System and method for providing automatic firmware updates and diagnostics for network attached storage devices

• US 20020194582A1
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Desai, Paresh, Torii, Shinichiro Kenneth, Chan, Nathan
• Granted Patent: US 6,751,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method and system for automatically implementing firmware revisions is disclosed. In one embodiment a plurality of storage devices are connected via a network. The storage devices are configured to implement firmware updates independent of any externally attached controller platforms. In an alternate embodiment, the system is also configured to provide self diagnostics, wherein defective drives attached to the system may be disabled.

Claims

1. A system for automatically implementing firmware revisions comprising a plurality of devices, wherein at least one device is capable of updating firmware on at least one other device of the plurality of devices independent of any externally attached controller platforms.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the said device is a storage device selected from the group consisting of a disk drive and tape drive.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the devices are connected via a connection media selected from the group consisting of a network, a bus, a local area network, a SCSI network and a SCSI bus.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one device comprises a first state and second state, the first state causing the at least one device to operate in a target mode wherein the device only receives commands, the second state, responsive to a firmware update of the at least one device, enabling the at least one device to send commands to the at least one other device to update firmware on the at least one other device.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the at least one device is reconfigured to the first state after the firmware update of the at least one other device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a device of the plurality of devices can disable other network attached devices of the plurality of devices.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein a defective device of the plurality of devices issues a request to a predetermined device of the plurality of devices, the predetermined device configured to issue at least one command to disable the defective device and notify the plurality of devices of the defective device'"'"'s status.

8. A network attached device comprising:

a processor comprising a first and second state, the first state, causing the processor to operate in accordance with a target mode wherein the device only receives commands, the second state, responsive to a firmware update of the device, enabling the device to upgrade the device with the firmware update and send commands to at least one other device to update firmware on the at least one other device, wherein firmware is automatically updated independent of any externally attached controller platforms; and

a memory configured to accept the updated firmware.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the device is a storage device selected from the group consisting of a disk drive and tape drive.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the device is coupled to the at least one other device via a connection media selected from the group consisting of a network, a bus, a local area network (LAN), a SCSI network and a SCSI bus.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the device is configured to selectively disable at least one other device.

12. The device as set forth in claim 8, wherein a defective device of the at least one other device issues a request to the device, the device further configured to issue at least one command to disable the defective device and notify other devices of the defective device'"'"'s status.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a defect or anomaly in a defective device;

transmitting a request regarding the defective device to a service pack leader of the attached devices;

the pack leader causing the defective device to go offline; and

the pack leader transmitting the defective device'"'"'s status to other network attached devices.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, wherein operating further comprises:

scanning for peers of a substantially similar device family;

issuing a command to idle peer device to prevent controller intervention; and

issuing commands to update firmware in the at least one other device.

17. The method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising reconfiguring to the first state after the firmware update of the at least one other device.

13. A method for automatically providing firmware to attached devices, the method comprising:

updating firmware of a device of the attached devices;

determining if firmware of at least one other device of attached devices requires revision, and if so, updating the firmware of the at least one other device without utilizing an external platform.

15. A method comprising:

operating a device of a plurality of devices in a first state wherein the device operates only to receive commands;

receiving a firmware update; and

operating the device in a second state, comprising sending commands to at least one other device to update firmware on the at least one other device.

18. A method comprising:

operating a device of a plurality of devices in a first state wherein the device operates only to receive commands;

receiving a notice of a defective device;

operating the device in a second state, comprising sending commands to disable the defective device and to notify other devices of the defective device'"'"'s status.