Apparatus and method to remotely change IP address of server

• US 20040133664A1
• Filed: 01/06/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Colvig, Arthur J., Wright, Bryan J., Valverde, David V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,114,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method to change the IP address of a server from a remote operator station, where that server comprises an HTTP server having a first IP address, and where that server is capable of communicating with one or more remote operator stations. One of those remote operator stations submits to the server, using the first IP address, an IP address change request. That IP address change request includes discontinuing use of the first IP address and commencing use of a second IP address. After receipt of the IP address change request, the server generates an HTML page comprising an embedded applet, where that applet is capable of monitoring the TCP/IP connection between the remote operator station and the server. The server provides that HTML page/applet to the remote operator station. Thereafter, the remote operator station continuously displays the status of the IP address change request using the provided applet. After the IP address change request is completed, the remote operator station communicates with the server using the second IP address.

Claims

1. A method to change the IP address of a server from a remote operator station comprising a display, wherein said server comprises an HTTP server having a first IP address, and wherein said server is capable of communicating with one or more remote operator stations, comprising the steps of:

submitting to said server from a first one of said one or more remote operator station using said first IP address an IP address change request, wherein said IP address change request comprises discontinuing use of said first IP address and commencing use of a second IP address;

generating a first HTML page comprising an embedded applet, wherein said applet is capable of monitoring the TCP/IP connection between said first remote operator station and said server;

providing said first HTML page to said first remote operator station;

displaying the status of said IP address change request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing said second address to said server using said first remote operator input station.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a DHCP server, wherein said DHCP server is capable of communicating with said server;

providing by said DHCP server said second IP address to said server; and

providing said second IP address to said first remote operator station via said applet.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

pinging said server using said first IP address;

determining if said server responds to said pinging using said first IP address; and

operative if said server does not respond to said pinging using said first IP address, pinging said server using said second IP address.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

providing the (n)th ping to said server using said first IP address;

determining if said server responds to said (n)th ping;

operative if said server responds to said (n)th ping, providing the (n+1)th ping to said server using said first IP address.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

operative if said server does not respond to said (n)th ping, providing the (n+1)th ping to said server using said second IP address; and

determining if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

operative if said server does not respond to said (n+1)th ping, providing the (n+2)th ping to said server using said second IP address;

operative if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping, generating a second HTML page, wherein said second HTML page comprises a request to said second IP address.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said server is disposed within a data storage and retrieval system.

9. A method to change the IP address of a server from a remote operator station comprising a display, wherein said server comprises an HTTP server having a first IP address, and wherein said server is capable of communicating with one or more remote operator stations, comprising the steps of:

submitting to said server from a first one of said one or more remote operator station using said first IP address an IP address change request, wherein said IP address change request comprises discontinuing use of said first IP address and commencement of use of a second IP address;

providing said second address to said server using said first remote operator input station;

generating by said server a first HTML page comprising an embedded applet, wherein said applet is capable of monitoring the TCP/IP connection between said remote operator station and said server;

providing said HTML page to said first remote operator station;

providing the (n)th ping to said server using said first IP address at a first time;

determining if said server responds to said (n)th ping;

operative if said server does not respond to said (n)th ping, providing the (n+1)th ping to said server using said second IP address;

determining if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping;

operative if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping, generating a second HTML page, wherein said second HTML page comprises a request to said second IP address;

displaying the status of said IP address change request.

10. An article of manufacture comprising a display and a computer useable medium having computer readable program code or discrete logic disposed therein to change the IP address of a server in communication with said article of manufacture, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

submitting to said server using a first IP address an IP address change request, wherein said IP address change request comprises discontinuing use of said first IP address and commencing use of a second IP address;

receiving a first HTML page from said server comprising an embedded applet, wherein said applet is capable of monitoring the TCP/IP connection with said server;

displaying the status of said IP address change request.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect providing said second address to said server.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 10, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

pinging said server using said first IP address;

determining if said server is responding to said pinging using said first IP address; and

operative if said server does not respond to said pinging using said first IP address, pinging said server using said second IP address.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 12, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

providing the (n)th ping to said server using said first IP address;

determining if said server responds to said (n)th ping;

operative if said server responds to said (n)th ping, providing the (n+1)th ping to said server using said first IP address.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, said computer readable program code further comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

operative if said server does not respond to said (n)th ping;

providing the (n+1)th ping to said server using said second IP address;

determining if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping;

operative if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping,

generating a second HTML page, wherein said second HTML page comprises a request to said second IP address.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a display and a computer useable medium having computer readable program code or discrete logic disposed therein to change the IP address of a server in communication with said article of manufacture, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect:

submitting to said server using a first IP address an IP address change request, wherein said IP address change request comprises discontinuing use of said first IP address and commencing use of a second IP address;

providing said second address to said server;

receiving from said server a first HTML page comprising an embedded applet, wherein said applet is capable of monitoring the TCP/IP connection with said server;

providing the (n)th ping to said server using said first IP address;

determining if said server responds to said (n)th ping;

operative if said server does not respond to said (n)th ping, providing the (n+1)th ping to said server using said second IP address;

determining if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping;

operative if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping, generating a second HTML page, wherein said second HTML page comprises a request to said second IP address;

displaying the status of said IP address change request.

16. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having computer readable program code or discrete logic embodied therein to change the IP address of a server from a remote operator station comprising a display, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to submit to said server from said remote operator station using a first IP address an IP address change request, wherein said IP address change request comprises discontinuing use of said first IP address and commencement of use of a second IP address;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive a first HTML page comprising an embedded applet, wherein said applet is capable of monitoring the TCP/IP connection between said remote operator station and said server;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to display the status of said IP address change request.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to provide said second address to said server.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to ping said server using said first IP address;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said server responds to said pinging using said first IP address; and

computer readable program code which, if said server does not respond to said pinging using said first IP address, causes said programmable computer processor to ping said server using said second IP address.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to provide the (n)th ping to said server using said first IP address;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said server responds to said (n)th ping;

computer readable program code which, if said server responds to said (n)th ping, causes said programmable computer processor to provide the (n+1)th ping to said server using said first IP address.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

computer readable program code which, if said server does not respond to said (n)th ping, causes said programmable computer processor to provide the (n+1)th ping to said server using said second IP address;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping;

computer readable program code which, if said server does not respond to said (n+1)th ping, causes said programmable computer processor to provide the (n+2)th ping to said server using said second IP address;

computer readable program code which, if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping, causes said programmable computer processor to generate a second HTML page, wherein said second HTML page comprises a request to said second IP address;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to display the status of said IP address change request.

21. A computer program product usable with a programmable computer processor having computer readable program code or discrete logic embodied therein to change the IP address of a server from a remote location comprising a display, comprising:

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to submit to said server from said remote operator station using a first IP address an IP address change request, wherein said IP address change request comprises discontinuing use of said first IP address and commencing use of a second IP address;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to provide said second address to said server;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to receive from said server a first HTML page comprising an embedded applet, wherein said applet is capable of monitoring the TCP/IP connection with said server;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to provide the (n)th ping to said server using said first IP address at a first time;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said server responds to said (n)th ping;

computer readable program code which, if said server does not respond to said (n)th ping, causes said programmable computer processor to provide the (n+1)th ping to said server using said second IP address at a third time;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to determine if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping;

computer readable program code which, if said server responds to said (n+1)th ping, causes said programmable computer processor to generate a second HTML page, wherein said second HTML page comprises a request to said second IP address;

computer readable program code which causes said programmable computer processor to display the status of said IP address change request.