International Business Machines Corporation

Ileana Vila

David Benson Rhoades

Gregory Brian Pruett

Cynthia M Merkin

Bharat B Khatri

Deepa Srinivasan

Tyky Aichelen

Fred Marx

Maria A Rizk

Dan E Mayer

Rodney Wendell Palmer

A method and system for maintaining backup copies of firmware. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a method that includes monitoring an execution of at least one firmware component, and causing a backup copy of the at least one firmware component to be generated if the at least one firmware component executes at a predefined standard of reliability for a predefined time period. According to the system and method disclosed herein, trustworthy backup copies are available if a given server of a multiserver system fails.

Method and system for maintaining backup copies of firmware

A data processing method and system according to the present invention in which a mass storage device (DASD) of a data processing system is partitioned to include a service partition. The service partition includes the current versions of peripheral device firmware, any BIOS extensions, and device drivers. During a system boot, the boot code will compare the firmware versions of all the peripheral devices against the archived firmware versions stored in the service partition. If a mismatch is detected, the system boot will typically force an update of the peripheral device firmware to the level that is known to be good. Any such firmware updates are recorded in a log that is accessible to system management applications. Any revisions to firmware may be imaged into the service partition so that the revised version will be incorporated into the peripheral device itself during the next subsequent system boot.

Method and system for maintaining firmware versions in a data processing system

An information processing system comprises a system processor, an information storage circuit for storing at least programs for operating the information processing system; an enclosure for enclosing the information processing apparatus, the enclosure including an opening for providing access to the information processing system; a cover attached to the enclosure, the cover providing an open position and a closed condition for the information processing apparatus; detection circuitry for detecting whether the cover is in the open position; and means for stopping information processing by the information processing system responsive to an indication that the cover is in the open condition.

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Cary, NC, United States of America

Ileana Vila