International Business Machines Corporation

Lenovo (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Richard Bealkowski

Michael Robert Turner

Richard Alan Dayan

John W Blackledge, Jr

Kevin M Zyvoloski

Robert Sachsenmaier

Scott G Kinnear

Doyle S Cronk

Matthew S Palka, Jr

Douglas R Geisler

George D Kovach

Patrick M Bland

Ralph M Begun

Matthew T Mittelstedt

Sudhir Dhawan

Edward Klodnicki

Donald D Williams

Guy G Sotomayor, Jr

Kenneth D Smeltzer

Jeffrey Isaac Krantz

Gary A Vaiskauckas

David Joseph Doria

Lisa R Arnold

John D Paul

Peter A Woytovech

Mary M Bolt

Robert B Liverman

Jay H Neer

Louis Bennie Capps, Jr

Scott Douglas Clark

James Lee Wooldridge

Robert Allen Drehmel

William Carlisle Arnold

Dennis L Moeller

Andrew B McNeill

Peter Matthew Thomsen

Thomas J Clement

Jerry D Dixon

David Earl Blaschke

Jerry William Pearce

Benjamin Russell Grimes

Dean V Dubinsky

Edward I Wachtel

Charles David Bauman

Bharat B Khatri

Frank J Schroeder

Kenneth Claude Hinz

Dhruvkumar M Desai

Robert G Hillis

George Mathew

Robert B Haig

Brenda M Ozaki

Reynaldo Davila

Gerald Howard

Richard A Sudasassi

Lynda M Salvetti

Carolyn J Zemanek

Essy Tashakori

Doyle Stanfill Cronk

Mechanisms are provided, in a bare metal computing device, for executing a network based boot operation for booting the bare metal computing device. In response to powering-on the bare metal computing device, firmware is executed that executes a stub from a virtual media image accessible by the bare metal computing device. The configuration information of the bare metal computing device indicates that the bare metal computing device is being booted from a local media. The stub configures the firmware environment and a network boot program to utilize a network connection by modifying the configuration information of the bare metal computing device to indicate that the bare metal computing device is being booted from a network device. A control program is obtained from a remotely located boot server using the network boot program and is executed to complete the booting of the bare metal computing device.

Simulated network boot environment for bootstrap redirection

A vital product data (VPD) system is connected to a network, allowing the VPD system to be accessed for inquiries about VPD. The VPD system includes a baseboard management controller (BMC), a VPD cache, a platform initialization system and a tamper detection switch. The BMC communicates with the tamper detection switch and sets a VPD flag to false when tampering is detected. Queries to the BMC through the network for VPD are then held pending and the VPD cache refreshed with a no-boot power on, using the platform initialization system to collect the new VPD capturing the nature of any modifications after tampering.

Out of band vital product data collection

A mechanism is provided for improved firmware storage and maintenance. For each master device in a plurality of master devices: an amount of Flash memory space required by the master device is identified and the amount of Flash memory space from a Flash component is allocated to the master device as a virtual Flash memory allocation. An initial sector location of the virtual Flash memory allocation in a data structure is recorded as an offset into the Flash component and a length of the virtual Flash memory allocation and device information is also recorded in the data structure. Data that allows the master device to boot up is then loaded into the virtual Flash memory allocation.

Firmware storage and maintenance

A mechanism is provided for improved firmware storage and maintenance. For each master device in a plurality of master devices: an amount of flash memory space required by the master device is identified and the amount of Flash memory space from a Flash component is allocated to the master device as a virtual Flash memory allocation. An initial sector location of the virtual Flash memory allocation in a data structure is recorded as an offset into the Flash component and a length of the virtual Flash memory allocation and device information is also recorded in the data structure. Data that allows the master device to boot up is then loaded into the virtual Flash memory allocation.

A mechanism is provided for enhancing remote presence capabilities. An update event for a main management module that manages a set of remote presence sessions for remote media established by a plurality of client systems is identified. A determination is made as to whether the main management module is currently maintaining a remote presence session for a remote media established by one of the plurality of client systems. Responsive to the main management module maintaining a remote presence session for the remote media, a handoff of the remote presence session for the remote media is initiated to an auxiliary management module. An update associated with the update event is then permitted to be performed on the main management module while maintaining the remote presence session for the remote media via the auxiliary management module.

Enhanced remote presence

A method, apparatus, and computer program product for virtualizing baseboard management controller ('BMC') operation in a host computer comprising a base BMC is provided. Example embodiments include executing, by the host computer, a virtual BMC; registering, by the virtual BMC, with the base BMC of the host computer; and processing BMC requests sent to the base BMC by the virtual BMC. In some example embodiments, prior to registration of the virtual BMC, BMC requests are processed by the base BMC. Some other example embodiments include determining, by the base BMC, periodically at a predefined period of time, whether the virtual BMC is active; and upon the base BMC determining that the virtual BMC is not active: deregistering, by the base BMC, the virtual BMC; and processing subsequently received BMC requests by the base BMC.

Virtualizing baseboard management controller operation

A rapid provisioning method for connecting to a cloud, copying blocks of a virtual machine image to the cloud and booting the virtual machine image in the cloud, wherein some aspects of copying the blocks and booting the virtual machine are contemporaneous or overlap. The method may include starting with copying the blocks of the virtual machine and continuing to copy the blocks of the virtual machine image while the virtual machine image boots in the cloud. The method may also include starting with booting the virtual machine in the cloud from the customer computer and continuing to boot while copying the blocks transferred during boot to cloud storage.

Virtual machine rapid provisioning system

A method for enabling control in a cloud computing environment includes initializing a portion of computing resources identified for enabling service to a user system in a cloud computing environment. The method may also include enabling service to the user system. Further, the method may include initializing another portion of the computing resources. After the service in the cloud computing environment has been enabled, cloud computing services may be provided by the host system to one or more user systems.

Methods and systems for enabling control to a hypervisor in a cloud computing environment

A chassis is selected from one or more chassis. Each chassis has one or more computing devices installed therein. A computing device is selected from the computing devices installed in the selected chassis. Each computing device is connected to one or more switches within the chassis. A switch is selected from the switches to which the selected computing device is connected. Each switch is connected to a storage-area network (SAN) encompassing one or more SAN storage devices. A SAN storage device is selected from the SAN storage devices connected to the selected switch. Network settings for the selected SAN storage device and/or the selected computing device are configured. The selected SAN storage device is configured for use by the selected computing device. An operating system (OS) instance is selected and deployed onto the selected SAN storage device for use by the selected computing device.

Selection and configuration of storage-area network storage device and computing device

Mechanisms for executing a bare metal boot operation for bare metal booting a control program are provided. These mechanisms boot a computing device to a hypervisor ownership phase of the bare metal boot operation. During the hypervisor ownership phase of the bare metal boot operation a hypervisor is loaded and controls and manages platform hardware of the computing device. The computing device is then booted from the hypervisor ownership phase to a transition phase in which the hypervisor releases control and management of the platform hardware of the computing device to the control program. The computing device is then booted from the transition phase to a control program ownership phase in which the control program is in full control and manages the platform hardware. The bare metal boot operation is performed without restarting the computing device and without cycling through initialization of firmware.

Virtual machine monitor bridge to bare-metal booting

A target server is queried to build an inventory of components installed within the target server. The target server has a boot process by which it is employed within a production environment. Updated software is received for each component from an update server, based on the inventory built. The boot process is configured so that the target server installs the updated software for each component the next time it boots, instead of being employed within the production environment. The target server is caused to boot such that it installs the updated software for each component. Upon completion of the target server installing the update software for each component, the boot process is reconfigured so that the next time the target server boots it is again employed within the production environment. The target server is again caused to boot such that it is again employed within the production environment.

Installation of updated software for server components

A chassis is selected from one or more chassis. Each chassis has one or more computing devices installed therein. A computing device is selected from the computing devices installed in the selected chassis. Each computing device is connected to one or more switches within the chassis. A switch is selected from the switches to which the selected computing device is connected. Each switch is connected to a storage-area network (SAN) encompassing one or more SAN storage devices. A SAN storage device is selected from the SAN storage devices connected to the selected switch. Network settings for the SAN storage device and/or the computing device are configured, including dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) settings for the computing device. The SAN storage device is configured for use by the computing device. An operating system (OS) instance is selected and deployed onto the SAN storage device for use by the computing device.

Selection and configuration of storage-area network storage device and computing device, including configuring DHCP settings

A memory exhaustion condition is handled in a data processing system having first and second regions of physical memory. The memory exhaustion condition is detected while the second region is mirroring at least part of the first region. In response to the memory exhaustion condition, memory mirroring is at least partially deactivated and at least part of the second region is utilized to augment the first region, such that the memory exhaustion condition is eliminated. In an illustrative embodiment, the data processing system compresses real memory into the first region of physical memory, and the memory exhaustion condition arises when the first region lacks sufficient available capacity to accommodate current requirements for real memory. The memory exhaustion condition is eliminated by compressing at least part of the real memory into the second region.

Support for exhaustion recovery in a data processing system with memory mirroring

An apparatus for providing I/O support to a computer system and a method of use thereof is disclosed. The apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes an internal control element located within the apparatus. The control element allows the apparatus in accordance with the present invention to relinquish ownership of the associated I/O devices for the purpose of being used by another computer. Accordingly, through the use of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention, expensive KVM switches and cabling, along with the accompanying I/O devices, are no longer needed to provide I/O support for computer networks. A first aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus for providing I/O support to a computer system. The apparatus comprises an I/O device and an internal control element coupled to the I/O device for relinquishing ownership of the I/O device from the apparatus to the computer network. A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for providing I/O support to a computer system. The method comprises the steps of providing an apparatus wherein the apparatus includes an I/O device and an internal control element coupled to the I/O device and utilizing the internal control element to allow ownership of the I/O device to be relinquished from the apparatus to the computer system.

Apparatus for providing I/O support to a computer system and method of use thereof

Growing community of inventors

Delray Beach, FL, United States of America

Richard Bealkowski