IP Library Granted Patent US 12,222,882
Granted Patent B2
US 12,222,882 · App. 17/244,338 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

Systems and methods for smart network interface card-initiated server management

Inventors: Lee E. Ballard (Georgetown, TX); Robert T. Stevens (Austin, TX); Hendrich M. Hernandez (Round Rock, TX); Gaurav Chawla (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
G06F13/382G06F13/4063H04L9/085H04L9/3213G06F2213/3808
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,222,882
App. No.
17/244,338
Filed
Apr 29, 2021
Granted
Feb 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2492
USPC
726/27
Abstract

An information handling system may include a processor, a management controller communicatively coupled to the processor and configured for out-of-band management of the information handling system, and a smart network interface card communicatively coupled to the processor and the management controller, and configured to obtain a secret for authenticating the smart network interface card to the management controller, request an access token reference from the management controller, the request including the secret and an identifier of the smart network interface card in order to authenticate the smart network interface card to the management controller, in response to the request for the access token reference, receive the access token reference, and communicate a management task request to the management controller using the access token reference.

Claims (41)

1. An information handling system comprising:

a host processor;

a baseboard management controller communicatively coupled to the host processor and configured for out-of-band management of the information handling system; and

a smart network interface card communicatively coupled to the host processor and the baseboard management controller, and configured to:

obtain a secret, randomly generated by the baseboard management controller, for authenticating the smart network interface card to the baseboard management controller;

request an access token reference from the baseboard management controller, the request including the secret and an identifier of the smart network interface card in order to authenticate the smart network interface card to the baseboard management controller;

in response to the request for the access token reference, receive the access token reference; and

communicate a management task request to the baseboard management controller using the access token reference;

wherein the secret is invalidated in response to removal of the smart network interface card.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the smart network interface card is configured to obtain the secret from the baseboard management controller via a secured communication channel.

3. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the baseboard management controller is configured to:

obtain an inventory of the information handling system; and

generate the secret in response to a determination from the inventory that the smart network interface card is located in a privileged slot of the information handling system.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 , wherein the baseboard management controller is configured to:

generate the secret in response to a determination that the hardware and software of the smart network interface card are authenticated.

5. A method comprising, in an information handling system comprising a host processor, a baseboard management controller communicatively coupled to the host processor and configured for out-of-band management of the information handling system, and a smart network interface card communicatively coupled to the host processor and the baseboard management controller:

obtaining, by the smart network interface card, a secret, randomly generated by the baseboard management controller, for authenticating the smart network interface card to the baseboard management controller;

requesting, by the smart network interface card, an access token reference from the baseboard management controller, the request including the secret and an identifier of the smart network interface card in order to authenticate the smart network interface card to the baseboard management controller;

in response to the request for the access token reference, receiving, by the smart network interface card, the access token reference; and

communicating, by the smart network interface card, a management task request to the baseboard management controller using the access token reference;

wherein the secret is invalidated in response to removal of the smart network interface card.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein method further comprises obtaining, by the smart network interface card, the secret from the baseboard management controller via a secured communication channel.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

obtaining, by the baseboard management controller, an inventory of the information handling system; and

generating, by the baseboard management controller, the secret in response to a determination from the inventory that the smart network interface card is located in a privileged slot of the information handling system.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

generating, by the baseboard management controller, the secret in response to a determination that the hardware and software of the smart network interface card are authenticated.

9. An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

computer-executable instructions carried on the computer-readable medium, the instructions readable by a processor of a smart network interface card of an information handling system comprising a host processor communicatively coupled to the smart network interface card and a baseboard management controller communicatively coupled to the host processor and the smart network interface card and configured for out-of-band management of the information handling system, the instructions, when read and executed, for causing the processor to:

obtain a secret, randomly generated by the baseboard management controller, for authenticating the smart network interface card to the baseboard management controller;

request an access token reference from the baseboard management controller, the request including the secret and an identifier of the smart network interface card in order to authenticate the smart network interface card to the baseboard management controller;

in response to the request for the access token reference, receive the access token reference; and

communicate a management task request to the baseboard management controller using the access token reference;

wherein the secret is invalidated in response to removal of the smart network interface card.

10. The article of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are for further causing the processor to obtain the secret from the baseboard management controller via a secured communication channel.

11. The article of claim 10 , wherein the baseboard management controller is configured to:

obtain an inventory of the information handling system; and

generate the secret in response to a determination from the inventory that the smart network interface card is located in a privileged slot of the information handling system.

12. The article of claim 11 , wherein the baseboard management controller is configured to:

generate the secret in response to a determination that the hardware and software of the smart network interface card are authenticated.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0280) 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 062022/0255 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0124) 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 062022/0012 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0001) 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 062021/0844 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058297/0332 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
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 056295/0124 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
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 056295/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
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 056295/0280 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISSING PATENTS THAT WERE ON THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED SUBMITTED BUT NOT ENTERED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056250 FRAME: 0541. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 17, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056311/0781 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 14, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056250/0541 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2021
From: BALLARD, LEE E.; STEVENS, ROBERT T.; CHAWLA, GAURAV; HERNANDEZ, HENDRICH M.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 056124/0583 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220350765A1 · Nov 3, 2022
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