Input/output scanning

• US 20050268079A1
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zimmer, Vincent J., Rothman, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,370,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/564 by virus signature recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/567 using dedicated hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot

Abstract

Provided is a technique for Input/Output scanning. A storage controller receives I/O requests from a host system, having an operating system, directed to at least one storage unit, wherein the storage controller manages I/O access to the at least one storage unit. A scanner program is loaded before executing any I/O requests directed to the at least one storage unit and the scanner program is run to check for code identified in code definitions in I/O requests directed to the at least one storage unit before and after the host operating system is loaded.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

initiating a boot sequence in a host to load an operating system;

loading a scanner program before loading the operating system; and

running the scanner program at least during the loading of the operating system to detect code identified in code definitions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein running the scanner program comprises:

receiving an Input/Output (I/O) request to a storage device;

determining whether the I/O request is directed to code identified in the code definitions; and

returning an error in response to determining that the I/O request is directed to code identified in the code definitions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

contacting a server over a network to obtain a latest code definitions; and

updating the code definitions in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether scanning is enabled before loading the scanner program, wherein the scanner program is loaded in response to determining that scanning is enabled.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein loading the scanner program comprises:

issuing a call from the boot program to load the scanner program from storage.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the boot sequence is initiated within a storage controller managing access to at least one storage unit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the boot sequence is initiated within a host system transmitting I/O requests to a storage device in communication with the host system.

8. A method implemented in a storage controller receiving I/O requests from a host system, having an operating system, directed to at least one storage unit, wherein the storage controller manages I/O access to the at least one storage unit, comprising:

loading a scanner program before executing any I/O requests directed to the at least one storage unit; and

running the scanner program to check for code identified in code definitions in I/O requests directed to the at least one storage unit before and after the host operating system is loaded.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

contacting a server to obtain latest code definitions; and

updating the code definitions in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the storage controller is implemented in one storage unit, wherein a device driver executing in the host system interfaces between the host system and the storage unit, wherein the device driver performs:

contacting a server to obtain a latest code definitions before loading the scanner program; and

updating code definitions in the storage controller in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server, wherein the scanner program in the storage controller uses the updated code definitions.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of storage units include one storage controller that loads the scanner program, wherein a master storage controller coordinates I/O access to the storage units, wherein the master storage controller performs:

contacting a server to obtain latest code definitions; and

updating the code definitions in the storage units having the storage controller that loads the scanner program in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server, wherein the scanner program in the storage controller uses the updated code definitions.

12. A system, comprising:

a processor;

memory;

a storage device including a scanner program and an operating system, wherein the processor executes the operating system loaded into the memory; and

circuitry enabled to;

(i) initiate a boot sequence in a host to load the operating system into the memory;

(ii) load the scanner program from the storage device before loading the operating system; and

(iii) run the scanner program at least during the loading of the operating system to detect code identified in code definitions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the circuitry running the scanner program is enabled to:

receive an Input/Output (I/O) request to the storage device;

determine whether the I/O request is directed to code identified in the code definitions; and

return an error in response to determining that the I/O request is directed to code identified in the code definitions.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the system is in communication with a server, and wherein the circuitry is further enabled to:

contact the server to obtain a latest code definitions; and

update the code definitions in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the circuitry is further enabled to:

determine whether scanning is enabled before loading the scanner program, wherein the scanner program is loaded in response to determining that scanning is enabled.

16. A storage controller capable of receiving I/O requests from a host system, having an operating system, directed to at least one storage unit, wherein the storage controller manages I/O access to the at least one storage unit, comprising:

circuitry enabled to;

load a scanner program before executing any I/O requests directed to the storage medium; and

run the scanner program to check for code identified in code definitions in I/O requests directed to the at least one storage unit before and after the host operating system is loaded.

17. The storage controller of claim 16, wherein the storage controller is in communication with a server, wherein the circuitry is further enabled to:

contact the server to obtain latest code definitions; and

update the code definitions in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server.

18. The storage controller of claim 16, wherein the storage controller is implemented in the storage unit having a storage medium.

19. The storage controller of claim 16, wherein the storage controller is in communication with a plurality of storage units and manages access to the storage units.

20. A system comprising:

a processor;

an operating system executed by the processor; and

a storage device, including;

(i) a storage medium;

(ii) circuitry enabled to;

(A) receive I/O requests from the operating system directed to the storage medium;

(B) load a scanner program before executing any I/O requests directed to the storage medium; and

(C) run the scanner program to check for code identified in code definitions in I/O requests directed to the at least one storage unit before and after the operating system is loaded.

21. The system claim 20, wherein the system is in communication with a server, further comprising:

circuitry enabled to contact the server to obtain latest code definitions; and

circuitry enabled to update the code definitions in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server.

22. An article of manufacture in communication with a host having an operating system, wherein the article of manufacture is enabled to:

initiate a boot sequence in the host to load the operating system;

load a scanner program before loading the operating system; and

run the scanner program at least during the loading of the operating system to detect code identified in code definitions.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein running the scanner program comprises:

receiving an Input/Output (I/O) request to a storage device;

determining whether the I/O request is directed to code identified in the code definitions; and

returning an error in response to determining that the I/O request is directed to code identified in the code definitions.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the host is in communication with a server, and wherein the article of manufacture is further enabled to:

contact the server to obtain a latest code definitions; and

update the code definitions in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the article of manufacture is further enabled to:

determine whether scanning is enabled before loading the scanner program, wherein the scanner program is loaded in response to determining that scanning is enabled.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein loading the scanner program comprises:

issuing a call from the boot program to load the scanner program from storage.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the boot sequence is initiated within a storage controller managing access to at least one storage unit.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the boot sequence is initiated within a host system transmitting I/O requests to a storage device in communication with the host system.

29. An article of manufacture capable of receiving I/O requests from a host system, having an operating system, directed to at least one storage unit, wherein the article of manufacture is enabled to:

load a scanner program before executing any I/O requests directed to the at least one storage unit; and

run the scanner program to check for code identified in code definitions in I/O requests directed to the at least one storage unit before and after the host operating system is loaded.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the article of manufacture is in communication with a server and further enabled to:

contact a server to obtain latest code definitions; and

update the code definitions in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the article of manufacture is implemented in one storage unit, wherein a device driver executing in the host system interfaces between the host system and the storage unit, wherein the device driver is enabled to:

contact a server to obtain a latest code definitions before loading the scanner program; and

update code definitions in the storage controller in response to obtaining the latest code definitions from the server, wherein the scanner program in the storage controller uses the updated code definitions.