IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,027,992
Granted Patent B2
US 8,027,992 · App. 12/055,545 · Granted Sep 27, 2011

Build automation and verification for modular servers

Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,027,992
App. No.
12/055,545
Filed
Mar 26, 2008
Granted
Sep 27, 2011
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2169
USPC
707/769
Abstract

A system and method for managing and verifying the installation of software on a modular information handling system includes a bar file database and an installation management module. The bar file database stores bar files. The bar files each are related to a component of a modular information handling system. The installation management module is able to receive a bar file and communicate with the bar file database to identify and access each bar file associated with the modular information handling system.

Claims (47)

1. A system for verifying the installation of a plurality of selected software applications onto a selected modular information handling system comprising:

a bar file database stored in physical storage media including bar files associated with each of a plurality of information handling systems;

at least one software installation database stored in physical storage media; and

a software validation module in communication with the at least one software installation database, the software validation module operable to:

receive a scanned service tag for a selected information handling system including a plurality of blades;

determine that the selected information handling system including a plurality of blades is a modular information handling system;

access from the bar file database a bar file including a listing of selected software installation requirements associated with the modular information handling system using the scanned service tag, the selected software installation requirements including software applications for installation on the modular information handling system; and

query the at least one software installation database to determine whether each software installation requirement for each of the plurality of blades in the modular information handling system has been satisfied.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one software installation database further comprises a log server associated with a software installation system.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising the software validation module operable to search the log server for flag files corresponding to completed software installation operations.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one software installation database further comprises a DPCS database and a log server;

and

the software validation module is further operable to:

query the DPCS database to determine whether a particular component has completed the steps required for installation; and

query at least one log server if the DPCS database fails to indicate installation completion.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one software installation database comprises a database selected from the group consisting of a DPCS database and a BRM database.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one software installation database further comprises a plurality of databases associated with an installation system.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the software validation module further comprises a dialogue module operable to generate a response dialogue.

8. A system for verifying the installation of selected software applications onto a modular information handling system, comprising:

a bar file database stored in physical storage media including bar files associated with each of a plurality of information handling systems;

a software installation database stored in the physical storage media including data defining whether selected software installation requirements for each of the information handling systems have been satisfied, the selected software installation requirements including software applications for installation on the plurality of information handling systems;

a software validation module in communication with the bar file database and the software installation database, the software validation module configured to:

receive a scanned service tag for a particular information handling system including a plurality of blades;

determine that the particular information handling system including the plurality of blades is a modular information handling system;

access from the bar file database a bar file identifying the selected software installation requirements associated with the modular information handling system using the scanned service tag; and

query the software installation database to determine whether the modular information handling system has successfully passed software installation verification based on whether the selected software installation requirements for each of the plurality of blades in the modular information handling system have been satisfied; and

a dialogue module configured to display to a user a scan status for the modular information handling system, the scan status identifying (a) the modular information handling system and (b) whether the modular information handling system has successfully passed software installation verification.

9. The system of claim 8 , the dialogue module further configured to display to the user a scan statistic identifying statistical information regarding a number of the plurality of information handling systems that have successfully passed software installation verification.

10. The system of claim 8 , the dialogue module further configured to display to the user verification details including, for each of a plurality of components of the modular information handling system, (a) a service tag identifying that component and (b) information regarding whether that component passed or failed a software installation verification assessment.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein:

the software installation database comprises a log of flag files corresponding to completed software installation operations; and

the software validation module is further configured to query the software installation database to determine whether the modular information handling system has successfully passed software installation verification by searching the log for flag files corresponding to completed software installation operations for the modular information handling system.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the scanned service tag comprises a bar code, track code, or tag.

13. A method for verifying the installation of selected software applications onto a modular information handling system, comprising:

receiving a scanned service tag for a particular one of a group of information handling systems at a software validation module, the particular information handling system including a plurality of blades;

determining that the particular information handling system including the plurality of blades is a modular information handling system;

accessing from a bar file database stored in physical storage media a bar file identifying selected software installation requirements associated with the modular information handling system using the scanned service tag, the selected software installation requirements including software applications for installation on the modular information handling system;

querying a software installation database stored in the physical storage media to determine whether the selected software installation requirements for each of the plurality of blades in the modular information handling system have been satisfied;

determining whether the modular information handling system has successfully passed software installation verification based on whether the selected software installation requirements for each of the plurality of blades in the modular information handling system have been satisfied; and

displaying to a user a scan status for the modular information handling system, the scan status identifying (a) the modular information handling system and (b) whether the modular information handling system has successfully passed software installation verification.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising simultaneously displaying to the user a scan status for a plurality of the information handling systems, the scan status identifying (a) each of the plurality of information handling systems and (b) whether each of the plurality of information handling systems has successfully passed software installation verification.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising displaying to the user a scan statistic identifying statistical information regarding a number of the information handling systems that have successfully passed software installation verification.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising displaying to the user verification details including, for each of a plurality of components of the modular information handling system, (a) a service tag identifying that component and (b) information regarding whether that component passed or failed a software installation verification assessment.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein querying the software installation database to determine whether the selected software installation requirements for the modular information handling system have been satisfied comprises searching a log for flag files corresponding to completed software installation operations.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the scanned service tag comprises a bar code, track code, or tag.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the displayed scan status for the modular information handling system is automatically color-coded based on whether the modular information handling system has successfully passed software installation verification.

Assignments (15)
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 (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
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 21, 2019
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 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040040/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0618 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0216 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031898/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031899/0261 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031897/0348 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 22, 2008
From: BLAKE, DAVID; EDDIE, MICHELLE
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 020836/0351 →
Continuity (2)
Division 10682621 · Oct 9, 2003
Related Publication 20080177711A1 · Jul 24, 2008