Retiring target machines by a provisioning server

• US 10,203,946 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Michael Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Biagini, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US14/853,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20160004524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/53 by executing in a restricted environment, e.g. sandbox or secure virtual machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

A provisioning server can provide and interact with an eraser agent on target machines. The eraser agent can execute on one or more target machines to erase all the contents of storage on the target machines. In particular, the eraser agent can utilize secure algorithms to alter and obscure the information stored the storage devices of the target machines. The provisioning server can instruct the target machines to alter their power state (e.g. power cycle), if necessary, to provide and to initiate the eraser agent.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a processor, a target machine in a network for retirement;

instructing, by the processor, the target machine over the network to power cycle to initiate a network transfer of an eraser agent to the target machine to securely erase information stored on a computer readable storage media device associated with the target machine, wherein the power cycle comprises powering down and powering up the target machine;

subsequent to the power cycle by the target machine, initiating, by the processor, the network transfer of the eraser agent over the network the target machine, wherein the eraser agent is to securely erase the information stored on the computer readable storage media device associated with the target machine; and

instructing, by the processor, the target machine over the network to power cycle to initiate an initial execution of the eraser agent, wherein the eraser agent is not executed on the target machine prior to the initial execution, wherein the eraser agent is transferred to the target machine prior to the power cycle to initiate the initial execution of the eraser agent, wherein responsive to initiating execution the eraser agent to securely erase the information.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising copying the information stored on the target machine to another target machine prior to erasing the information.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising provisioning software to the target machine utilizing at least one provisioning object, after erasing the information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one provisioning object comprises at least one of a profile for provisioning the software, a template for provisioning the software, a software distribution record for provisioning the software, or a record for the target machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the eraser agent utilizes a secure process to obscure or alter the information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the target machine to power cycle comprises instructing a power management system to power down and power up the target machine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the network transfer of the eraser agent comprises instructing a helper client of the target machine to retrieve the eraser agent.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

identify, by the processor, a target machine in a network for retirement;

instruct, by the processor, the target machine over the network to power cycle to initiate a network transfer of an eraser agent to the target machine to securely erase information stored on a computer readable storage media device associated with the target machine, wherein the power cycle comprises powering down and powering up the target machine;

subsequent to the power cycle by the target machine, initiate, by the processor, the network transfer of the eraser agent over the network to the target machine, wherein the eraser agent is to securely erase the information stored on the computer readable storage media device associated with the target machine; and

instruct, by the processor, the target machine over the network to power cycle to initiate an initial execution of the eraser agent, wherein the eraser agent is not executed on the target machine prior to the initial execution, wherein the eraser agent is transferred to the target machine prior to the power cycle to initiate the initial execution of the eraser agent, wherein responsive to initiating execution the eraser agent to securely erase the information.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the processor further to copy the information stored on the target machine to another target machine prior to erasing the information.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the processor further to provision software to the target machine utilizing at least one provisioning object subsequent to erasing the information.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the at least one provisioning object comprises at least one of a profile for provisioning the software, a template for provisioning the software, a software distribution record for provisioning the software, or a record for the target machine.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the eraser agent utilizes a secure process to obscure or alter the information.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein to instruct the target machine to power cycle, the processor further to instruct a power management system to power down and power up the target machine.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein to initiate the network transfer of the eraser agent, the processor further to instruct a helper client of the target machine to retrieve the eraser agent.

15. A computing system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, to;

identify a target machine in a network for retirement;

instruct the target machine over the network to power cycle to initiate a network transfer of an eraser agent to the target machine to securely erase information stored on a computer readable storage media device associated with the target machine, wherein the power cycle comprises powering down and powering up the target machine;

subsequent to the power cycle by the target machine, initiate the network transfer of the eraser agent over the network to the target machine, wherein the eraser agent is to securely erase the information stored on the computer readable storage media device associated with the target machine; and

instruct the target machine over the network to power cycle to initiate an initial execution of the eraser agent, wherein the eraser agent is not executed on the target machine prior to the initial execution, wherein the eraser agent is transferred to the target machine prior to the power cycle to initiate the initial execution of the eraser agent, wherein responsive to initiating execution the eraser agent to securely erase the information.

16. The computing system of claim 15, the processor further to copy the information stored on the target machine to another target machine prior to erasing the information.

17. The computing system of claim 15, the processor further to provision software to the target machine utilizing at least one provisioning object, after erasing the information.

18. The computing system of claim 15, wherein the eraser agent utilizes a secure process to obscure or alter the information.

19. The computing system of claim 15, wherein to instruct the target machine to power cycle, the processor further to instruct a power management system to power down and power up the target machine.

20. The computing system of claim 15, wherein to initiate the network transfer of the eraser agent, the processor further to instruct a helper client of the target machine to retrieve the eraser agent.