System and method of remotely accessing a computer system to initiate remote mainteneance and management accesses on network computer systems

• US 20040254978A1
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Taylor, Neil A., Ibanez, Jesus Gerardo, Ramachandran, P. G.
• Application Number:
  US10/460,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254978A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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 system, apparatus and method of accessing a remote computer system to initiate maintenance and management accesses on remote network computer systems are provided. A device is used to access the remote computer system. The device uses a Web service to gain access to the remote computer system as well as to instruct the remote computer system to initiate a maintenance and management access on a remote network computer system. In a particular embodiment, the interaction between the device and the remote computer system occurs through a Web browser. Further in cases where the network computer system is off, Wake-On-LAN (WOL) technology is used to turn the network computer system on. In addition, if the network computer system does not have an operating system (OS) installed thereon, Pre-boot Execution Environment (PXE) bootstrapping technology is used to download an image of an OS to the network computer. After the network computer is up and running it may be instructed to perform different tasks (e.g., running diagnostic tests, virus scans, self-install software packages and their updates etc.)

Claims

1. A method of remotely initiating a maintenance and management access on a network computer system comprising the steps of:

remotely accessing a computer system through a device, the device using a Web service to gain access to the computer system; and

instructing the computer system to initiate the maintenance and management access on the network computer system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the device uses a Web browser to access the computer system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein if the network computer system is off it is turned on by the computer system using Wake-On-LAN (WOL) technology.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein if the network computer system does not have an operating system (OS) installed thereon a pre-boot execution environment (PXE) technology is used.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein tasks such as running diagnostic tests, virus scans, install software packages and their updates etc. are performed by the network computer system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the network computer system provides a result to the device upon completion of a task.

7. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for remotely initiating a maintenance and management access on a network computer system comprising:

code means for remotely accessing a computer system through a device, the device using a Web service to gain access to the computer system; and

code means for instructing the computer system to initiate a remote maintenance and management access on the network computer system.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the device uses a Web browser to access the computer system.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein if the network computer system is off it is turned on using Wake-On-LAN (WOL) technology.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein if the network computer system does not have an operating system (OS) installed thereon pre-boot execution environment (PXE) technology is used to boot the system.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein tasks such as running diagnostic tests, virus scans, install software packages and their updates etc. are performed by the network computer system.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the network computer system provides a result to the device upon completion of a task.

13. An apparatus for remotely initiating a maintenance and management access on a network computer system comprising:

means for remotely accessing a computer system through a device, the device using a Web service to gain access to the computer system; and

means for instructing the computer system to initiate the maintenance and management access on the network computer system.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the device uses a Web browser to access the computer system.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein if the network computer system is off it is turned on using Wake-On-LAN (WOL) technology.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein if the network computer system does not have an operating system (OS) installed thereon pre-boot execution environment (PXE) technology is used to boot the system.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein tasks such as running diagnostic tests, virus scans, install software packages and their updates etc. are performed by the network computer system.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the network computer system provides a result to the device upon completion of a task.

19. A computing system for remotely initiating maintenance and management accesses on a network computer system comprising:

at least one storage device for storing code data; and

at least one processor for processing the code data to remotely access a computer system through a device, the device using a Web service to gain access to the computer system and to instruct the computer system to initiate a remote maintenance and management access on the network computer system.

20. The computing system of claim 19 wherein the device uses a Web browser to access the computer system.

21. The computing system of claim 20 wherein if the network computer system is off it is turned on by the computer system using pre-boot execution environment (PXE) technology.

22. The computing system of claim 21 wherein if the network computer system does not have an operating system (OS) installed thereon a bootstrapping technology is used to download an image of an OS to the network computer system.

23. The computing system of claim 22 wherein tasks such as running diagnostic tests, virus scans, install software packages and their updates etc. are performed by the network computer system.

24. The computing system of claim 23 wherein the network computer system provides a result to the device upon completion of a task.