IP Library Granted Patent US 11,947,987
Granted Patent B2
US 11,947,987 · App. 16/891,641 · Granted Apr 2, 2024

Live node imaging

Inventors: Li Huang (Shanghai, CN); Kai Zhou (Shanghai, CN); Zheng Zhang (Shanghai, CN); Harold A. Hager, Jr. (Hopkinton, MA); Qi Zhang (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F9/45558G06F9/44536G06F9/44578H04L9/3247G06F2009/45562
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,947,987
App. No.
16/891,641
Granted
Apr 2, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An information handling system may include at least one processor; and a non-transitory memory coupled to the at least one processor. The information handling system may be a node of an information handling system cluster may be configured to be imaged while the node is operational within the information handling system cluster by: a node installation service executing on the node creating a partition on a storage medium of the node; the node installation service receiving an image bundle from a remote information handling system via a network and storing the image bundle on the partition; and the node installation service causing the node to reboot, wherein the rebooting is configured to install a new version of a management system to the node from the image bundle.

Claims (47)

1. An information handling system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory memory coupled to the at least one processor;

wherein the information handling system is a node of an information handling system cluster; and

wherein the node is configured to be imaged while the node is operational within the information handling system cluster and while secure boot is enabled for the node, wherein the imaging includes installing a new version of a management system to the node, by:

enabling a serial over LAN (SOL) interface configured to provide monitoring information regarding the imaging;

a node installation service executing on the node creating a partition on a storage medium of the node;

the node installation service receiving an image bundle from a remote information handling system via a network and storing the image bundle on the partition;

the node installation service updating a boot loader configuration file for the management system;

the node installation service creating a kickstart file that indicates one or more actions to be taken with regard to the imaging of the node;

the node installation service causing the node to reboot, wherein the rebooting is configured to install the new version of the management system to the node from the image bundle based on the boot loader configuration file an the kickstart file; and

in response to completion of the installation, deactivating the SOL interface.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , further configured to:

after installation of the new version of the management system, execute a new version of the node installation service.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is included in the image bundle.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is further configured to install additional software bundles.

5. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is cryptographically signed by a maker of the management system.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the cluster is a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) cluster.

7. The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein the management system is an HCI management system.

8. A method for imaging a node of an information handling system cluster, wherein the imaging includes installing a new version of a management system to the node, the method comprising:

while the node is operational within the information handling system cluster and while secure boot is enabled for the node, a node installation service that is executing on the node creating a partition on a storage medium of the node;

the node installation service enabling a serial over LAN (SOL) interface configured to provide monitoring information;

the node installation service receiving an image bundle from a remote information handling system via a network and storing the image bundle on the partition;

the node installation service updating a boot loader configuration file for the management system;

the node installation service creating a kickstart file that indicates one or more actions to be taken with regard to the imaging of the node;

the node installation service causing the node to reboot, wherein the rebooting is configured to install the new version of the management system to the node from the image bundle based on the kickstart file; and

in response to completion of the installation, deactivating the SOL interface.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the storage medium is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) storage medium.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, after installation of the new version of the management system, executing a new version of the node installation service.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is included in the image bundle.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is further configured to install additional software bundles.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is cryptographically signed by a maker of the management system.

14. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-executable code thereon that is executable by a processor of an information handling system that is a node of an information handling system cluster for imaging the node, wherein the imaging includes installing a new version of a management system to the node by, while secure boot is enabled for the node:

executing a node installation service on the node to create a partition on a storage medium of the node;

causing the node installation service to enable a serial over LAN (SOL) interface configured to provide monitoring information;

causing the node installation service to receive an image bundle from a remote information handling system via a network and storing the image bundle on the partition;

causing the node installation service to update a boot loader configuration file for the management system;

causing the node installation service to create a kickstart file that indicates one or more actions to be taken with regard to the imaging of the node;

causing the node to reboot, wherein the rebooting is configured to install the new version of the management system to the node from the image bundle based on the kickstart file; and

in response to completion of the installation, deactivating the SOL interface.

15. The article of claim 14 , wherein the code is further executable for:

after installation of the new version of the management system, executing a new version of the node installation service.

16. The article of claim 15 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is included in the image bundle.

17. The article of claim 16 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is further configured to install additional software bundles.

18. The article of claim 16 , wherein the new version of the node installation service is cryptographically signed by a maker of the management system.

19. The article of claim 14 , wherein the cluster is a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) cluster.

20. The article of claim 19 , wherein the management system is an HCI management system.

Assignments (9)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053578/0183) Recorded Jun 10, 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 060332/0864 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053574/0221) Recorded Jun 10, 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 060333/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053573/0535) Recorded Jun 10, 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 060333/0106 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 053531 FRAME 0108 Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058001/0371 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053578/0183 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053573/0535 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053574/0221 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 18, 2020
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 053531/0108 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2020
From: HUANG, LI; ZHOU, KAI; ZHANG, ZHENG; HAGER, HAROLD A., JR.; ZHANG, QI
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 052826/0819 →