IP Library Granted Patent US 11,635,969
Granted Patent B2
US 11,635,969 · App. 17/779,119 · Granted Apr 25, 2023

Systems and methods to update add-on cards firmware and collect hardware information on any servers with any OS installed or bare-metal servers

Inventors: Francis Kin-Wing Hong (Santa Clara, CA); Arturo Cruz (Santa Clara, CA); Liren Zhao (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: HITACHI VANTARA LLC
G06F9/4406G06F9/5044G06F9/5072G06F9/541
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,635,969
App. No.
17/779,119
Granted
Apr 25, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods described herein are directed to upgrading one or more of add-on firmware and disk firmware for a server, which can involve connecting a port of the server to an isolated network, the isolated network dedicated to firmware upgrades for the server; caching onto cache memory of the server, an operating system received through the isolated network; booting the operating system on the server from the cache memory; conducting an Network File System (NFS) mount on the server to determine hardware information associated with the upgrading of the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware; and upgrading the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware based on the hardware information.

Claims (33)

1. A method for upgrading one or more of add-on firmware and disk firmware for a server, the method comprising:

connecting a port of the server to an isolated network;

caching onto cache memory of the server, an operating system received through the isolated network;

booting the operating system on the server from the cache memory;

conducting a Network File System (NFS) mount on the server to determine hardware information associated with the upgrading of the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware; and

upgrading the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware based on the hardware information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the booting the operating system comprises executing a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating the isolated network comprises changing a native Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) of an associated switch port.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising changing the associated switch port back to the native VLAN after upgrading.

5. The method of claim 3 , the method further comprising registering a media access control (MAC) address of the server to a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) server, and assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to the registered MAC address of the server after generating the isolated network;

wherein sharing of NFS used in conducting the NFS mount is restricted to the assigned IP address.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the upgrading the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware based on the hardware information comprises comparing the hardware information with a previous bundle of the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware provided by the deployment manager.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardware information is generated by application programming interfaces (APIs) from the NFS mount.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium, storing instructions for upgrading one or more of add-on firmware and disk firmware for a server, the instructions comprising:

connecting a port of the server to an isolated network;

caching onto cache memory of the server, an operating system received through the isolated network;

booting the operating system on the server from the cache memory;

conducting a Network File System (NFS) mount on the server to determine hardware information associated with the upgrading of the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware; and

upgrading the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware based on the hardware information.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the booting the operating system comprises executing a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the generating the isolated network comprises changing a native Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) of an associated switch port.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , the instructions further comprising changing the associated switch port back to the native VLAN after upgrading.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 , the instructions further comprising registering a media access control (MAC) address of the server to a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) server, and assigning an internet protocol (IP) address to the registered MAC address of the server after generating the isolated network;

wherein sharing of NFS used in conducting the NFS mount is restricted to the assigned IP address.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the upgrading the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware based on the hardware information comprises comparing the hardware information with a previous bundle of the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware provided by the deployment manager.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the hardware information is generated by application programming interfaces (APIs) from the NFS mount.

15. A management node configured to upgrade one or more of add-on firmware and disk firmware for a server, the management node comprising:

a processor, configured to:

connect a port of the server to an isolated network;

cache onto cache memory of the server, an operating system received through the isolated network;

boot the operating system on the server from the cache memory;

conduct a Network File System (NFS) mount on the server to determine hardware information associated with the upgrading of the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware; and

upgrade the one or more of the add-on firmware and the disk firmware based on the hardware information.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2022
From: HONG, FRANCIS KIN-WING; CRUZ, ARTURO; ZHAO, LIREN
To: HITACHI VANTARA LLC
Reel/Frame 059992/0809 →
Continuity (1)
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