Method and system for using boot servers in networks

• US 20060047852A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marvell Asia Pte Limited (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Original Assignee: QLogic Corporation (Marvell Technology Group Limited)
• Inventors: McGlaughlin, Edward C., Shah, Shishir
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4405 Initialisation of multiprocessor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• 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 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

A method and system for booting a server and/or server blade in a network is provided. The system includes, a boot server that is used to store plural WWPNs, an active profile for the server and a boot schedule, wherein a HBA registers a default WWPN and/or HBA profile with the boot server and if the HBA is configured to boot using a management application, the boot server provides a WWPN to the HBA. The management application includes, a graphical user interface for creating a LUN for a storage system and assigning the LUN to be a boot LUN, wherein the graphical user interface can access a boot server for booting a server.

Claims

1. A method for booting a server and/or server blade in a network, comprising:

registering a default world wide port number information (“

WWPN”

)and/or HBA Profile with a boot server;

returning a WWPN and/or HBA profile that the server needs to use for booting, wherein a switch returns the WWPN and/or HBA profile;

querying the boot server for a list of boot devices; and

returning a list of boot devices to the server, wherein the switch returns the list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a host bus adapter registers the WWPN returned by the switch.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the host bus adapter uses the device list to configure a first available boot device from the list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the boot server includes a boot schedule for booting the server.

5. A system having a server and a storage system with a switch that allows communication between the server and the storage system, comprising:

a boot server that is used to store plural world wide port numbers, an active profile for the server and a boot schedule, wherein a host bus adapter (“

HBA”

) registers a default WWPN and/or HBA profile with the boot server and if the HBA is configured to boot using a management application, the boot server provides a WWPN and/or HBA profile to the HBA.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the HBA uses the WWPN it received from the boot server to register with a name server and query the boot server for a list of boot devices.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the switch returns a list of boot devices in response to the query.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the HBA uses the list to configure a boot device.

9. A management application for configuring a storage area network, comprising:

a graphical user interface for creating a LUN for a storage system and assigning the LUN to be a boot LUN, wherein the graphical user interface can access a boot server for booting a server.

10. The management application of claim 9, wherein the boot server is used to store plural world wide port numbers, an active profile for the server and a boot schedule, wherein a host bus adapter (“

HBA”

) registers a default WWPN and/or HBA profile with the boot server and if the HBA is configured to boot using the management application, the boot server provides a WWPN to the HBA.

11. The management application of claim 10, wherein the HBA uses the WWPN it received from the boot server to register with a name server and query the boot server for a list of boot devices.

12. The management application of claim 11, wherein a switch returns a list of boot devices in response to the query.