Systems, methods, and media for remote wake-up and management of systems in a network

• US 20050160162A1
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cromer, Daryl Carvis, Locker, Howard Jeffrey, Springfield, Randall Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,483,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Systems, methods, and media for providing remote wake-up and management of systems in a network are disclosed. More particularly, hardware and/or software for a server to receive feedback from a client as to the status of its wake-on-LAN functionality is disclosed. Embodiments include hardware and/or software for determining a client to be managed, determining whether the client is active on the network, transmitting a first network packet comprising a wake-on-LAN packet, and receiving a return wake-on-LAN packet, which comprises an indication of the address of the client and an indication of the status of the wake-on-LAN functionality of the client. Embodiments may also include transmitting a command to start a management session on the client.

Claims

1. A method for managing a remote client on a network, the method comprising:

determining a client to be managed;

determining whether the client is active on the network;

transmitting a first network packet to the client using the network, the first network packet comprising a wake-on-LAN packet; and

receiving, from the client, a return wake-on-LAN packet, the return wake-on-LAN packet comprising an indication of the address of the client and an indication of the status of the wake-on-LAN functionality of the client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a command to start a management session on the client using the network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving an indication from the client that the client'"'"'s wake-on-LAN functionality is disabled; and

transmitting an override command to the client.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the management session is complete; and

marking the client in a database as having completed its management session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising marking the status of the wake-on-LAN functionality of the client in a database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication of the client address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication of a broadcast wake-on-LAN command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication of an address for the transmitting computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the return wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication that the client has wake-on-LAN enabled.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the return wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication that the client has wake-on-LAN disabled.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is an Ethernet network.

12. An data processing system for managing a remote client on a network, the system comprising:

a server computer system in communication with at least one client computer system, the server computer system comprising a processor capable of determining whether the client computer system is active;

wherein the server computer system is capable of transmitting a first network packet the at least one client computer system, the first network packet comprising a wake-on-LAN packet;

wherein the server computer system is capable of receiving a return wake-on-LAN packet from the at least one client computer system, the return wake-on-LAN packet comprising an indication of the address of the client and an indication of the status of the wake-on-LAN functionality of the client; and

a database, the database comprising an indication of one or more clients and the status of their wake-on-LAN functionality.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the network comprises an Ethernet network coupled to the server computer system and the at least one client computer system.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of client computer systems, the plurality of client computer systems being capable of creating a return wake-on-LAN packet.

15. A machine-accessible medium containing instructions effective, when executing in a data processing system, to cause said data processing system to perform operations comprising:

determining a client to be managed;

determining whether the client is active on the network;

transmitting a first network packet using the network, the network packet comprising a wake-on-LAN packet; and

receiving, from the client, a return wake-on-LAN packet, the return wake-on-LAN packet comprising an indication of the address of the client and an indication of the status of the wake-on-LAN functionality of the client.

16. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise transmitting a command to start a management session on the client using the network.

17. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an indication that the management session is complete; and

marking the client in a database as having completed its management session.

18. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15 wherein the operations further comprise marking the status of the wake-on-LAN functionality of the client in a database.

19. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use by data processing system on a network, the data structure comprising:

an indication of an address of a server computer system;

an indication of an address for a client computer system;

a synchronization stream; and

an indication of the status of wake-on-LAN functionality for the client computer system.

20. A method for managing a remote client on a network, the method comprising:

receiving a first network packet from a server over the network, the first network packet comprising a wake-on-LAN packet;

creating a return wake-on-LAN packet, the return wake-on-LAN packet comprising an indication of the address of the client and an indication of the status of the wake-on-LAN functionality of the client; and

transmitting the return wake-on-LAN packet over the network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the return wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication that the client has wake-on-LAN enabled.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the return wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication that the client has wake-on-LAN disabled.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication of the client address.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the wake-on-LAN packet comprises an indication of the server address.