dependency tree, a sequence for replacing references to the deprecated component within the identified configuration files.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sequence is determined based on sorting branches of the dependency tree based on summations of risk level determinations for branches of the dependency tree.

10. A system, comprising:

a plurality of managed IHSs, wherein each of the managed IHSs comprises a remote access controller that monitors usage data for components of a respective IHS via a sideband management connection with the monitored component;

an IHS comprising:

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 IHS to:

receive a notification of a deprecated component;

identify configuration files invoking the deprecated component, wherein the configuration files are utilized within the plurality of IHSs;

estimate resources required for replacing references to the deprecated component within the identified configuration files;

generate a tree of dependencies on the deprecated component; and

determine a risk level for the deprecated component based on the dependencies on the deprecated component and further based on the resource estimates for replacing references to the deprecated component, and further based on the monitored usage for the deprecated component as provided by the respective remote access controllers of the managed IHSs that include an instance of the deprecated component.

11. The IHS of claim 10 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the IHS to replace references to the deprecated component with updated instructions within the identified configuration files.

12. The IHS of claim 11 , wherein the resources required for replacing references to the deprecated component are estimated based on compilation errors resulting from the replacement of references to the deprecated component with updated instructions.

13. The IHS of claim 12 , wherein the resources required for replacing references to the deprecated component are estimated based on results of test routines conducted on the identified configuration files that include the updated instructions.

14. The IHS of claim 10 , wherein the estimate of resources for replacing references to the deprecated component is determined based on time durations required to repair prior defects in the respective configuration files.

15. The IHS of claim 10 , wherein the risk level is based on a duration required to sequentially repair all dependencies within a branch of the dependency tree.

16. A first memory device and a second memory device, wherein the first memory device is comprised within a remote access controller of a managed IHS, and wherein first memory device stores computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by a processor of the remote access controller, cause the processor of the remote access controller to: monitor usage of components installed in the managed IHS through a sideband management connection between a respective component and the remote access controller, and wherein the second memory device is coupled to one or more processors of an IHS, wherein the memory device stores computer-readable instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the processors to:

receive a notification of a deprecated component;

identify configuration files invoking the deprecated component, wherein the configuration files are utilized within the plurality of IHSs;

estimate resources required for replacing references to the deprecated component within the identified configuration files;

generate a tree of dependencies on the deprecated component; and

determine a risk level for the deprecated component based on the dependencies on the deprecated component and further based on the resource estimates for replacing references to the deprecated component, and further based on the monitored usage for the deprecated component as provided by the remote access controller of the managed IHS.

17. The memory device of claim 16 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processors to replace references to the deprecated component with updated instructions within the identified configuration files.

18. The memory device of claim 17 , wherein the resources required for replacing references to the deprecated component are estimated based on compilation errors resulting from the replacement of references to the deprecated component with updated instructions.

19. The memory device of claim 18 , wherein the resources required for replacing references to the deprecated component are estimated based on results of test routines conducted on the identified configuration files that include the updated instructions.

20. The memory device of claim 16 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processors to determine, based on the generated dependency tree, a sequence for replacing references to the deprecated component within the identified configuration files.

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 Jan 27, 2020
From: PONNURU, VISWANATH; MADALA, RAVEENDRA BABU; G, VAIDEESWARAN; HE, RAMESHA
To: DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.
Reel/Frame 051634/0234 →