Update system, update client apparatus, update server apparatus, and programs

• US 20020138567A1
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ogawa, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,203,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

An update client sends to an update server which is connected to the update client via a communication line, identification information of a driver and firmware which are included in a disk array system, and identification information of an error event which has occurred in the disk array system. The update server determines whether update of the driver and the firmware is necessary or not in accordance with a combination of the supplied identification information of the driver, the firmware, and the error event. In a case where it is determined that update is necessary, the update server sends to the update client, update data corresponding to the combination of the supplied identification information of the driver, the firmware, and the error event. The update client updates both of the driver and the firmware using the supplied update data.

Claims

1. An update system comprising:

an update client which updates a driver and firmware which are included in a disk array system; and

an update server which is connected to said update client via a communication line, determines whether or not update of said driver and said firmware is necessary, and in a case where determining that the update is necessary, sends appropriate update data corresponding to combination of said driver and said firmware to said update client,

wherein said update client updates both of said driver and said firmware using the update data supplied from said update server.

2. The update system according to claim 1, wherein:

said update client comprises;

an information sending unit which sends identification information for identifying said driver, and identification information for identifying said firmware to said update server; and

an update unit which updates both of said driver and said firmware using the update data supplied from said update server, and said update server comprises;

a necessity determination unit which determines whether or not the update is necessary in accordance with combination of the identification information of said driver and the identification information of said firmware which are supplied from said information sending unit;

a data determination unit which determines the update data in accordance with the combination of the identification information of said driver and the identification information of said firmware which are supplied from said information sending unit, in a case where said necessity determination unit determines that the update is necessary; and

a data sending unit which sends the update data determined by said data determination unit to said update client.

3. The update system according to claim 2, wherein:

said update server further comprises a storage unit which stores a determination table which indicates whether the update is necessary or not, and specifies necessary update data in accordance with the combination of the identification information of said driver and the identification information of said firmware;

said necessity determination unit determines whether the update is necessary or not by referring to said determination table using the identification information of said driver and the identification information of said firmware; and

said data determination unit determines the update data by referring to said determination table using the identification information of said driver and the identification information of said firmware.

4. The update system according to claim 3, wherein:

said storage unit further stores a plurality of update data for updating both of said driver and said firmware;

said update server further comprises a data retrieving unit which retrieves from said storage unit, the update data determined by said data determination unit; and

said data sending unit sends the update data retrieved by said data retrieving unit to said update client.

5. The update system according to claim 4, wherein

said update client is provided in said disk array system.

6. The update system according to claim 1, wherein

said update server sends to said update client, appropriate update data which not only corresponds to the combination of said driver and said firmware, but also corresponds to a kind of an error event which occurs in said disk array system.

7. The update system according to claim 6, wherein:

said update client comprises;

an information sending unit which sends to said update server, identification information for identifying said driver, identification information for identifying said firmware, and identification information for identifying an error event which occurs in said disk array system; and

an update unit which updates both of said driver and said firmware using the update data supplied from said update server, and

said update server comprises;

a necessity determination unit which determines whether or not the update is necessary in accordance with a combination of the identification information of said driver, the identification information of said firmware, and the identification information of said error event which are supplied from said information sending unit;

a data determination unit which determines the update data in accordance with the combination of the identification information of said driver, the identification information of said firmware, and the identification of said error event which are supplied from said information sending unit, in a case where said necessity determination unit determines that the update is necessary; and

a data sending unit which sends the update data determined by said data determination unit to said update client.

8. The update system according to claim 7, wherein:

said update server further comprises a storage unit which stores a determination table which indicates whether the update is necessary or not, and specifies necessary update data in accordance with the combination of the identification information of said driver, the identification information of said firmware, and the identification information of said error event;

said necessity determination unit determines whether the update is necessary or not by referring to the determination table using the identification information of said driver, the identification information of said firmware, and the identification information of said error event; and

said data determination unit determines the update data by referring to the determination table using the identification information of said driver, the identification information of said firmware, and the identification information of said error event.

9. The update system according to claim 8, wherein:

said storage unit further stores a plurality of update data for updating both of said driver and said firmware;

said update server further comprises a data retrieving unit which retrieves from said storage unit, the update data determined by said data determination unit; and

said data sending unit sends the update data retrieved by said data retrieving unit to said update client.

10. The update system according to claim 9, wherein

said update client is provided in said disk array system.

11. An update system comprising:

a necessity determination unit which determines whether update of a driver and firmware which are included in a disk array system is necessary or not in accordance with a combination of said driver and said firmware;

a data determination unit which determines update data appropriate for updating both of said driver and said firmware in accordance with the combination of said driver and said firmware, in a case where said necessity determination unit determines that the update is necessary; and

an update unit which updates both of said driver and said firmware using the update data determined by said data determination unit.

12. The update system according to claim 11, further comprising

an error occurrence determination unit which determines whether or not an error event has occurred in said disk array system,

wherein:

in a case where said error occurrence determination unit determines that an error event has occurred, said necessity determination unit determines whether the update is necessary or not, not only in accordance with the combination of said driver and said firmware but also in accordance with a kind of the error event which has occurred in said disk array system; and

in a case where said error occurrence determination unit determines that an error event has occurred, said data determination unit determines the update data, not only in accordance with the combination of said driver and said firmware but also in accordance with a kind of the error event.

14. The update client apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:

said information sending unit sends to the external apparatus, identification information for identifying an error event which has occurred in said disk array system together with the identification information of said driver and the identification information of said firmware; and

said update unit updates both of said driver and said firmware using update data supplied from the external apparatus in accordance with a combination of the identification information of said driver, the identification information of said firmware, and the identification information of said error event.

16. The update server apparatus according to claim 15, wherein:

said update server apparatus receives from the external apparatus, not only the identification information of the driver and the identification information of the firmware but also identification information for identifying an error event which has occurred in the disk array system;

said necessity determination unit determines whether the update is necessary or not in accordance with a combination of the identification information of the driver, the identification information of the firmware, and the identification information of the error event which are supplied from the external apparatus; and

said data determination unit determines the update data in accordance with the combination of the identification information of the diver, the identification information of the firmware, and the identification information of the error event which are supplied from the external apparatus, in a case where said necessity determination unit determines that the update is necessary.

13. An update client apparatus which updates both of a driver and firmware which are included in a disk array system, said apparatus comprising:

an information sending unit which sends identification information for identifying said driver and identification information for identifying said firmware to an external apparatus which stores a plurality of update data; and

an update unit which updates both of said driver and said firmware using update data supplied from the external apparatus in accordance with a combination of the identification information of said driver and the identification information of said firmware.

15. An update server apparatus which provides an external apparatus with update data for updating both of a driver and firmware which are included in a disk array system, said update server apparatus comprising:

a necessity determination unit which determines whether update of the driver and the firmware is necessary or not in accordance with a combination of identification information for identifying the driver and identification information for identifying the firmware which are supplied from the external apparatus;

a data determination unit which determines the update data in accordance with the combination of the identification information of the driver and the identification information of the firmware which are supplied from the external apparatus, in a case where said necessity determination unit determines that the update is necessary; and

a data sending unit which sends the update data determined by said data determination unit to the external apparatus.

17. A program for controlling a computer to function as an update client apparatus which updates both of a driver and firmware which are included in a disk array system, said update client apparatus comprising:

an information sending unit which sends identification information for identifying the driver and identification information for identifying the firmware to an external apparatus which stores a plurality of update data; and

an update unit which updates both of the driver mid the firmware using update data supplied from the external apparatus in accordance with a combination of the identification information of the driver and the identification information of the firmware.

18. A program for controlling a computer to function as an update server apparatus which provides an external apparatus with update data for updating both of a driver and firmware which are included in a disk array system, said update server apparatus comprising:

a necessity determination unit which determines whether update of the driver and the firmware is necessary or not in accordance with a combination of identification information for identifying the driver and identification information for identifying the firmware which are supplied from the external apparatus;

a data determination unit which determines the update data in accordance with the combination of the identification information of the driver and the identification information of the firmware which are supplied from the external apparatus, in a case where said necessity determination unit determines that the update is necessary; and

a data sending unit which sends the update data determined by said data determination unit to the external apparatus.