Seagate Technology Incorporated

Keith Patrick McKay

Ross John Stenfort

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods of device firmware update effects as seen by a computing host. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method includes executing a first firmware received from a computing host, the first firmware including a first firmware revision identifier, executing a second firmware received from the computing host, and returning the first firmware revision identifier to the computing host during the execution of the second firmware and before an event occurs. The returning the first firmware revision identifier enables the computing host to continue executing without detecting an error in response to a change in a value of a returned firmware revision identifier throughout the execution of the first firmware and during execution of the second firmware.

Management of device firmware update effects as seen by a host

Management of device firmware update effects as seen by a computing host enables continuously running an OS on the host across a device firmware update, e.g., via delaying visibility of at least a portion of effects of the firmware update, such as in a context where without the delay in visibility the OS would encounter an unrecoverable error and crash. For example, a device (e.g. an SSD) is coupled to a computing host running an unmodified version of Windows. Firmware on the device is updated/activated, such as by being booted. Visibility of a portion of information that would otherwise become immediately visible to the OS (upon activation of updated firmware) is delayed until a power cycle of the device. If the portion includes, e.g., a firmware revision identifier, then the delayed visibility enables continuously running the OS across the firmware update/activation without rebooting the OS.

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Keith Patrick McKay