System and method for loading and populating system inventory data in an event driven model

• US 10,289,424 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2017
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Rathineswaran, Chandrasekar, Naegle, Garrett, Kaur, Ranjodhbir
• Primary Examiner(s): Abbaszadeh, Jaweed A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pandey, Keshab R
• Application Number:
  US15/601,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20180336042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4406 Loading of operating system

Abstract

Systems and methods for loading and populating system inventory data in an event driven model. A management device, such as a baseboard management controller (BMC), is connected to a host server computing device. The management device has an inventory file storing the system inventory data from a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the host server computing device. When the management device receives the system inventory data from the BIOS of the host server computing device via an in-band channel, the inventory file is updated with the data received. Further, the management device may use existing mechanisms such as the inotify hook function to monitor the inventory file in order to determine whether the inventory file is updated. When the inventory file is updated, the management device invokes a function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file.

Claims

1. A method for loading and populating system inventory data in an event driven model, comprising:

providing, at a management device, an inventory file storing the system inventory data from a basic input/output system (BIOS) of a host server computing device;

monitoring, by the management device, the inventory file storing the system inventory data using an inotify hook function by mapping the inventory file in a watch list of the inotify hook function in order to determine whether the inventory file is updated; and

in response to determining the inventory file is updated, invoking a function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the management device is a baseboard management controller (BMC).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the management device, the system inventory data from the BIOS of the host server computing device via an in-band channel; and

in response to receiving the system inventory data, updating the inventory file with the system inventory data received.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the in-band channel is an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) over universal serial bus (USB) channel.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the in-band channel is an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) over keyboard controller style (KCS) channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the inotify hook function is configured to monitor the inventory file by:

determining whether a writing process is performed to the inventory file for writing the system inventory data received;

in response to determining the writing process being performed, monitoring the writing process; and

in response to the writing process being complete, generating a close-write event for invoking the function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file is a Representational State Transfer (REST) function.

8. A system, comprising:

a management device communicatively connected to a host server computing device, the management device comprising a processor and a storage device storing computer executable code and an inventory file storing system inventory data from a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the host server computing device, wherein the computer executable code comprises an inotify hook function for monitoring the inventory file storing the system inventory data, wherein the inventory file is mapped in a watch list of the inotify hook function;

wherein the computer executable code, when executed at the processor, is configured to;

receive the system inventory data from the BIOS of the host server computing device via an in-band channel;

update the inventory file with the system inventory data received;

monitor the inventory file storing the system inventory data using the inotify hook function by mapping the inventory file in the watch list of the inotify hook function in order to determine whether the inventory file is updated; and

in response to determining the inventory file is updated, invoke a function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the management device is a baseboard management controller (BMC).

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the in-band channel is an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) over universal serial bus (USB) channel.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the in-band channel is an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) over keyboard controller style (KCS) channel.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the inotify hook function is configured to monitor the inventory file by:

determining whether a writing process is performed to the inventory file for writing the system inventory data received;

in response to determining the writing process being performed, monitoring the writing process; and

in response to the writing process being complete, generating a close-write event for invoking the function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file is a Representational State Transfer (REST) function.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable code and an inventory file storing system inventory data from a basic input/output system (BIOS) of a host server computing device, wherein the computer executable code comprises an inotify hook function for monitoring the inventory file storing the system inventory data, and the inventory file is mapped in a watch list of the inotify hook function, and wherein the computer executable code, when executed at a processor of a management device, is configured to:

receive the system inventory data from the BIOS of the host server computing device via an in-band channel;

update the inventory file with the system inventory data received;

monitor the inventory file storing the system inventory data using the inotify hook function by mapping the inventory file in the watch list of the inotify hook function in order to determine whether the inventory file is updated; and

in response to determining the inventory file is updated, invoke a function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the management device is a baseboard management controller (BMC).

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the in-band channel is an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) over universal serial bus (USB) channel.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the in-band channel is an Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) over keyboard controller style (KCS) channel.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the inotify hook function is configured to monitor the inventory file by:

determining whether a writing process is performed to the inventory file for writing the system inventory data received;

in response to determining the writing process being performed, monitoring the writing process; and

in response to the writing process being complete, generating a close-write event for invoking the function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the function for loading the inventory file and processing the system inventory data stored in the inventory file is a Representational State Transfer (REST) function.