Auto-provisioning and auto-installation of server SAN target

1. A method of operating a computer system, the computer system including a baseboard management controller (BMC), comprising:

redirecting, by a redirection component at the BMC and through a BMC communication channel, a local media including a disk management tool to a host of the BMC as a particular drive, the host being a storage device connected to one or more storage drives, the disk management tool preparing a storage area of the one or more storage drives for installation of storage service on the host, the BMC communication channel being established for communicating baseboard management commands between the BMC and the host, the storage service managing a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) controller at the host as well as managing and configuring the one or more storage drives;

configuring, by firmware of the BMC, the host to boot from the particular drive;

sending, by the firmware of the BMC, a first instruction to the host instructing the host to reboot;

receiving, by the redirection component and from the host, a command for reading the disk management tool; and

sending, by the redirection component and to the host, the disk management tool.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer system further includes the host, the method further comprising:

receiving, at the host, configurations for booting from the particular drive; and

rebooting the host in response to receiving the first instruction.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

detecting, at the host, the particular drive after rebooting;

determining, at the host and based on the configurations stored on the host, to boot from the disk management tool;

loading, by the host and through the BMC communication channel, the disk management tool stored in the local media; and

executing, at the host, the disk management tool, wherein the disk management tool prepares a storage area of the storage drives for installation of the storage service.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

sending, at the BMC, a second instruction to the host instructing the BMC to reboot; and

redirecting, at the BMC and through the BMC communication channel, an installation media containing the storage service to the host.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the installation media is a remote media at a remote device in communication with the BMC through a management network.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

detecting, at the host, the installation media through the BMC communication channel after rebooting;

obtaining, by the host, the storage service from the installation media; and

installing, by the host, the storage service in the storage area.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

executing, at the host, the storage service;

receiving, at the RDMA controller of the host managed by the storage service, a data operation command from a remote device through a storage network; and

(a) retrieving user data associated with the data operation command from a memory region of the host and sending the user data to the remote device through the storage network without passing through a primary processing unit of the host, or, (b) receiving the user data associated with the data operation command through the storage network and storing the user data to the memory region without passing through the primary processing unit of the host.

8. A computer system, comprising:

a baseboard management controller (BMC) including:

a first memory; and

first at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

redirect, by a redirection component at the BMC and through a BMC communication channel, a local media including a disk management tool to a host of the BMC as a particular drive, the host being a storage device connected to one or more storage drives, the disk management tool preparing a storage area of the one or more storage drives for installation of storage service on the host, the BMC communication channel being established for communicating baseboard management commands between the BMC and the host, the storage service managing a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) controller at the host as well as managing and configuring the one or more storage drives;

configure, by firmware of the BMC, the host to boot from the particular drive;

send, by the firmware of the BMC, a first instruction to the host instructing the host to reboot;

receive, by the redirection component and from the host, a command for reading the disk management tool; and

send, by the redirection component and to the host, the disk management tool.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the computer system further comprises the host, including:

a second memory; and

a primary processing unit,

wherein the primary processing unit is configured to:

receive, at the host, configurations for booting from the particular drive; and

reboot the host in response to receiving the first instruction.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the primary processing unit is further configured to:

detect, at the host, the particular drive after rebooting;

determine, at the host and based on the configurations stored on the host, to boot from the disk management tool;

load, by the host and through the BMC communication channel, the disk management tool stored in the local media; and

execute, at the host, the disk management tool, wherein the disk management tool prepares a storage area of the storage drives for installation of the storage service.

11. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the first at least one processor is further configured to:

send, at the BMC, a second instruction to the host instructing the BMC to reboot; and

redirect, at the BMC and through the BMC communication channel, an installation media containing the storage service to the host.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the installation media is a remote media at a remote device in communication with the BMC through a management network.

13. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the primary processing unit is further configured to:

detect, at the host, the installation media through the BMC communication channel after rebooting;

obtain, by the host, the storage service from the installation media; and

install, by the host, the storage service in the storage area.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the primary processing unit is further configured to:

execute, at the host, the storage service;

wherein the RDMA controller is managed by the storage service and is further configured to:

receive a data operation command from a remote device through a storage network; and

(a) retrieve user data associated with the data operation command from a memory region of the host and send the user data to the remote device through the storage network without passing through the primary processing unit of the host, or, (b) receive the user data associated with the data operation command through the storage network and store the user data to the memory region without passing through the primary processing unit of the host.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable code for operating a computer system, the computer system including a baseboard management controller (BMC), comprising code to:

redirect, by a redirection component at the BMC and through a BMC communication channel, a local media including a disk management tool to a host of the BMC as a particular drive, the host being a storage device connected to one or more storage drives, the disk management tool preparing a storage area of the one or more storage drives for installation of storage service on the host, the BMC communication channel being established for communicating baseboard management commands between the BMC and the host, the storage service managing a Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) controller at the host as well as managing and configuring the one or more storage drives;

configure, by firmware of the BMC, the host to boot from the particular drive;

send, by the firmware of the BMC, a first instruction to the host instructing the host to reboot;

receive, by the redirection component and from the host, a command for reading the disk management tool; and

send, by the redirection component and to the host, the disk management tool.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer system further includes the host, wherein the code is further configured to:

receive, at the host, configurations for booting from the particular drive; and

reboot the host in response to receiving the first instruction.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the code is further configured to:

detect, at the host, the particular drive after rebooting;

determine, at the host and based on the configurations stored on the host, to boot from the disk management tool;

load, by the host and through the BMC communication channel, the disk management tool stored in the local media; and

execute, at the host, the disk management tool, wherein the disk management tool prepares a storage area of the storage drives for installation of the storage service.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the code is further configured to:

send, at the BMC, a second instruction to the host instructing the BMC to reboot; and

redirect, at the BMC and through the BMC communication channel, an installation media containing the storage service to the host.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the installation media is a remote media at a remote device in communication with the BMC through a management network.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the code is further configured to:

detect, at the host, the installation media through the BMC communication channel after rebooting;

obtain, by the host, the storage service from the installation media; and

install, by the host, the storage service in the storage area.